NGU Announces Academic Reorganization of College of Christian Studies
Posted on: February 2, 2021
Tigerville, SC – (February 22, 2019) North Greenville University (NGU) has announced its third major academic reorganization in the last six months, this one involving the College of Christian Studies (COCS). The changes are driven primarily by opportunities for intellectual synergy.
“North Greenville University is dedicated to educating present and future pastors, missionaries, and church staff to be transformational leaders for church and society. With this move, we are bringing all of our biblical, theological, and applied ministry programs together in one unified college,” said Dr. Nathan A. Finn, NGU’s provost and dean of the university faculty.
Effective June 1, the university will have a unified COCS that will include traditional undergraduate, non-traditional undergraduate, and graduate programs. Dr. Walter Johnson will serve as dean of this College.
“North Greenville University’s College of Christian Studies is recognized in Baptist and evangelical circles as one of the best undergraduate programs in the country. Dean Walter Johnson’s long-standing leadership and his faculty colleagues’ commitment to excellence serves the church in many ways, and we believe that our new configuration will both streamline their work and provide a refreshed platform to serve the South Carolina Baptist Convention and the churches of our region and Kingdom work around the world,” said NGU President Dr. Gene C. Fant, Jr. “We are grateful for the opportunity to prepare our students at all levels, undergraduate and graduate, to be thoughtful practitioners wherever their callings may lead them.
”Within the COCS, Dr. Jeff Rankin will serve as the associate dean of undergraduate programs, which include the traditional programs in Christian Studies offered on the Tigerville campus. Dr. Matt Wireman will serve as associate dean of the School of Ministry, which will offer both non-traditional and graduate programs aimed at adult learners already serving in ministry or making a mid-career transition into ministry.”
“Dean Walter Johnson is a respected theologian and preacher among Baptists throughout the Carolinas, and he is the perfect person to lead the College of Christian Studies,” said Finn. “Drs. Rankin and Wireman are exemplary scholars, gifted classroom teachers, and dedicated Baptist churchmen.”
The changes will not reduce NGU’s academic offerings or diminish access for students. The reorganization will build on intellectual connections and enhance potential opportunities for students and faculty members.
“As both the Provost and a faculty member in the College of Christian Studies, I couldn’t be more excited about the future of theological education at North Greenville University,” said Finn. Learn more about NGU’s College of Christian Studies degree programs.
