Southwestern welcomes record number of visitors to spring Preview Day

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College welcomed 136 prospective students to Seminary Hill for the largest Preview Day in Southwestern’s recorded history on April 10, introducing them to the institution through a time of worship, campus tours, and meetings with faculty members.

“I’m thankful we have built an experience that enables students from Dallas-Fort Worth, across the nation, and even internationally to come to the campus and participate in all we have available to them here,” said Chandler Snyder, vice president for institutional advancement, adding there was a good representation of attendees interested in the Master of Divinity (MDiv) and TBC five year program.

Prospective students met with the academic deans, visited the respective schools they are interested in being a part of, and conversed with institutional leaders like President David S. Dockery. They had lunch with professors and got to listen to lectures in a classroom experience, experiencing the academic mission of Southwestern.

Dockery welcomed attendees, noting the participants’ diverse geographic backgrounds is a picture of the current campus community with students from 61 countries.

“For years, it’s been said that the sun never sets on Southwestern Seminary,” Dockery said. “That’s the case because we have students coming from everywhere, and students who graduated going to everywhere. We have Southwesterners serving in almost every time zone around the world. And God has continued to put His hand upon people and guide them, guide their steps, bringing the right people here, and then preparing them for whatever it might be in days ahead.”

Dockery said he had an “amazing experience” at Southwestern when he came as a student 45 years ago and it’s his hope and prayer that the prospective students would also have that experience at Southwestern.

He said Southwestern is the fifth largest seminary in the United States, the first in North America to hire full-time professors in Christian education, evangelism, and church music, and the only seminary with an accredited school of church music. TBC also provides a place for students to prepare for ministry in a church or a workplace, Dockery said.

“It makes for a dynamic community, a dynamic learning context, and we hope that this might be the place where the Lord is leading you,” Dockery said.

“We are so thankful and grateful that you are here,” said Armando Hernandez, director of Admissions, adding he was grateful for “so many people from different walks of life, different seasons of life, all united because they have felt a call by our God to pursue and consider theological education.”

Hernandez said his team has prayed for the Preview Day participants throughout the semester and that Dockery also encouraged the Southwestern community to pray for those prospective students.

“I know that all of you are wrestling with obedience and wanting to make sure that you guys are under His will,” Hernandez said. “This is why Southwestern has created this day, because we want you to hear from our God.”

Jordan Bolt of San Marcos, Texas, is an associate pastor and attended Preview Day to learn more about Southwestern’s Master of Divinity program and speak with Chris Osborne, professor of preaching and pastoral ministry, about the possibility of a concentration in preaching.

“We’re excited to take a look at the school and see what this seminary has to offer,” Bolt said, adding he is eager to meet with potential mentors who could help him in his preaching and counseling. Bolt said he is “looking forward to what y’all have in store.”

Kate Mason, from College Station, visited the campus to meet with professors and learn more about the Master of Theological Studies programs. Working in the Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) at Texas Wesleyan, Mason hopes to further her education at Southwestern, having received encouragement to do so from others.

“I just was talking to a lot of people and praying about it, and so many people were like, ‘Just check out Southwestern; learn more about it,’” Mason said, leading her to reach the conclusion that, “This is where I think I need to be.’”

Mason was also happy with the financial accommodations the seminary offers because of her denominational affiliation and active participation in multiple Southern Baptist Convention-related organizations, such as her church and the BSM.

Logan Ragland, a prospective TBC student from Arlington seeking a degree in music education, attended Preview Day to get acquainted with the programs provided by the School of Church Music and Worship, as well as to become more familiar with the campus itself, which he found himself enjoying.

“I love how beautiful the campus is,” Ragland said, adding he enjoyed the welcoming attitude shown by the various members of the Southwestern community. “… I’ve had multiple people walk up to me, and just be so friendly to me, and shake my hand,” Ragland said.

Evelyn Meza, originally from Mexico and now living in Dallas, said she is interested in seeking a Master of Theology degree through Southwestern’s Spanish Language Program.

“I want to increase my knowledge of the Word of God and be an effective servant of the Lord,” Meza said.

LaCrondia Rhines, a TBC applicant from Rockwall, represented one of many non-traditional students. At the age of 58, Rhines attended Preview Day to meet professors and learn more about pursuing a bachelor’s degree at a seminary, having started but not completed a degree decades ago after joining the workforce.

“I’m excited,” Rhines said of beginning a new journey at TBC. “I’ve got lots of questions. It’s like a new story for me. I’m just excited.”

Rhines said the primary driver for her seeking higher education at the seminary lies in its offering of her desired program through in-person classes.

“TBC was the only school that offered in class,” Rhines said. “Everybody else’s program was online. And they have it online, too, but I want to be in class.”

Jerry Reimer, originally from Florida, is a Southwestern alumnus from the class of 1958. At that time, Reimer received his Bachelor of Divinity degree, the precursor to the MDiv.

“Those were wonderful years that I was here; I had Dr. [Jack] MacGorman,” Reimer reminisced.

Though professionally retired, Reimer is still involved in missionary work. For an upcoming ministry where he will be teaching Greek, Reimer discovered he needs a few more hours of advanced Greek courses beyond his original degree and is considering non-degree studies.

During the Preview Day lunch, TBC and graduate prospective students were divided into the two ballrooms in the Naylor Student Center, where they were welcomed by Carl Bradford, dean of TBC, and Madison Grace, Southwestern provost.

Grace took time to address various concerns students may have with pursuing seminary education, from acknowledging the modern luxury of unlimited information through the internet being a valid challenger of higher education, to the financial burdens schooling can bring.

“I think that all of those barriers should be overcome by recognizing that the concerted effort you have to engage in our classes, in terms of our students, and especially with our faculty, are going to help you become an effective minister,” Grace said.

A panel consisting of four current Southwesterners and alumni shared further information and answered questions about their own experience at Southwestern, how to handle church, family, and student responsibilities, and how their spiritual lives matured while at Southwestern.

During the TBC luncheon, Bradford, himself a two-time alumnus, shared three questions for the prospective students to consider: Who was Christ? What did He come to do? What are His followers to do?

“As we think about students that come to TBC, that’s what we want for them,” Bradford said. “To have a Christ-centered life and to answer those three questions.”

During the campus fair at the end of the day’s events, the recipients of the $1,500 Preview Day scholarships were announced, one each for TBC and Southwestern students.

Ethan Kilbourne of Weatherford won the TBC scholarship.

“I’m really shocked,” Kilbourne said upon receiving the award. Kilbourne, seeking to study worship music, felt called to look into studying at Southwestern after the positive experiences he had while attending the SCMW’s student worship camps.

“It’s like I really feel at home with these people that sing like me,” Kilbourne said.

Dean Weltman, from The Colony, Texas, won the Southwestern scholarship, which he immediately took as the final call to attend.

“I will be writing it up very soon,” Weltman said of his application upon winning the scholarship.

For some time, Weltman has felt called to pursue his Master of Divinity.

“I just feel like I’m supposed to come here and work on an MDiv, and then wait for God to tell me what I’m supposed to do with it,” Weltman said.

Weltman said he was happy to attend Preview Day, taking special pleasure in being able to meet directly with professors.

Hernandez credits the record turnout for Preview Day to the Admissions team who helped bring it all together, as well as to God’s favor.

“I know our team made a ton of calls,” Hernandez said. “We were very intentional in chasing down the people that were interested in calling. But honestly, God is faithful. … I think we’ve been faithful with what we have, and the Lord has decided to give us an increase and so we’re just grateful.”