President’s Newsletter — December 2021

This newsletter from Bob Jones University President Steve Pettit is intended to inform BJU’s alumni and friends of student and faculty achievements and campus programs and activities. Communication regarding this newsletter may be addressed to [email protected].

Message from the President

The week before Thanksgiving I shared with the students a chapel message on “The Power of a Grateful Heart.” There is a spiritual dynamic or a vital power that comes into our lives only when we are thankful, and there are certain things we cannot experience without a spirit of gratefulness.

Gratitude — when we show it — brings about a dramatic change in our lives. By expressing gratitude, we become a grateful person. Gratitude is like a powerful miracle drug for the inner man. We are not naturally grateful, so expressing gratitude does wonders for the core of our inner man. It begins to change us.

First, gratitude conquers the very temptations we struggle with in our hearts. We struggle and become discontent over things we want and things we cannot get. Discontentment is wanting something we cannot get; contentment is wanting what we have. When we choose to be grateful, our desires are brought into a state of contentment over what we do have, and we begin to enjoy the gifts God has given us. When we begin to thank God for the very thing we struggle with, God allows us to see that temptation in a totally different light and reverses the power of it.

Second, having a spirit of gratitude is the greatest way to overcome the sin of pride which is thinking we deserve something we don’t have. Gratitude recognizes that what we have, we have received and thanks God for it. Gratitude sees everything we have as a gift. This is why we give thanks for our food. We don’t have the opportunity to eat everything we want to eat at every meal. Gratitude accepts humbly what we have as a good gift from God.

Third, gratitude is a quality of faith; ingratitude is a quality of unbelief. How can we thank God if we don’t believe in God? If we believe in Him, how can we not thank Him? At the very heart of faith and spirituality is thankfulness!

All gratitude is intentional. We can express gratitude through various means of communication and should make a habit of communicating thankfulness to people who are a blessing to us.

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XPRIZE and Musk Foundation Select BJU as 1 of 5 Winners in Prestigious Competition

XPRIZE — the global leader in designing and implementing innovative competition models to solve the world’s grandest challenges — notified BJU in November that they were one of 23 student-led teams to win an award in the $5M Carbon Removal Student Competition. The foundation, which was given $100 million from Elon Musk’s Musk Foundation, received 195 university-affiliated proposals from around the globe. The BJU team secured the maximum $100,000 grant for their entry. The goal of the competition is to create scalable carbon extraction technologies.

“We are proud of how our students and faculty diligently collaborated for months to produce this innovative proposal,” said BJU President Steve Pettit. “Winning an XPRIZE award underscores the quality of our science education and will give our students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on a truly innovative project with the potential to positively impact the world.”

Competing teams submitted their concepts in one of two tracks, Carbon Dioxide Removal Demonstrations or Measurement, Reporting, and Verification Technologies (MRV). BJU was one of only five winners worldwide in the MRV category. The other institutions to win in this category were Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, the University of Miami and the University of Wyoming.

On Oct. 1, the BJU team completed the first stage of the competition by submitting their proposal for the development of a sensor that can measure CO₂ in soil, aiding in climate change research. Proposals were reviewed by a panel of expert third-party judges who considered the innovation, team resources and capabilities as well as project plan feasibility in their selection process.

“People like Elon Musk have been saying that if excess carbon dioxide in the environment is really going to cause problems down the road, then it’s not enough just to slow down emissions,” said Bill Lovegrove, head of BJU’s engineering department. “We have to find a way to get the carbon dioxide out of the air.”

To meet the submission deadline, Global Challenges, a class comprised of engineering, science and business majors, met before the start of the 2021 fall semester. Lovegrove, along with Adele Dunn (Division of Management), David McKinney (Division of Natural Science), and Brian Vogt (Department of Chemistry and Physics) mentored seven BJU students throughout the rigorous process. The students on the team are Benjamin Withrow, senior engineering major from Clayton, North Carolina; Daniel Oyarzun, senior engineering major from Des Plaines, Illinois; Steven Platt, senior engineering major from Carmel, Indiana; Tricy Yue, junior biology major from Zhoushan, China; Lydia Flynn, senior chemistry major from Libertytown, Maryland; Joe Simpson, sophomore business administration major from Arlington, Tennessee; and Reagan Riddell, junior business administration major from Snow Camp, North Carolina.

The XPRIZE grant money will be used to fund the research project the students outlined in their proposal. The group will receive their grant money in two installments⁠ — $50,000 immediately and the other half after submitting a satisfactory progress update in June 2022. A small portion of the grant will fund the team’s spring semester research activities, with the remaining funds earmarked for a summer 10-week research program.

During spring semester 2022, the business students will expand their plans to launch a business called Soil Economy to market the sensor in the future. The science and engineering students will work to develop the next generation of the prototype sensor.

The summer research program will provide the students with the time and resources to refine and field test their sensor design. In addition, the business students on the team will pitch their business idea at an entrepreneurship conference. Grant monies will fund the supervising faculty member’s salary plus room and board and a stipend for each student in the summer research program.

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BJU Students Receive Honors at South Carolina Student Legislature

BJU’s delegation to the South Carolina Student Legislature (SCSL) performed well and had nine of 10 bills that they presented pass during the fall session held Nov. 3–5.

BJU students presented bills covering a range of public policy issues, including a program for transportation for public and public charter schools in the needy counties along I-95, improving emergency medical services in South Carolina, and holding businesses accountable for their part in human trafficking.

“SCSL helps our students think through legislative solutions to real-world problems,” said BJU Chief of Staff Randy Page, sponsor of the delegation. “Students gain invaluable insights from the SCSL experience — researching issues, drafting bills, defending proposals, persuading peers — which will serve them well in their studies and future careers.”

SCSL helps students from South Carolina universities and colleges learn the intricacies of representative government and provides an opportunity for them to hone their skills by debating their peers on a host of issues. Several South Carolina colleges and universities participated in the fall session this year, including BJU, Coastal Carolina, Charleston Southern University, The Citadel, Clemson University, Erskine College, Presbyterian College and the University of South Carolina.

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School of Health Professions Offers Students Opportunities for Research

Health care had begun to shift focus to a preventative model of health before COVID-19, but the pandemic has really pushed healthcare to shift from a treatment model to more of a preventative and community health model of patient care.

This was one of the factors the School of Health Professions had in mind when it established the Center for Community and Global Health in 2020. The Center’s purpose is to improve the health of vulnerable populations locally and globally through cutting-edge research and interventions.

To achieve its purpose, the Center partners with organizations locally and around the globe, such as the Aiyinasi Baptist School in western Ghana. Last summer, BJU students guided by SHP faculty Dr. Amy Hicks and Dr. Bernard Kadio began a five-year research project to identify the causes of malnutrition among many of the school’s children and to start programs to improve their health (see the October 2021 issue of The President’s Newsletter).

The Center also has research projects underway here in Greenville. With the help of SHP’s community liaison, Ann-Marie Schell, this semester Drs. Hicks and Kadio have established Memorandums of Agreement between the Center for Community and Global Health and four local entities that provide shelter for the homeless: Triune Mercy Center, The Greenville Homeless Alliance, United Housing Connections and Miracle Hill Ministries.

These agreements enable our students and faculty to begin public health research to identify both the barriers to and facilitators for shelter utilization by the homeless community in Greenville. The goal is to understand the barriers that keep people from accessing stable housing and escaping homelessness. Students officially began this research at the Triune Mercy Center on Nov. 10.

Other public health research projects under the guidance of the Center include the effects of aerobic exercise on voice performance among college-age singers and balance and fall prevention for the elderly, both in conjunction with the Division of Exercise & Sport Science.

To accommodate the growing number of research projects the Center is undertaking, the School of Health Professions is planning to add two rooms in the Mack Building — a Community Health room which will serve as a classroom and community partner collaboration room and a Public Health Research Lab featuring lab facilities and demonstration, research and telehealth capabilities. This lab will connect BJU students and faculty to health professionals, researchers and students at hospitals and other universities and organizations around the globe through tele-meeting technology.

The research experience students gain through the Center for Community and Global Health is invaluable in preparing them for graduate study and/or a career as a health professional. Projects are excellent experiential learning opportunities as students begin to take knowledge from the classroom and put it into practice. The Center also provides a means through which they can serve others by addressing important issues — a major goal of today’s college students.

The Center’s ultimate goal is to become the premier learning center for health research and education from a biblical worldview.

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BJU Launches Capital Campaign for Living, Learning

Earlier this month, BJU launched the public phase of a $5.5 million capital campaign to fund the first phase of improvements to campus living and learning spaces, specifically the renovation of our freshmen residence halls — R. K. Johnson and Mary Gaston.

BJU is committed to delivering an unparalleled student success experience, and as part of its current strategic plan in support of that commitment, will construct indoor and outdoor community spaces in these two residence halls. These halls were selected for the first phase because they have large, accessible spaces that can be used by all students.

Learning, mentoring and spiritual growth happen best in a community where students naturally come together. Renovating these residence halls will provide inviting and functional community space that will promote collaboration, build community and enhance student life.

To create effective community spaces, we are planning to:

• Convert eight to 10 current sleeping rooms in Johnson and Gaston to community space by expanding and improving the entry lobby and creating individual and group study spaces on each floor.
• Refinish restrooms.
• Refresh common corridors and install new lighting.
• In the basement of each building, create a large common area that can be used by all students, not just freshmen, for group meetings and activities.
• Install glass doors at main entrances and create welcoming, accessible routes to lower levels.
• Create outside common areas featuring grilling and seating appropriate for individual and group study and collaboration.

Construction will begin immediately after Commencement in May and be completed in time for the fall semester.

Tax-deductible gifts can be made online at give.bju.edu or by mailing your gift to BJU at 1700 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, SC 29614 and indicating your gift is for the Living & Learning Capital Campaign.

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President Steve Pettit’s Speaking Schedule

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BJU Celebrates Christmas with the Greenville Community

BJU invited the Greenville community to campus for the annual Christmas Celebration on Dec. 3.

“We are thankful that we could bring our annual carol sing and campus lighting back to the community. It is important to remind ourselves of the true meaning of Christmas as we usher in the holiday season,” said BJU President Steve Pettit.

The day’s events began early in the morning with cookies and hot chocolate for students. Other events of the day included an ugly Christmas sweater contest and Christmas chapel.

Public events included a Christmas Village with a variety of activities for children and families, an Alumni Christmas Market and the annual Campus Christmas Radio Show. The community was also invited to enjoy a Christmas Dinner in the BJU dining common or purchase food from one of the visiting food trucks.

Guests had the opportunity to enjoy a variety of musical performances throughout the afternoon and evening including the Bob Jones Academy Elementary School Choir, the Chamber Singers Christmas Concert, the Bob Jones Academy High School Choir, the Southside Christian School Choir, Harp Choir and the Symphonic Windband’s “Carols and Classics” concert.

BJU’s signature Christmas Celebration event is the Christmas Lighting and Carol Sing held in front of Rodeheaver Auditorium in the center of campus. Lt. Colonel Sarah Whitten, director of Paladin Battalion (U.S. Army ROTC) joined President Pettit for the ceremonial lighting of more than 100,000 Christmas lights that decorated the campus. BJU’s campus will be open to the public through the end of the year for those who would like to view the decorations up close.

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BJU Students Pack 1,155 Boxes for Operation Christmas Child

Hundreds of BJU students gathered in the Davis Field House late on the night of the Christmas Celebration (Dec. 3) to pack 1,155 boxes of gifts for Operation Christmas Child. Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, delivers shoebox gifts packed with toys, supplies and hygiene items to children all over the world as a tangible demonstration of Christ’s love.

Chris Boone of the Center for Leadership Development staff used the donations to purchase the thousands of toys and school supplies the students packed in the shoeboxes. In addition to the large selection of gifts, each box also included a handwritten note from a BJU student that said, “Merry Christmas from the students of Bob Jones University. We hope this gift will show you the love of Jesus.”

Chris Boone and Natalie Conn (Center for Leadership Development staff) coordinated the massive packing party effort, designing an assembly line system to efficiently pack all the boxes. Approximately 40 student leader volunteers staffed stations along the assembly line, and more than 300 students assisted with packing the boxes.

“We were delighted with the student turnout at the Packing Party. Everything was planned so meticulously, and we had so many students turn out to help that we had more than 1,000 boxes packed in less than an hour,” said Matthew Weathers, director of the Center for Leadership Development. “The entire project was a fantastic unifying event for our student body.”

BJU hand-delivered the packed boxes to the Operation Christmas Child distribution center in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dec. 6.

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2022 CoRE Conference Seeks National Church Awakening to Prayer and Proclamation Amid Broken Culture

BJU Seminary will host its CoRE Conference Jan. 31–Feb. 1, 2022, on the BJU campus. Behind the theme, “AWAKE! Proclaiming Truth to a Broken Culture,” the conference seeks to extend its impact beyond the two days by:

• Encouraging church leaders and especially pastors since, according to the Barna organization, nearly 40% of pastors have considered leaving full-time ministry within the last year.
• Equipping conference participants to lead an awakening in the church to prayer, personal holiness and proclamation of the Word

Keynote speakers Dr. Christopher Cone, president of Colorado Biblical University and a noted speaker and author on contemporary church issues, and Dr. David Doran, senior pastor of Inter-City Baptist Church and president of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, will address challenges facing pastors today, including critical theory, preaching in a broken culture and prayer that promotes the progress of the Gospel.

They will be joined as plenary speakers by Dr. Alan Benson, BJU’s executive vice president for student development and ministry advancement, and panel participants and breakout session leaders drawn from the leadership of conservative pastoral associations and BJU Seminary faculty. Dr. Renton Rathbun, director of BJU’s Center for Biblical Worldview, will be the speaker at the conference banquet.

Discounted CoRE Conference early bird registration is open through Jan. 7, 2022. Visit seminary.bju.edu/core for more conference details and to register.

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2022 Bible Conference to Focus on “Contending for the Faith”

Featured speakers for the 2022 Bible Conference include:

• Jason Ormiston, pastor of Family Baptist Church (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
• David Doran Sr., pastor of Inter-City Baptist Church (Allen Park, Michigan) and president of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary
• Mike Redick, director of Impact Global Outreach
• Bob Jones III, Chancellor
• Alan Benson, Executive Vice President for Student Development and Ministry Advancement
• Sam Horn, pastor of Palmetto Baptist Church (Piedmont, South Carolina) and BJU Seminary faculty

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BJU Holds ROTC Contracting Ceremony on Veterans Day

BJU held a contracting ceremony for Army/Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students in Founder’s Memorial Amphitorium on Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day. The ceremony included the presentation of scholarships and a formal swearing-in. Second Lt. Josh Bakr, a 2020 BJU Army ROTC graduate, gave the keynote address.

The contracting ceremony featured three Army cadets, sophomore Luke Wess of Greer, South Carolina; sophomore Braden Thacker of Wintersville, Ohio; and junior Jon Hallas (Army National Guard) of Taylors, South Carolina. Air Force cadet junior Brandon Swain of Sevierville, Tennessee, also received a contract.

The ceremony presiders were:

• Al Carper, Commander U.S. Navy (ret.), BJU ROTC Coordinator, School of Business faculty
• Lt. Colonel Sarah Whitten, Professor of Military Science, Paladin Battalion, U.S. Army ROTC
• Captain Nikita Albert, Contracting Officer, Clemson University, Det-770, U.S. Air Force ROTC

“As the BJU ROTC Mission Statement says ‘the program exists to train young men and women for a lifetime of leadership by challenging cadets to grow and improve physically, intellectually and spiritually with a biblical worldview,’” said Carper. “Our crosstown partnerships combined with our students’ university education help us to accomplish this objective.”

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BJU Intercollegiate Teams Win National Championships

Four BJU intercollegiate teams won NCCAA DII national championships this fall.

On Nov. 12, the BJU men’s cross-country team won their sixth straight national championship in Joplin, Missouri, with five runners finishing in the top 10. Douglas Stone was named All-American for the second time and Sol Shafer earned his first All-American status.

The women’s cross-country team secured their second consecutive national title, with four runners in the top 10. Freshman Sarah Alferink placed first overall, breaking a BJU record with finishing time of 19:26.64. Alferink was also named All-American along with senior Nicole Fox.

Ken Roach coached both the men’s and women’s teams and was named NCCAA DII National Coach of the Year.

The Bruins women’s volleyball team won their fourth straight national championship on Nov. 20 in Kissimmee, Florida, sweeping Johnson University 3–0. Even though the Bruins lost their regional tournament, they were awarded an at-large bid and #1 seed in the national tournament because of their #1 ranking throughout the season. Junior Victoria Glaze, the team’s captain, was named first-team All-American for the second time. She was also DII South Region Player of the Year.

Also on Nov. 20, the Bruins men’s soccer team won their second NCCAA DII national championship defeating Randall University 2–1. The team had also won the South Region Championship following their best regular season record in program history. Greg Fulton was named NCCAA DII National Coach of the Year.

Six Bruins were named All-American: Ian Arendse, Mario Figueroa, and Victor Oladipo were named 1st Team All-Americans, and Chris Monczewski, Peter Waddy, and Caleb Adams earned 2nd Team honors. Ian Arendse was also named the 2021 National Player of the Year and the National Tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Victor Oladipo became the Bruins all-time goals leader.

The women’s soccer team posted their best record in program history finishing 18-4-1, including posting a 16-game winning streak. The Bruins earned the #1 seed for the NCCAA DI South Regional tournament, but the Bruins came up short in a loss to Warner University in the region championship. Still, the Bruins received an at-large bid for the DI national tournament where they fell in overtime to #7 Oakland City University before losing to #3 Ottawa University (AZ) to end their season. Junior captain Kayle Stevenson was awarded the Harding Award from the NCCAA. This character award honors student-athletes for excellence in their Christian testimony, in the classroom and in their sport.

The NCCAA named several BJU Bruins as 2021 Scholar-Athletes. The recognition is given to student-athletes who maintain at least a 3.40 GPA and are a junior, senior or graduate student. Recognized in cross-country were Lydia Flynn, Nicole Fox, Anna Dodds, Margaret Snyder, Kaitlyn Whaley, Jessie Heath, Jeremiah Cox and Michael Steurer; in volleyball —  Katelyn Landkrohn; in men’s soccer — Jordan Crews, Luke Morcos, Caleb Felber, Bradley Tart and Nathan King; and in women’s soccer — Abby Herr, Korbyn Griffith, Rebekah Shoop, Kayle Stevenson and Caroline Hartzler.

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BJU Residence Hall Networks to Receive Major Upgrade Next Summer

This coming summer, BJU will upgrade all residence hall networks to provide students with the best possible technology experience. BJU is partnering with Apogee — an industry leader in higher education residential networks — which will replace all the current wireless and wired network infrastructure in the residence halls with a higher-quality network.

“We chose Apogee because they can provide our students with a high-quality level of wireless network service and customer care that will make using technology in our residence halls feel more like a living space than an office space,” says Matt Gardenghi, BJU’s director of academic technologies. “The new network will support a broader range of technologies than our students have been able to use in the residence halls before, such as smart speakers.”

The new residential network will be separate from the rest of the campus network infrastructure but will provide the same level of internet security and safety filters that BJU students and parents have come to expect. Ongoing customer support from Apogee will ensure that our students’ personal technology needs are met throughout their entire BJU college experience from their first connection to the network when they arrive on campus as a new residence hall student all the way through graduation.

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Ken Ham Returns to BJU as STAND Conference Keynote Speaker

“We were pleased to have Ken return to campus. His ability to explain complex topics in an understandable way makes him an engaging speaker,” said BJU President Steve Pettit. “In an age of relativism, it is vitally important for young people to have a firm grasp of foundational truth.”

In addition to sessions presented by Ham, conference guests were invited to attend a university chapel service, a session with President Pettit, a Q & A discussion between Steve Pettit and Ken Ham about trends in Christian education, and afternoon workshops.

Workshops included “What is Waiting for Christian Students at the Public University?” (Dr. Renton Rathbun, School of Religion faculty) and “Preparing Your School for Cultural Issues” (Dr. Gary Weier, provost).

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First Lambda Pi Eta Students Inducted into Honor Society

BJU launched a campus chapter of the Lambda Pi Eta national communication honor society during an induction ceremony on Oct. 12. The organization will benefit communication and journalism and mass communication (JMC) students, providing opportunities for the students to get to know each other outside of class, network with alumni and present research at conventions.

“Lambda Pi is a great organization for students who excel in communication and JMC classes and are passionate about what they’re studying,” Scott said. “Lambda Pi is for people who want to go above and beyond what they’re learning in the classroom.”

To join, undergraduate students must meet several requirements:

• Earned at least 60 credit hours, 12 credits in communication courses.
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and 3.25 for communication courses.
• Be in good standing.

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Faculty and Students Represent BJU at South Carolina Music Teachers Association Annual Conference

Several BJU students and faculty participated in the South Carolina Music Teachers Association (SCMTA) annual conference held Nov. 4–6 at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Each year, the annual conference features a variety of speakers and performers with the goal of encouraging excellence in pedagogy and performance across the state.

Anna Dionne, BJU freshman piano pedagogy major from Duncan, South Carolina, was selected to participate in the conference Collegiate Poster Session with a research project titled “With Flying Colors: Unlocking the Learning Potential of the Synesthesia Mind.”

As an affiliate organization of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), each year SCMTA hosts the state round of the MTNA performance competitions. Several BJU students competed this year, and Aaron Fox, a senior music education major from Alton, Illinois, won the state-level Young Artist Brass competition on the French horn. He will proceed to the division-level competition in January 2022.

Drs. Lorri Turcios and Deanna Moore of BJU’s Division of Music, along with adjunct faculty Dr. Nathan MacAvoy and Ruth Coleman, also attended the conference with several student members of the MTNA Collegiate Chapter at BJU. Dr. Turcios currently serves as SCMTA vice president for membership. Dr. Moore is president of the local Greenville Music Teachers Association and serves as the faculty advisor for the MTNA Collegiate Chapter. Mrs. Coleman is active as GMTA treasurer and Dr. MacAvoy, president of the Columbia Music Teachers Association, assisted in hosting the conference with the team of faculty, staff and students at USC.

“The involvement of BJU faculty and students in local, state and national music organizations is rewarding not only for educational and performance opportunities but also for professional networking, service to the community and inroads for the Gospel,” says Dr. Moore.

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BJU Seminary Releases Fall Issue of Journal of Biblical Theology & Worldview

BJU Seminary has released the Fall 2021 issue of the Journal of Biblical Theology & Worldview, BJU Seminary’s flagship publication highlighting the institution’s thought leadership, along with world-class research from guest contributors. The Journal offers in-depth insights into biblical interpretation with application to critical contemporary issues.

Included are six comprehensive articles by BJU Seminary faculty and guest authors and four book reviews by BJU Seminary faculty and BJU Press staff.

“The Journal of Biblical Theology & Worldview is exactly what the name implies: a compendium of in-depth research and scholarship approaching theological questions and controversies — and examining current research and literature — from a position of faithfulness to the authority of Scripture and the authors’ intent and then applying that approach to contemporary issues,” says Dr. Ken Casilles, BJU Seminary faculty.

All issues of the Journal are available at seminary.bju.edu/journal.

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