Posted in Belhaven on Nov 17th, 2009 No Comments »
Below are the results from a survey, generating responses from over 1,000 students, alumni and faculty and staff.
This was a wonderful way to collect a broad spectrum of perspectives and gain good ideas from many who care most about Belhaven. These outcomes will be shared with the Board of Trustees.
It is our desire from the [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Nov 11th, 2009 2 Comments »
I’ve been receiving lots of helpful insight and ideas regarding this decision whether or not to change our name from Belhaven College to Belhaven University.
The concept has also raised a number of questions, and I thought it would be helpful to answer a few of those that came in through the survey comments or emails:
Would [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Nov 11th, 2009 1 Comment »
The survey regarding the question of a possible name change is BLAZING!
It started off fast with 75 alumni responding within minutes after it was posted, but now the current student survey has pushed ahead in total number of responses.
As of right now, I’ve had responses from:
269 current students
214 alumni
124 faculty and staff
In addition, I’ve had [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Nov 10th, 2009 2 Comments »
I need your insights as we are considering this question:
Has Belhaven College grown in size, influence, and stature that it should be renamed Belhaven University?
This is a decision of the Board of Trustees, but we do not want to go further in the discussion until we gain insights from our current students and alumni.
There [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Higher Education on Nov 9th, 2009 No Comments »
Homecoming court is one of the best long-standing traditions of American Higher education campus life.
Belhaven’s 2009 King Alex Freel and Queen Madison Childs
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Posted in Belhaven, Roger Parrott on Nov 4th, 2009 No Comments »
Last week I had the opportunity to talk about my book before an audience of 5 million listeners on the Moody Broadcasting Networks popular evening drive time show, Prime Time America.
If you’d like to hear this 8 minute interview click here: Roger Parrott Interview- Prime Time America, Moody Radio.
I was thrilled that the gracious host, [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Nov 2nd, 2009 2 Comments »
Last week (when it wasn’t raining) I received this encouraging and wise email from Robin Savoy, Director of Campus Operations.
I couldn’t agree more!
We get so busy doing what we do on campus, it is easy to miss all that is happening around us – and the joy of working and serving at Belhaven.
Dr. Parrott,
My point [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Oct 26th, 2009 1 Comment »
Mary Harmon taught home economics at Belhaven from 1952 until 1982. Today she is celebrating her 103rd birthday!
She grew up in Goodman, Mississippi and graduated from “the W” in 1932 where she studied home economics.
At the request of President Gillespie she joined our faculty in 1952 “to finish out a semester for another professor” She [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven, Higher Education on Oct 23rd, 2009 No Comments »
Here are several items of interest:
1. This afternoon the NAIA named Belhaven as a Champions of Character school. This recognition highlights colleges and universities that: “restore character values and raise a generation of students who understand and demonstrate in everyday decisions integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.”
2. Our H1N1 report shows we are having [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven, Christian Faith, Culture, Higher Education, Missions, Roger Parrott, Uncategorized, World Events, Worldview on Oct 19th, 2009 No Comments »
For sometime I’ve been encouraged to take the time to write and share some of the leadership principles that have been important to me through 21 years in the college presidency. As our faculty, and others of you who write know, it takes discipline and it’s sometimes hard to stay in the chair long enough [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Missions, Uncategorized on Oct 5th, 2009 1 Comment »
On Friday we hosted on campus Mr. and Mrs. Raidy, who lead SPH International, a Foundation which is establishing 1,000 Christian schools in Indonesia. They are wonderfully gifted people who have a firm grasp of Christ-centered education, and have a heart for reaching their country through quality education.
They also have established a UPH, a university [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven on Oct 4th, 2009 No Comments »
I’ve periodically consoled coaches who are having a tough season in the win/loss column by saying, “losing builds character.” Which is true.
But winning can build character too, if done right – and is lots more fun!
Belhaven men’s soccer (what the world calls football) moved into the top 20 national ranking this week, at #19. And [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven, Higher Education on Sep 29th, 2009 No Comments »
After two years of evaluation, work, and preparation, Belhaven College is changing to a new athletic conference within the NAIA – the Southern States Athletic Conference which offers 14 conference supported sports for our athletes.
Our long-term conference, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, includes schools who offer a limited number of sports – it is primarily [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Higher Education, Missions on Sep 23rd, 2009 No Comments »
Isn’t it great how God works without being slowed down by the limits of distance, culture, and language we assume to hold us back? And we get to see more of God’s reach because of the technology tools of today.
In Korea we have a sister Christian College who is seeking to do the same type [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Culture on Sep 10th, 2009 1 Comment »
One of our most famous graduates is author Elizabeth Spencer, class of 1942. She has written numerous novels and articles, and has been recognized widely for her work.
We are proud of her distinguished career, and also proud that Belhaven College is the only Christian College offering a bachelors degree of fine arts in creative [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Sep 3rd, 2009 No Comments »
It was reported yesterday that 55% of colleges campuses have reported H1N1 flu cases, with many campuses reporting outbreaks that range from a handful to hundreds of cases on a single campus. The attack rate in Mississippi is 43 in 10,000 students among colleges and universities..
We have developed a campus wide plan to respond to [...]
Posted in Belhaven, World Events on Aug 31st, 2009 No Comments »
Later this week I will release the details of our campus plan to help us prepare for the H1N1 flu that is already hitting many schools and colleges. Thanks to many of you who shared insights to be considered as we’ve built this plan.
With a widespread pandemic possible, the experts agree that the best things [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Aug 28th, 2009 1 Comment »
I always feel the peace of God when I walk through the center of our campus. What a marvelous place the Lord has given us to enjoy every day. It is our “Haven” in spirit and in our physical surroundings.
This new photograph by Bryant Butler, with help from Ricky White and Kevin Taylor who loaned [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Higher Education, Uncategorized on Aug 25th, 2009 3 Comments »
I’ve just received the fall enrollment numbers and they look wonderful, with a total enrollment reaching nearly 3,000 students.
Few private colleges have gained in enrollment this year, and we are up 15% overall, and have increased nearly 5% among our traditional age students on the Jackson campus.
Our adult programs in Jackson, Memphis, Orlando, and Houston [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Higher Education on Aug 21st, 2009 5 Comments »
We are developing a plan to take proper precautions against the spread of H1N1. As you know, schools and even colleges are especially vulnerable to the spread of this flu. We want to be cautious, but not alarmist in protecting ourselves should some among us get this flu.
We were one of the first to order [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Christian Faith on Aug 15th, 2009 No Comments »
This afternoon I had the joy to share with all our new students and their parents. Several asked for the outline of the challenge to them, and so here it is:
DEVELOP A PATTERN OF PERSISTENCE
Plan a purpose not a path for your life
1. God called you here, and God never calls us to failure
2. [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Aug 15th, 2009 No Comments »
This afternoon at 3:30 we will welcome about 225 new students to our first year class. They start today, but the goal of their coming to Belhaven is not to just start, but to finish.
So the date that is most important is not today, but their graduation date:
May 11, 2013
Let’s all be praying, working, helping, [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Aug 6th, 2009 No Comments »
Where did the summer go?
Seems like yesterday that I was standing on the commencement platform singing the alma mater and thinking about the great summer ahead – books to read, golf to play, trout to catch, projects to complete.
That didn’t work out so well, as every day all summer seemed to fly by.
Two rounds of [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Culture, Uncategorized on Apr 24th, 2009 No Comments »
The Huffington Post
APRIL 24, 2009
Georgianne Nienaber
Investigative journalist and author
Posted April 24, 2009 | 07:33 AM (EST)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/georgianne-nienaber/mary-chapin-carpenter-ret_b_189042.html
Mary Chapin Carpenter Returns to the Stage and Talks about Eudora Welty, Inspiration, and Bonding
Five-time Grammy winner Mary Chapin Carpenter is still raving about the experience she had performing with Kate Campbell, Claire Holley and Caroline Herring at the Eudora [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Christian Faith, Higher Education, World Events on Mar 22nd, 2009 No Comments »
Five weeks after the horrific accident our friend, Stuart Irby, woke up from his coma on Friday. I received a call from Cal Wells who had just left the hospital and was overwhelmed at the remarkable difference in Stuart. Stuart’s assistant, Sylvia Gore called me Saturday and invited me to come see him.
When I arrived [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Mar 11th, 2009 No Comments »
This is the time of year we all dread…..the two or three first hot days when all the pollen seems to pop out all at once and covers everything in yellow. Hopefully it will rain tonight, because it never seems to go away until we get a good rain.
This is also the time of year [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Higher Education on Mar 9th, 2009 No Comments »
I get so spoiled by our wonderful faculty and staff, and their deep commitment to Christ and to our students, that I sometimes forget what the rest of higher education is like. This story from the University of Florida is a jarring reminder of the difference in spirit, calling, values, and integrity of our faculty [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Feb 26th, 2009 No Comments »
Belhaven Senior, Ethan Rodgers was notified this week at his Air Force ROTC Detachment at Jackson State that his application to be awarded a coveted “pilot slot” for the United States Air Force was accepted. He is the FIRST pilot to ever come out of this local ROTC program.
The speed with which he was tapped [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Higher Education on Feb 23rd, 2009 No Comments »
I understand the business office scared some of you when you received an information packet at your home about COBRA insurance in the past couple of days. COBRA is the individual insurance that a company must provide employees if you’re laid off from a job – so that you can stay on the company [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Culture, Higher Education on Feb 23rd, 2009 No Comments »
Every day I study in detail a half dozen or more reports about how colleges and universities are dealing with the global economic crisis. By analyzing their decisions, it helps me to consider all of our options should the economic crisis worsen.
Fortunately, to date, Belhaven is doing wonderfully well financially – except for what are [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven on Nov 18th, 2008 No Comments »
Three members of our Women’s Cross Country team – Christie Barber, Libby Brown and Jessica Gunning – earned berths in the NAIA National Championship meet this weekend in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Several members of the women’s soccer team were named to the All-Conference Team: (1st Team) Sarah Benson, Catherine Dunst and Mallory Hodges; (2nd Team) Kristin Parson, [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven on Nov 17th, 2008 No Comments »
In all the buzz of our men’s soccer team reaching a national ranking of 6th, the strong season of the women’s team was overlooked by many. They came within just that one game of going to the national championship tournament.
The women made it all the way into the conference championship game against William Carey, after [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Higher Education on Nov 16th, 2008 No Comments »
Last month I posted some comments from prospective students who visited the campus for a Discover Day. Here are some more responses from recent campus visits:
Discovery Day was an awesome experience for myself and my mother. I just felt right at home. I truly want to attend Belhaven. Hopefully I will get the chance to [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven on Nov 13th, 2008 No Comments »
Our men’s basketball team went to Tuscaloosa to play the University of Alabama tonight. The final score wasn’t great, 97-43, but our guys are marvelous to even take the floor against an SEC team.
We were down by only 2 points ten minutes into the game. Below is the story of the game from their web [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Nov 12th, 2008 No Comments »
We are a “Pepsi campus” and appreciate Bill Brown and Brown Bottling Group who helps Belhaven in so many ways, and is our beverage provider for the campus. So, we push Pepsi, not Coke.
But you need to keep handy one can of Coca-Cola Classic – to clean wallpaper.
We had an expert in this week to [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven on Oct 31st, 2008 No Comments »
During the past year and a half, I have carefully evaluated the future leadership needs for the Student Affairs arena of the College. In this interim without a Vice President overseeing this department, I’ve enjoyed having the Student Affairs team report directly to me, and this time has also helped me better understand the needs, [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven on Oct 28th, 2008 No Comments »
Our men’s soccer team has had only had one loss all season, and we dropped from 6th to 22nd in the national rankings that came out today following our loss to University of Mobile last week. Doesn’t feel too fair since many teams above us have had several losses. I guess this will give us [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Christian Faith, Missions, Uncategorized on Oct 24th, 2008 Comments Off
Thursday we will bring together the entire campus for a “day of learning” from 8:30 to noon to focus on the remarkable working of God in Korea through the past several decades.
Dr. Billy Jang Hwan Kim, President of the Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC), will speak about God’s exciting work in South Korea, and the [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Uncategorized on Oct 20th, 2008 Comments Off
We hosted a Discover Day last Friday, bringing prospective students and their families to campus for a day to “kick the tires” as they make their college choice. We had a large group attend last week, and Suzanne Sullivan and Amanda Slaughter, along with our admissions team do a marvelous job enabling these families to [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven on Oct 14th, 2008 Comments Off
Today’s NAIA national ranking moves Belhaven from 13th to 8th. This is getting exciting! Come out and watch this team Wednesday and Friday this week in the Belhaven Bowl – both games at 3:00 pm. Could this be the march toward our second national championship in men’s soccer?
1 University of Rio Grande (Ohio) 12-0-1
2 Lindsey [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Higher Education on Oct 13th, 2008 Comments Off
A letter from the president of National Association of Student Loan Administrators summarizes the good news for student loans in the government’s economic rescue plan:
The best news for student aid is that one of the bill’s provisions extends for two years the ability of taxpayers to take a deduction for qualified tuition and related expenses.
Under [...]
The Belhaven Men’s soccer team is ranked 13th in the nation in the NAIA coach’s poll. Our team has continued to climb each of the past several weeks. Congratulations to Head Coach Steve DeCou and the team for their outstanding season to date.
Three home games are coming up in the next two weeks, and [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Christian Faith, Missions, Uncategorized on Oct 3rd, 2008 Comments Off
Last week I had the privilege of joining with 125 pastors from some of the nation’s most influential churches to discuss the future role and opportunities for American congregations in global missions. This gathering was called by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (I serve on the Executive Committee and as Treasurer of Lausanne). Below [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Uncategorized, World Events on Oct 2nd, 2008 Comments Off
If a hurricane comes into the Gulf of Mexico, Belhaven is likely to be threatened with campuses in Orlando, Houston, and Jackson. Gulf Coast people have to keep an optimistic spirit during hurricane season, and I received this email from Houston that puts a good spin on our region:
You know you’re from the Gulf Coast [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Worldview on Sep 27th, 2008 Comments Off
I invited the Student Leadership Council for lunch last week in the President’s Dining Room. They are an impressive group and I was glad for the opportunity to dialog with them about the year ahead. Each of these students is uniquely gifted, with a vision and commitment to their assignment. These are students who are [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Sep 19th, 2008 Comments Off
Our students and faculty continue to battle the aftermath of the storm – long lines for gas, food, and everything else. Many have power back on, but about as many continue to be without power. Our Admissions Director, Christine Williams lost her house, as did one student we know of so far. There may be [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Christian Faith, Culture, Worldview on Sep 18th, 2008 Comments Off
Dr. Stephen Phillips, Political Science Department, has been selected to present a paper at the Hillsdale College Free Market Forum September 25-27th, which brings together business and political science faculty from a wide range of Christian and private colleges. His was selected among seventeen proposals. His topic is “The Morality of Free Trade.” I asked [...]
Posted in Belhaven on Sep 15th, 2008 Comments Off
I received this email today from Dr. Steven Rodriguez, Dean of the Faculty for our Houston Campus:
I just received a phone call from Chase Crawford with Granite building management. Here is a summary of what he said.
There appears to be no structural damage whatsoever to the Belhaven – Houston offices or classroom suite. There is [...]
Posted in Athletics, Belhaven on Sep 13th, 2008 Comments Off
Tonight our football team played powerful Millsaps that rolled over Mississippi College last week 42-6. It was a very close game going into the fourth quarter. Then their punter used the hurricane generated winds blowing from Texas for a 77 yard kick, followed by our fumble near their goal line and that took all [...]
Posted in Belhaven, Worldview on Sep 11th, 2008 Comments Off
I know that lots of people pray regularly for Belhaven College. I often hear from alumni, friends, faculty, staff, parents, and students who tell me they are supporting us all in prayer.
I receive the following encouraging email yesterday. What a wonderful gift this is to Belhaven, and the other schools, to have these friends pray [...]