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Welch College

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Coordinates:36°22′04″N86°32′57″W/ 36.367753°N 86.549267°W/36.367753; -86.549267
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Welch College
Former name
Free Will Baptist Bible College
MottoO Send out Thy Light and Thy Truth
TypePrivate college
Established1942
AccreditationSACS-COC
AffiliationNational Association of Free Will Baptists
Religious affiliation
Free Will Baptist
Academic affiliation
ABHE
EndowmentUS$2.2 million(2016)[1]
PresidentJ. Matthew Pinson
ProvostMatthew McAffee[2]
Undergraduates394 (fall 2022)[3]
Location
Gallatin
,
Tennessee
,
United States

36°22′04″N86°32′57″W/ 36.367753°N 86.549267°W/36.367753; -86.549267
CampusUrban
ColorsBlue, white & gold
NicknameFlames
Sporting affiliations
NCCAA
Websitewww.welch.edu

Welch College,formerly theFree Will Baptist Bible College,[4]is aprivateFree Will Baptistcollege inGallatin, Tennessee.[5]Founded in 1942, it is one of several higher learning institutions associated with theNational Association of Free Will Baptists.Welch College offers 40 majors, including theological studies, premed/nursing, business, teacher education and music.[6]

History

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The National Association of Free Will Baptists in general session inNashville, Tennessee,called for the creation of Free Will Baptist Bible College and its doors opened in 1942 as a two-year institution. Linton C. Johnson was its first President. Eight students composed the original student body. The college added a third year of study in 1949, a fourth year in 1950 and awarded its firstBachelor's degreesto five students in 1951.

In August 2008 the college purchased a 66-acre (270,000 m2) tract inGallatin, Tennessee,to become the site of a largercampus.The college sold its West End Avenue campus and as of March 2017is completing the new campus on the Gallatin site.[7]

In July 2012 at the National Association of Free Will Baptists in Memphis, the denomination voted to change the name of the college to Welch College.[8]It was renamed for John L. Welch and his wife Mary; Welch was a prominent figure in the merger of Free Will Baptist bodies into the NAFWB denomination.[9]

Controversies

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In August 2019, the college briefly attracted national attention when administrators suspended atransgenderstudent, attributing the action to a conflict in student policy.[10]The student had undergone a double mastectomy as part of histransitionprocess days prior to the suspension.[11][12]

Academics

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Administration building at the old Welch College campus

The college offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music Education degree programs. Two- and three-yearassociate degreeprograms are also offered as well as aMaster of Artsin Theology, Teaching, Humanities, and Organizational Leadership in addition to aMaster of Divinity.[13][14]

Athletics

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The athletic teams of Welch College are called the "Flames" and compete in theNational Christian College Athletic Association(NCCAA). Currently there are five varsity teams.

Men's sports

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  • Basketball
  • Golf
  • Cross Country
  • Soccer (Fall 2018)[15]

Women's sports

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  • Basketball
  • Volleyball
  • Golf
  • Cross Country
  • Soccer (Fall 2018)[15]

References

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  1. ^"Welch College".U.S. News & World Report.RetrievedNovember 28,2017.
  2. ^"Welch College Rises inU.S. News & World Report'sTop College Rankings "(Press release). Welch College. September 18, 2017.RetrievedNovember 28,2017.
  3. ^"Welch College Annual Report".Welch College. December 4, 2017.RetrievedDecember 18,2017.
  4. ^"Free Will Baptist changes name to Welch College".Nashville Post.July 23, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon November 29, 2017.
  5. ^"Welch College | Cappex.com".www.cappex.com.RetrievedJuly 22,2020.
  6. ^"Education: Welch College".
  7. ^Todd, Jen (March 15, 2017)."Welch College students home at new campus".The Tennessean.
  8. ^"Free Will Baptist Bible College Changes Name".Welch College. July 18, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon April 8, 2015.RetrievedApril 3,2015.
  9. ^"About Welch College in Gallatin, TN".
  10. ^"Statement from Welch College President Matt Pinson".Welch College. August 9, 2019.RetrievedJanuary 20,2020.
  11. ^Strapagiel, Lauren (August 9, 2019)."This Transgender Man Was Kicked Out Of His College After Getting Top Surgery".BuzzFeed News.RetrievedSeptember 14,2019.
  12. ^Aviles, Gwen (August 9, 2019)."Transgender student suspended from Christian college after top surgery".NBC News.RetrievedAugust 9,2019.
  13. ^"Certificates and Degrees Offered".Welch College.RetrievedDecember 18,2017.
  14. ^"Graduate Programs".Welch College.RetrievedMay 28,2024.
  15. ^ab"Welch College Adds Men's and Women's Soccer".Welch College. December 1, 2017.RetrievedDecember 18,2017.
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