EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of two articles about Champion Christian College's transition from a seminary school to a college with accredited degree programs for local students.
An agreement with Central Baptist College will allow Champion Christian College to offer 11 general education courses on its Hot Springs campus beginning with the upcoming fall semester.
Champion Christian College was recently renamed from Champion Baptist College to reflect the school's broader vision for its future. The college is located at 600 Garland Ave., by Gospel Light Baptist Church.
The school was founded in 2005. Gospel Light Pastor Eric Capaci is president of the college.
A majority of Champion's students have been from outside of Arkansas. Capaci travels to about 50 speaking engagements per year and the college is promoted at events around the country.
The change was made to reflect the approach of providing education for those who are not seminary students or Baptist students. The school hopes to instill the same values as it always has in a growing degree program.
"Let's train Christian businessmen and let's train Christian coaches that can go out with an accredited degree and be at Lake Hamilton, Lakeside, St. Vincent," Capaci said.
The partnership with Central Baptist will allow Champion to offer accredited courses on campus while it goes through its own accreditation progress. The course location was approved by Central Baptist's Board of Trustees at its regular June meeting.
"I am pleased that Champion Christian College has extended an invitation to conduct classes on its campus in Hot Springs," said Gary McAllister, Central Baptist vice president for academic affairs. "This is a great opportunity for Central Baptist College. We look forward to offering classes that integrate Christian faith and academic excellence in the Christ-centered environment that Champion provides."
The cost for Central Baptist classes in Hot Springs will be $200 per credit hour. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The classes are transferable to other institutions of higher education.
Eleven general education courses will be available in the fall, including English Composition I, Music Appreciation, World History, Speech, College Algebra, Elementary Spanish I, General Psychology and U.S. History to 1877. Central Baptist will maintain and exercise authority over prerequisites for courses, rigor of courses, expectations for student learning, textbook selection, access to learning resources and faculty qualifications for all courses taught at Champion.
Central Baptist is a four-year private, liberal arts college founded in 1952 by the Baptist Missionary Association of Arkansas. The college tied its highest-ever enrollment last fall with 858 students, including 172 who lived on campus.
The cost of Champion classes is $180. Champion is recognized by the state to offer certificates, but not degrees. Interested students can contact the school at 501-623-2272.
Current enrollment at Champion is about 50 students. Officials are hoping for enrollment to approach 100 by the time classes begin on Aug. 26. Students can be admitted and register for classes up to the start of the fall semester. Capaci said the college is eager, anxious and aggressive in attracting new students as it sets out to be a four-year college for degree-seeking students.
Its peak enrollment was 180 with just ministry students. Enrollment dropped below 50 once the school indicated its new direction. The largest graduating class was 50 in 2009. The 2015 graduating class included 15 students.
"We knew that was a price we had to pay to make this transition and to go in a direction that had a little different vision," Capaci said. "That is to be a community school. We are still going to be great with folks coming for ministry from out of state, but the goal now is we want to be a Hot Springs college. We want to be another option.
"You've got National Park (College), which is two-year, and we want to complement that. We want folks to be able to either continue their education and get their bachelor's degree right here in town. We want to provide that completion program."
Champion must file every two years to continue to offer certificates to students. Classes include a Christian emphasis, but that will be less so once the school is accredited. Capaci said a goal of the college is to contribute to the economic development of Hot Springs.
"This can easily become a great college town with a nice sprawling campus," Capaci said. "We have the vision to accomplish that right here."
The board officially approved the switch to Champion Christian College this summer. Students can earn certificates in areas such as business, sports management and criminal justice. The college also joined The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Capaci praised the positive community involvement with the adjunct faculty. The college has more than 20 employees with more than 15 on faculty and another handful in administration.
District Court Judge Ralph Ohm chairs the seven-member board. Other members include Dr. Fred Lyles, National Park Medical Center; Mike Wells, Navigator Property Maintenance; Pastor Ben Wiles, of River of Life Church; Francis Grubbs, former president of Simpson University in California; David Gibbs III, an attorney in Dallas, Texas; and Pastor Tony Liuzzo of Fellowship Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio.
Capaci likened the transition to the early days of Liberty University, his alma mater. Liberty is a private, nonprofit Christian university in Lynchburg, Va. Champion is also a nonprofit.
"I knew it was going to be tough," Capaci said. "I didn't know if we would survive. I really didn't. At one point, I felt like we might lose everything. It was a tough time, but God was really good to us. The church stood strong. The people got behind the ministry and other churches began to send students, even during that time, to not let us fall off the map.
"We just gained some traction and vision and now we have clear vision. A lot of it had to do with some of these men in the community that just said, 'Hey, we see the potential for Champion to have an incredible economic impact in this community.'"
Capaci said the college never planned to move away from Hot Springs, but he did consider approaching Liberty about establishing an affiliated campus in Hot Springs. Capaci has been at Gospel Light for 23 years.
"I love it. I love this city. I really do love everything about it," Capaci said. "I am one of those, I'm probably more of a Hot Springs patriot than I am an America patriot. I love it. I just do. I love my city."
Central Baptist will also offer courses from its Professional Adult College Education program, known as PACE, at Champion starting in October. Most PACE students left college before completion or never had the chance to start because of family or job obligations. Students can enroll in associate's or bachelor's degree programs.
The program meets one night per week from 6-10 p.m. Most classes can be completed in five weeks. The schedule includes holidays and brief vacations.
PACE will allow Champion to offer junior and senior level classes on campus this year. Capaci said the schools have a unique partnership because they have a similar mission.
Champion will seek to offer its own junior and senior level courses once it is accredited. Capaci hopes Central Baptist will continue to offer PACE at Champion even after it earns accreditation.
The accreditation progress is ongoing. Capaci estimated that Champion is at least a year or two away from earning accreditation. He said Grubbs, who is moving to Hot Springs, has helped 20 colleges become accredited.
Capaci said much of Champion's discussions with other schools has been with National Park College. He hopes the two can work together as Champion offers an alternative instead of competition.
His hope is for Champion to enroll about 100 students for classes this fall. No classes were held this summer, but summer courses will resume in 2016.
Capaci hopes Champion can grow to 300-500 students within five years. The college does not offer online courses. Plans are in place to establish online options next year.
Classes in education and pastoral education will be areas of emphasis once the college earns accreditation. Plans are in place to offer classes in technical fields like mechanics and the culinary arts, but a shift to offer more programs is already underway for areas such as sports management, business and graphic design. Capaci said interest from qualified teachers indicates the college will be able to establish a qualify criminal justice program.
Local on 08/01/2015