I and my lovely wife, Dr. Marla Streit, are delighted that God’s hand has led us to Nazarene Bible College. We really appreciate the warm welcome we’ve received, including the article Nazarene Bible College Welcomes New VP for Academic Affairs on Facebook. It’s wonderful to see familiar faces and new faces, all beaming with the light of serving the Lord. I’m grateful for the many years I’ve been blessed to serve at Olivet Nazarene University and Malone University. I am equally grateful for this new opportunity to help grow the strong Christian education traditions at NBC.
During my time in the Nazarene Church, I’ve been blessed to meet incredible people, people with right hearts and minds, and to grow in the Lord through my interactions and associations. I strongly believe members of the NBC family fall in this category. The call from Dr. Graves, NBC’s President, about the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs, was at the perfect time. In his warmth and spirituality, I could feel the hand of God moving me here.
God has led me to so many profound endeavors. I’ve worked with the Church of the Nazarene International Board of Education. I’ve participated in reviews at theological, nursing, and education schools in Africa, Brazil, Europe, and Korea. Watching the growth of emerging schools and helping them in their triumphs has been an unparalleled joy.
NBC is not a new school, but rather has some history. I remember 1964 when the General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene authorized building the college, as well as its opening in 1967 with Dr. Charles H. Strickland as its first president. Since then, everyone at NBC has done a remarkable job, not only of fulfilling the mission “to glorify Jesus Christ as Lord by preparing adults to evangelize, disciple, and minister to the world,” but of evolving NBC to accommodate societal and technological changes. Currently NBC occupies an exceptional position, offering Christian education globally.
Through tailored programs, NBC caters to campus students, military students, distance education students, post-graduate students of other universities, continuing education students, and more. NBC is also assisting Trevecca Nazarene University and Olivet Nazarene University with delivery of their online graduate-level programs. This ability to evolve to serve students wherever they are in the world, in whatever situation they are in, is a tribute to everyone involved with NBC. I am glad to be able to contribute to this, and am excited about the possibilities to implement future enhancements. I can hardly wait to jump in with both feet.
This is also a year of reaffirmation of accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). This accreditation is critical for NBC, and I feel I can offer a great deal of expertise in completing this process. I have a 25-year tenure with HLC, chairing over 50 HLC visits to many different institutions of higher learning, and have been honored by HLC with a Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contributions. The fact that NBC follows its mission so successfully makes this involved process much easier. Together I know we will earn the reaffirmation of accreditation.
As a Nazarene, as an educator, as a Christian Academic Administrator, I am thrilled to be here in Colorado Springs. I feel I am here at the right time, right where God wants me, with a college that is focused on preparing its students to follow their gifts and callings in Christ. I look forward to working with everyone here on our glorious mission.
(17 votes, average: 4.12 out of 5)
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