Institute Staff attends ABHE 73rd Annual Conference
Institute President Gregg Garner, Academic Dean Jeff Sherrod, Registrar Shaun Galford, Bursar Mika Berry, Chief Financial Officer Mike Johnson, Student Life Director Jen Nyago and myself, Director of Marketing and Media, attended the ABHE 73rd annual conference in Orlando, FL this week. American Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) is the national accreditation agency with whom the Institute for G.O.D. is pursuing accreditation. The conference offered the opportunity to meet with other Bible colleges in a shared desire to help schools continue to excel as learning institutions.
“What makes a strong college is not strong programs or processes or policies, it’s a strong team,” Jeff Sherrod summarized.
Jesus said it best: “They will know you are my disciples by the love you have for one another,” (Jn. 13:33), “so that [my disciples] may be one, as we are one. . . so that the world may know that you have sent me,” (17:22-23). It’s true!
The conference helped schools evaluate their programs, processes, policies, and teams. Schools were encouraged to learn from one another's successes and mistakes. Many sessions confirmed the wisdom of things already happening at the Institute. A few worthy of note:
A few worthy of note:
A strong bond between faculty and student life is essential. In one session we learned that the number one indicator of student retention is the culture of the staff. Hear Jesus: “Let them be one, as we are one!” Most schools reported losing one-quarter to one-third of freshmen every year. The Institute is happy to report that we have a 94% freshman retention rate the last two years.
Students are active in service and willing to occupy leadership roles. Institute students lead weekly programs benefitting children, youth, refugees and the elderly. They also lead projects in sustainable agriculture, event coordination, and videography. Volunteerism is a non-negotiable aspect of our programs. Students approach service opportunities with positive attitudes and high energy.
Mentorships are vital to student health. Our student mentorship program provides every student with a three-year mentorship. Students receive small group meetings and continual accountability checks. All students are immediately involved in an integration program.
Serving the Lord without carrying debt. Schools are all searching for ways to keep costs low for their students. We have already been operating this way since we began. 90% of our students graduate with less than $500 debt. Our annual tuition is $10,000 lower than the average ABHE school. All students are offered immediate job placement if they do need to work while in school.
Every member of our staff plays an integral role in making these successes a living reality. Yet, none of it could have occurred without the exemplary servant leadership of President Gregg Garner. His endless supply of innovative ideas is matched by a commitment to ensure they work. If they don't, he'll find another way to re-work the system to better serve staff and students alike.
Enjoying the conference alongside Garner was a fantastic experience. His energy and passion for helping the Institute grow inspired each of us to know how to do our part. Our team came away with a better vision for how to proceed into a changing educational landscape, without sacrificing quality.
As a result of this week, here are a few things students and their families can expect to see soon at the Institute:
A more developed plan for increased enrollment
More media highlighting the distinctives and personality of our school
Creative means to optimize faculty-student engagement
Expansion of programs and degrees on campus and online
A very unique schedule and course programming that may be the first of its kind and likely become a widely adopted model.
ABHE: Thank you for offering schools like us this opportunity!
