Campbell Divinity School celebrates decade of expansion

     The Campbell University Divinity School opened a year earlier than expected and has not slowed down since. On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the Divinity School will celebrate its 10th anniversary at a commissioning service at 3 p.m. in Turner Auditorium on the Campbell campus. Here are some highlights from the past decade.
      --Full accreditation from the largest accrediting body in the world, the Association of Theological Schools, came just six years after the Divinity School opened in 1996, some two years earlier than the average theological school.
     --Enrollment exceeded 200 in the Fall of 2004, with a student body of 206.  Included in that number were the 13 students in the charter class of the Doctor of Ministry program, which was introduced in 2004. 
     --In May 2005, the number of graduates surpassed 200.  The school graduated its first class in 1998 with two and now has 215 alumni serving in 15 states and seven countries.
     --The Divinity School’s endowment jumped from $1.6 million in 1996 to $14.2 million in 2005, while the number of endowed scholarships rose from four to 318.
        The 10th year will mark additional milestones for the school. Campbell Divinity School has a new position in Pastoral Care and Counseling and a new joint Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and master in business administration (MBA) degree. These additions come at the same time that Dr. Barry Jones is taking on new responsibilities as Associate Dean for Academic Programs and plans are being developed for a new university chapel.
         “Our Divinity School is extremely proud of our successes in our first decade of service.  Now, it is imperative for our school to prepare to render even greater service to students and churches in our second decade of existence,” says Dean Michael G. Cogdill.  “New faculty, new degree programs, and new facilities are all a part of our vision for increased ministry in the future.”
         The new faculty member for pastoral care and counseling will teach in the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Education and the Doctor of Ministry degree programs. This person will also assist with supervised ministry and work closely with students preparing to serve as chaplains in a variety of contexts. 
         In addition to the new faculty position, the Divinity School and the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business are moving forward with a joint Master of Divinity and Master of Business Administration degree program.  It will be offered to ministers and other interested persons who desire to complement and integrate their theological education with a foundation in business administration.  Students who desire to serve as pastors, associate pastors, church administrators or other staff members in larger churches may desire greater business management training along with theological education.  Bi-vocational ministers may also benefit with the knowledge gained in this dual degree program. 
        Another exciting development is the planned construction of a university chapel next to the Taylor Hall of Religion where the Divinity School is located. It is expected to be the worship center for the Divinity School and the site for prayer, Bible study and special worship events for students across campus.