Posted by bambi2godzilla on 4/26/2008, 8:08 pm
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Arkansas Baptist College Overcomes Odds Of Making The Grade
Two years ago, Arkansas Baptist College was on the verge of closing for good, but a last minute effort saved the school and it's now thriving.
Over the years financial pressure mounted at Arkansas Baptist and students started looking for options on places to transfer. Not only was enrollment down crime on campus was up.
The college that opened in 1884 and became a landmark on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive seemed doomed.
This is the Fitzgerald ‘Fitz’ Hill most people remember, wearing red as the assistant coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks for 12 years.
As the only two year black baptist college west of the Mississippi River it was headed for failure in 2006 before Fitz Hill stepped in and revived it.
Hill says, "It's not like it was 124 years ago when we started the school, when everybody was desiring an opportunity to get an education. What we have today is you have to attract kids to the education process.”
In order to save the college they cut positions. Also at a time of rising higher education costs, Hill cut tuition.
Hill adds, “We tried to get the tuition where it would be very close to a pell grant so a kid if they wanted to stay at home they'd have an opportunity to do that without creating debt."
Student Government President Nathanael Palmer says, “Arkansas Baptist College opened up the door for me to have a full ride scholarship here, and so that's helped out tremendously as far as my family financially."
Brian Miller says he took the retention director position solely because of Hill's vision.
He says, “I believe crime would be up a lot more in states. When you see black men like this African American institution is doing, your saving lives. Not only are you saving lives, but you're saving tax payers.
Two years ago Arkansas Baptist College was on the verge of closing, Friday they hosted presidential candidate John McCain.
Hill says, “That's a reflection of Jesus Christ. When everybody thought he was dead he arose and came back. That's what Arkansas Baptist College is doing, we're coming back. It's the restoration. It's the resurrection."
In two years enrollment went from 100 to about 600 students. Hill is concerned he might have to turn kids away because of lack of class and dorm space. In that time Arkansas Baptist added football, music, mentoring and extra credit.
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=64681
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