By Brian Tyson
BIG SANDY--This fall Ambassador University enters its 50th anniversary year.
The college began in 1947 in a former residence in Pasadena with four students and eight faculty.
To commemorate the golden anniversary, a calendar of events has been scheduled to heighten awareness of Ambassador not only in East Texas but in higher education and the Christian community.
Student orientation activities included the leadership conference and new student week.
The academic program was strengthened this fall with the addition of six new degree programs. The new majors are American studies, computer information systems, history, mass communications, music and theology.
The addition of the new majors brings to 12 the number of degree programs offered at Ambassador.
About 650 students registered for courses in more than 23 subject areas taught by more than 60 faculty members. Day and evening courses are available, and off-campus students can take advantage of the distance learning program.
Rated by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the West, AU is open to students of all Christian denominations.
A new two-story men's residence hall opened this fall. It was funded by a sales program conducted through congregations in 1994 and by two grants from the Andersen Foundation of Bayport, Minnesota.
The residence hall, the 11th building constructed on campus since 1989, will accommodate 16 students.
While the finishing touches around the new residence hall are being completed, across the street 110 booths from what became known as Booth City are being removed from campus.
Booth City began in 1957 to accommodate those attending the church's annual spring and fall festivals and later served as a residence area for students and summer campers. Nearly 300 booths were constructed for housing needs.
Because of reduced enrollment Booth City will not be used this year. One hundred booths are being retained to handle expected enrollment increases until a new residence hall can be funded and built.
In July, Ambassador donated 10 used air conditioning units from some of the booths to People Attempting To Help (PATH), an independent agency in Tyler, Texas, that helps Smith County residents meet critical and basic human needs.
The Harold Jackson Hall of Humanities, which was completed in 1994, now serves as the primary building for classrooms and offices, and several departments have moved to Benjamin Rea Hall as well.
Joseph Tkach, chairman of the board of regents, spoke to the students in an orientation assembly Aug. 16. Mr. Tkach said that at Ambassador students receive a Christian education, which means that Christ is at the center of it. "When Christ is the center of your life," Mr. Tkach said, "you will live a certain way."
"I'm impressed with the freshman class," Mr. Tkach said. "They are thinking about Jesus, and it is noticeable."
At worship services Aug. 17, Mr. Tkach spoke about the parable of building a house on rock or sand. Mr. Tkach admonished students to go to the foundation--Jesus Christ.
Instruction began Aug. 19.
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