2019-2020 Welch College View Book

Welch College does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, national and ethnic origin, age, or disability in admitting students or in otherwise administering its educational policies and school-sponsored programs.

OUR MISSION Educating leaders to serve Christ, His church, and His world through biblical thought and life.

What is my purpose in life?

What is my place in God’s world?

What is my calling in God’s kingdom?

These are the questions Welch College will help you answer. At Welch College, we believe God has a purpose for you—a special role just for you in His kingdom. In this Christian community of faith and learning, you can find your place in God’s world, and we will provide the education you need to fulfill your calling.

Our mission is to educate leaders to serve Christ, His church, and His world through biblical thought and life— that is what Welch College is all about. We provide our students a unique opportunity to prepare for leadership and service in the field to which God calls them. We do this by teaching students to confront the inescapable questions of life from the vantage point of a Christian worldview, realizing the implications of Christian faith for the world around them, for the whole of life.

God may be calling you to minister in a local church or a cross-cultural ministry setting. He may be calling you to live out your faith as a leader in education, healthcare, the family, the marketplace, or public service. Or perhaps you have yet to discover God’s calling. Whatever it is, our mission is to prepare you for your calling, for a life of leadership and service for Christ and His church. We want you to be a part of this vibrant experience of Christian learning and life.

We are here to serve you. The Lord bless you and keep you.

J. Matthew Pinson President

Integration of

FAITH AND LEARNING The education you will receive at Welch College focuses on the integration of faith and learning. All facets of college life, from academic programs to spiritual formation to campus life, are designed to develop and nurture the whole person.

Our students want more than career training. They come here to pursue a quality Christian higher education that will equip them for service to Christ and leadership in the church and the world. Whatever their future occupation may be, they know that life is about God. That’s why we dedicate ourselves to the spiritual formation of our students. We want each student to develop a Christ-centered character that emerges from a Christian heart and mind that values the true, the good, and the beautiful.

Are you searching for a challenging, creative environment where you can grow spiritually, intellectually, and socially? If you are, then Welch College is the place for  you!

“My experience at Welch College solidified the foundation for my faith and Christian worldview and prepared me to enter the secular workplace.

Through their example, the faculty showed me how to effectively care for others.�

Ashlee Lewis Registered Nurse, Nashville, TN Class of 2008

EQUIP A college education is a serious investment—an investment of time, effort, and finances. At Welch College, the return on your investment is a high-quality Christian education with the highest academic standards.

Welch is regionally accredited by SACSCOC* and nationally accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education.** With a student/faculty ratio of 10/1, Welch provides a challenging curriculum and a stimulating learning environment that is ranked 13th best regional college in the South by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges. Our faculty not only teach students to think critically as they pursue knowledge in their chosen fields, but they also lead them into a deeper understanding of the implications of the Bible and the Christian worldview for all of life and thought.

Together with our more than 40 programs of study, Welch College offers opportunities to learn and grow in overseas experiences; church, business, educational, government, and healthcare internships; involvement in the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature; and various study groups to enhance the academic experience. Our students rank their professors high for combining personal care and commitment with the teaching and modeling of a Christian framework for learning and life.

While some schools offer lightweight academic programs, we challenge our students with academic excellence that requires them to give their very best. In fact, it will take your best efforts to make your mark at Welch College. But we will reward those efforts with an excellent education from which you will reap benefits throughout your life.

WELCH COLLEGE is ranked 13th best regional college in the South by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges. *Welch College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Welch College.

(Note: Other than for general inquiries the Commission on Colleges should be contacted only if there is evidence that appears to support an institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.) **Welch College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education to grant degrees at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s levels. Contact the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education at 5850 T.G. Lee Blvd., Suite 130, Orlando Florida 37822 or call 407-207-0808 for questions about the accreditation of Welch College.

Our faculty teach students to think critically as they pursue knowledge in their chosen fields.

We challenge our students with academic excellence.

GROW We are a Christian community of faith and learning. All of our professors are committed Christians who teach from a biblical perspective.

Campus life abounds with opportunities for spiritual growth, from Bible studies to chapel services, from SpirituaLife groups to Christian Service experiences, from peer mentoring to outreach opportunities in the community.

We believe your time here should produce more than a degree. Your college experience should provide a firm base of knowledge of God’s Word and God’s world—a biblical worldview. With a Welch education, you will understand the significance of Christian faith for the whole of life and be equipped to live a life that honors Christ and leads others to Him. All students at Welch College, regardless of their major fields of study, take a strong core of biblical studies.

At Welch College, your education is more than books and assignments. We teach you how to live, as well as how to make a living. Living life under the lordship of Christ and touching the lives of others for Him go hand-in-hand with what you learn in the classroom.

“My time at Welch College gave me the academic training I needed to be successful at both my job and the ‘real world’ outside the college walls. Not only did I receive newfound knowledge and training in core subjects, but the college also provided theological training that has kept me grounded in my faith and allowed me to view the culture through a biblical worldview. More than anything, Welch College helped me see that my Christian faith is not just a part of my life; it IS my life, and the lens through which everything else is viewed.”

David Jones Young Adult Editor Randall House Publications Class of 2007

EXPERIENCE Our students love it here, and you will too! You will have a great time making friendships that last a lifetime while learning in a safe, wholesome environment.

Instead of sororities or fraternities, Welch College hosts four men’s and four women’s societies. During Rush Week at the beginning of the academic year, each society recruits new students. We are proud of our inclusive social organizations, and unlike other colleges and universities, we invite every student to join the society of his or her choice.

The college sponsors a vibrant arts program. Students perform in a variety of music and drama groups and touring ministry teams, including choral groups such as the College Choir, Chapel Choir, and Choral Union; musical ministry teams like Rejoice!; and the Evangel Players drama team.

Recent performances have included The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Oklahoma!; Handel’s Messiah; Willy Wonka; Our Town; Sound of Music; The Wizard of Oz, and The Slipper and the Rose.

Welch College students participate in intercollegiate and intramural athletics. Our men’s and women’s basketball teams, men’s and women’s golf teams, men’s and women’s cross country teams, and women’s volleyball team compete in Division II of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). In 2018 we began men’s and women’s intercollegiate soccer. Campus society teams compete for awards and recognition in a number of intramural sports. Regular campus events include Block Party, Forum/Bible Conference, and Missions Conference, as well as other on- and off-campus activities.

Best of all, at Welch College you will be part of a community where students and professors know who you are. You see them not only in the classroom, but in the dining hall, in the gym, in the coffee house, and at campus events. You will be surrounded by people who care about you and want to help you succeed.

The Nashville area has a great deal to offer: museums, opera, the Nashville Symphony, libraries, beautiful parks, lakes and nature centers, restaurants, and professional football, baseball, and hockey teams.

AT WELCH COLLEGE...

You will be surrounded by people who care about you and want to help you succeed.

Your education is more than books and assignments. We teach you how to live, as well as how to make a living.

SERVE Welch College alumni serve Christ as leaders in His church and His world around the globe. We believe all Christians are called to minister to their world. No matter what you choose to do after graduation, your years at Welch College will be significant.

The college provides numerous opportunities for outreach, evangelism, and missions.

These include experiences as diverse as ministering on college-sponsored mission trips, touring with college musical and drama groups, serving dinner at a rescue mission for the homeless, counseling teenagers, engaging in community service projects, and participating in the summer College Missions Program with IM, the Free Will Baptist international mission agency. Through Christian Service, we equip workers for the kingdom of God, no matter what professional field they enter.

Our college educates the whole person: the heart and hands as well as the head. Our students take what they learn in the classroom and put it into action in the lives of those in the Nashville area and around the world.

They are often recognized by community leaders for providing thousands of hours of service in the community, helping the homeless, tutoring children, and ministering at hospitals, retirement homes, and prisons.

“Our time at Welch College helped prepare us for mission work by giving us the opportunity to learn under and be mentored by teaching missionaries whose passion helped fuel a desire in us to take the gospel to the unreached.�

Heath and Joni Hubbard Missionaries to Japan Class of 2006 and 2002

EDUCATING LEADERS

TO SERVE CHRIST

“Welch College prepared me for the corporate world by teaching me to look at all of life from a Christian worldview.

My time at Welch College also showed me how I could be involved in the spread of the gospel around the world.�

Bob Edwards Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor Pinnacle Financial Partners, Nashville Class of 1997

Life After Welch College

EQUIP. GROW. EXPERIENCE. SERVE. A degree from Welch College means that you’ll have the strong foundation and the knowledge you’ll need for life after college. Our graduates agree that their college experience not only prepared them academically for career opportunities but also strengthened their faith for life’s challenges.

Welch College alumni serve Christ in many capacities around the globe. Eighty percent of Free Will Baptist international missionaries were educated here, and more than 1,000 pastors are Welch College graduates. Ninety-five percent of our teacher education graduates find job placement, and hundreds of alumni professionals serve faithfully in business, healthcare, and public service.

Should you decide to continue your academic studies, our graduates are readily accepted into graduate schools worldwide. Graduate programs in which our alumni have studied include Vanderbilt University, Middle Tennessee State University, Cambridge University, Beeson Divinity School, Duke University, North Carolina State University, University of Chicago, University of South Florida Medical School, Yale University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Trinity Law School, University of Glasgow, and more.

“The teacher education program at Welch gave me knowledge of child development and teaching strategies along with experience in the classroom. When I stepped into my very own classroom on the first day of my teaching career, I knew I was equipped to teach those children because of my college experience. The professors at Welch are experienced and caring.

They are passionate about preparing the next generation of teachers. Teacher education students are placed in classrooms and given opportunities to teach from the beginning of the program.

Most importantly, Welch taught me to view my students as precious children created in the image of God rather than test scores. That idea is what makes teaching my ministry.”

Jill McAlister Special Education Teacher, Stratford School in Stratford, CA Class of 2007

PROGRAMS OF STUDY Biology Biology (A.S.) Biology Education Business (A.S.) Business Administration Early Childhood Early Childhood (A.S.) Economics (Teacher Licensure) Elementary Education English English Education Exercise Science Exercise Science— Human Performance General Christian Ministries General Studies (A.A.) History History Education Intercultural Studies Interdisciplinary Majors International Business Ministry (A.S.) Missions Music (Instrumental)

Music (Vocal) Music Education Pastoral Ministry Physical Education Pre-Medical/Health Sciences Pre-Law Psychology Psychology (Teacher Licensure) Recreation Leadership Sports Management Theological Studies Theological Studies (Teacher Licensure) Worship Ministry Youth and Family Ministry Evangelical Training Association Diploma Spanish Language Ministry Certificate Air Force ROTC Army ROTC Master of Arts, Theology and Ministry Master of Arts in Teaching

At Welch College you will be part of a community where students and professors know who you are.

75%

95%

of business graduates with job placement on graduation day

of teacher education graduates with job placement

FINANCIAL AID We know that a college education will probably be one of the most expensive endeavors of your life. That’s why we keep costs as low as possible and do everything we can to help you make it a reality. If you compare our costs with other accredited private colleges, it is obvious that Welch College’s tuition is a great value.

And our Financial Aid Office will work with you to get the financial aid you need to help finance your Welch College education. The college accepts federal financial aid, including Pell grants and Stafford loans, and offers a number of institutional grants, scholarships, and loans as well.

About 90 percent of our students receive financial aid and/or have jobs to finance their education. If you require an off-campus job, we will help you find one. The college maintains a job bank of positions available on-campus and in the Nashville area. Local employers know the integrity and reputation of our students and value them as employees.

Welch’s tuition, room, and board costs are in the lowest 25 percent of accredited private colleges in Tennessee. In fact, US News and World Report ranks Welch the 5th best value college in the southern region.

$4,000,000 Amount of money processed in the Financial Aid Office

90% of students receive financial aid

A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY OF

FAITH AND LEARNING

RANKED 13th

BEST REGIONAL COLLEGE IN THE SOUTH 2019 RANKINGS

DIVISION II ATHLETICS

10:1

STUDENT/ TEACHER RATIO

10,000 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE ANNUALLY

REGIONALLY & NATIONALLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER ASSOCIATE’S, BACHELOR’S, & MASTER’S DEGREES

TOP PROGRAMS • Theological Studies • Pre-Med/Nursing • Business • Teacher Education • Music STUDENTS REPRESENT

23

STATES

5

countries

67%

FACULTY WITH HIGHEST DEGREE IN FIELD OF STUDY

“There are few places in this world like Welch College. One moment, I was challenged by a professor to think in ways I had never thought possible, yet in the next moment, that same teacher was willing to hear my struggles and sincerely pray for me. I cannot imagine a better place to learn, grow, or be better prepared for the future.�

Audrey Jordan 4th Grade Teacher, Community Christian,

Russellville, AR

Class of 2015

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

NASHVILLE & GALLATIN Getting here and getting around couldn’t be easier.

A genuine geographic bull’s-eye, Nashville is perfectly positioned.

• 50% of U.S. population is within 600 miles • Uniquely positioned at the convergence of 3 major interstates • Served by all major airlines Readers Digest 2017 Ranked Gallatin, TN “Nicest Place in America”

Travel+Leisure magazine 50 Best Places to Travel

A Hub for Food and Coffee Lovers Nashville was ranked one of America’s best coffee cities by Travel+Leisure #13

Southern Living

If someone measured coffeehouses per capita, we’re pretty sure Nashville would top the list.

named Nashville one of The South’s Best Food Cities 2019 (March 2019)

Fun Outdoors

Sports

Disc Golf Old Hickory Lake Parks and Greenways

Tennessee Titans (NFL) Nashville Predators (NHL) Nashville Sounds (AAA Minor League)

World Class Music Venues

Ascend Amphitheater Ryman Auditorium Schermerhorn Symphony Center Bridgestone Arena Grand Ole Opry

Gallatin Square

Old Hickory Lake

Nashville Hot Chicken

Disc Golf

Discover Yourself

AT WELCH COLLEGE Spend a night in the dorm. Stay up late talking with our students. Bundle up and head to a fall basketball game. Grab a few meals in the dining hall. Think Welch College might be the place for you? There’s not a better way to decide than visiting our campus.

Twice a year we host Senior Days, and twice a year we host Welcome Days.

These events are great ways to get an up-close look at the Welch College experience. Guest students spend time in dorms, chapel, and classes, as well as enjoying various activities throughout the weekend. We also encourage you to talk with professors and students. They will be glad to tell you about the Welch College experience.

Visit welch.edu/visit, call 1-888-97-WELCH, or email us at GotoWelch@welch. edu to RSVP for an upcoming visit weekend. If Senior Days or Welcome Days does not fit your schedule, let us know, and we will plan a personal campus visit just for you.

“Before I began this journey at Welch College, I was told by many people that this place would greatly change me. I think they were completely right. I have completely changed. . . . Welch College has been life-transforming. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. I have made decisions that have shaped me greatly. I have been taught faithfully by people who were selfless.”

David Dell Student Pastor, New Hope Free Will Baptist Church Joelton, TN Class of 2015

Visit us during Welcome Days or Senior Days to get the full Welch experience.

YOUR NEXT STEP Ready to learn more about your future at Welch College? We are here for you. Whether you want more information, an application, or just have a few questions, we are easy to reach. You can call, email, or visit us on the web.

STEP 1

Schedule a campus visit at welch.edu/visit

STEP 2

Apply at welch.edu/GoToWelch We know choosing where to attend college can be a difficult decision.

When you choose Welch College, you can be sure that we’ll support and encourage you—from questions and campus visits to unpacking in your dorm—as you begin your college career. Join the Welch College family.

We cannot wait to welcome you!

CONNECT WITH WELCH COLLEGE /WelchCollege

welch.edu

@WelchCollege

888.97.WELCH

@WelchCollege

GotoWelch@welch.edu

“O send out thy light and thy truth. . . .”

Psalm 43:3

#GotoWelch

1045 Bison Trail Gallatin, TN 37066 | 1.888.97.WELCH welch.edu | recruit@welch.edu