Partners, November 2016
ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
ABILENE, Texas — Beach volleyball in landlocked West Texas? That’s right.
ACU is adding women’s beach volleyball as a varsity sport, with competition beginning in spring 2018. Women’s indoor volleyball assistant coach Breann Nesselhuf will oversee the beach volleyball program as its head coach.
With the addition of beach volleyball, ACU will now sponsor 17 sports overseen by 11 head coaches. The university plans to convert an outdoor basketball court and the grass area near it into a beach volleyball facility complete with three competition courts.
FAULKNER UNIVERSITY
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Faulkner broke ground this fall on a new, 88-bed, suite-style residence hall with private bathrooms, large common areas and laundry facilities on each of four floors.
The facility housing freshman men will help meet Faulkner’s growing demand for additional housing, provide more attractive campus living facilities and position the university for continued growth, spokesman Chris Kratzer said.
FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY
HENDERSON, Tenn. — Joe Wiley plans to retire as Freed-Hardeman’s president effective June 1, 2017, after nine years at the helm.
Joe Wiley“Working at FHU is and has been a true ministry for which I will be forever grateful to the board for allowing me to experience,” Wiley said in a statement announcing his decision. “While there are always goals and objectives left uncompleted, we have accomplished much together, and I am confident that FHU is well positioned for the future.”
Board Chairman John Law praised the performance of Wiley, who has 44 years of experience in higher education.
“He has guided our university with decisive and effective leadership, meeting and overcoming challenges and leading our university to a place of historic growth and strength,” Law said.
“Most importantly, he has exhibited to our students, faculty and staff a humble and Christ-like spirit that will define his legacy for years to come.”
OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Christian recently debuted its newest on-campus dining option: Chick-fil-A Express.
Kurt Hermanson is the owner and operator of U Dining, which provides the university’s meals. He began the process to get a Chick-fil-A Express about three years ago and is pleased with student reaction.
The addition of Chick-fil-A Express, open every day except Sunday, has increased the number of on-campus jobs.
More than 50 students work in part-time positions.
ROCHESTER COLLEGE
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. — Rochester College recently added majors in urban ministry, worship ministry and theater management.
These additions bring the number of bachelor’s degree majors offered by the college to 25.
RESTORATION HISTORY
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST HISTORICAL
BETHANY, W.Va. — The Disciples of Christ Historical Society, formerly located in Nashville, Tenn., has moved into new facilities next to the Alexander Campbell study and mansion and across the street from the Campbell cemetery.
The building was completed by renovating the Renner Visitors Center and adding an archives room housing artifacts, portraits, institutional records, books and journals from the early 19th century until now.
For more information, contact interim executive director John Imbler at [email protected].
SPOTLIGHT
Attendees visit a display recalling the ministry of the late Batsell Barrett Baxter. NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Lipscomb’s College of Bible and Ministry hosted a recent celebration of the ministry of the late Batsell Barrett Baxter. Baxter, who died in 1982, would have turned 100 on Sept. 23.
The event recalled the “soft style of preaching” by Baxter. He was best known as the primary presenter for the television ministry “Herald of Truth” from 1956 to 1980.
