As of July 1, 2008, Multnomah Bible
College and Biblical Seminary will
officially exist as divisions under the title, Multnomah University.
The college and seminary names, missions, and curricular emphases will remain
unchanged, but they will be included under the broader "university" name.
Three Reasons for the
Multnomah University Name
1. "University" will more
accurately reflect Multnomah's developing institutional structure. Some
of the graduate-level programs do not fit a seminary curriculum, such as
the brand new Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and MA in TESOL (Teaching
English to Speakers of Other Languages). There are other
master-level programs in Multnomah's long-term strategic plan that fit this category,
as well.
2. Missionary graduates who want to serve in closed
countries face immigration challenges. Multnomah
University is not only a more neutral name; it is also more clearly collegiate,
as "college" means high school in many international contexts.
3. Multnomah students graduating from professional
disciplines such as the Teacher Education and MAT programs will have more
employment opportunities after graduation. Because these programs require
special certifications, the "university" title will better communicate the
high-credibility of their degrees to potential employers.
Three Things the University Name Does Not Imply
1. Multnomah's mission to "educate, equip, and enrich
Christians for leadership in their church, community, and world," will not
change.
2. Multnomah's Bible and theology core required for every
Multnomah student, which has a new 64-credit double-major option, will not be
eliminated.
3. Multnomah's two divisions, Multnomah Bible
College and Multnomah
Biblical Seminary will not be replaced. Both divisions will continue to exist
under the institutional name of Multnomah
University.
Comments from Dr.
Daniel R. Lockwood, President of Multnomah
University
"I, along with the faculty and board of trustees, was
motivated by key strategic reasons to pursue university status," Dr. Lockwood,
president of Multnomah
Bible College
and Biblical Seminary said. "As Multnomah continues to broaden its scope of
worldwide impact, this will only enhance the mission and goals of the institution,
with absolutely no abandonment or compromise of the biblical foundation on
which the school was built."
"The name change does not signal a
transition from a Bible college to a Christian liberal arts college," Dr.
Lockwood said. "We wholeheartedly remain a Bible college. As such we embrace three
fundamental values: a solid core of Bible and theology for every
student, a campus-wide emphasis on spiritual life, and a sustained Christian
ministry experience concurrent with one's academic learning. These three values
will continue to be upheld by Multnomah
University."
Questions?
For more information regarding Multnomah University,
please contact:
Robert Leary
Director of Promotions & Communications
rleary@multnomah.edu
503.251.6451