On July 25th, President Michael G. Scales announced that Nyack College was selected as one of the 2011 Great Colleges to Work For by The Chronicle of Higher Education. 

The results of The Chronicle's fourth annual report on the academic workplace are based on a survey of nearly 44,000 employees at colleges and universities nationwide. Nyack was recognized as a leader in the categories of work/life balance: college policies that give employees the flexibility to manage their personal lives; confidence in senior leadership: administrators have the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for institutional success; and respect and appreciation: employees are regularly recognized for their contributions.

 

"Our faculty and staff routinely go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that students receive the academic, spiritual, and emotional support that they need to succeed," says Dr. Scales.

 

The Great Colleges program is based on a two-part assessment process: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff.

 

"Faculty are consistently supported and encouraged in their professional and personal development," said Miriam Velez, professor at the Nyack School of Education. "Our administrators are open to new ideas that will benefit the students, faculty, and staff. It's just one of the reasons I'm proud to be a part of Nyack's mission and legacy."

 

"Nyack is a great college to work for because employees use their gifts and abilities toward a mission they believe in," said Karen Davie, Nyack's Director of Human Resources. "It comes from the top and we share President Scales' goal to give every individual at this institution ultimate respect and dignity." 

The new Center for Christian Scholarship at Nyack College, a vehicle for serving accomplished and emerging scholars, debuts this fall. The Center will host the Third Annual Nyack Scholars Symposium on the Rockland campus on September 28, 2011 from 9:00 am until 2:45 pm. Some thirty research papers will be presented by faculty and exceptional students.

 

This year's plenary speaker is Dr. Theodore Roosevelt Malloch, CEO of the Roosevelt Group and author of the book and documentary, Doing Virtuous Business, which premiered on PBS television this past spring. A 2011 recipient of an honorary doctorate from Alliance Theological Seminary, Dr. Malloch's stimulating documentary examines the secret behind the success of many companies influencing the global economy today.

 

Emmy-award winning news anchor and motivational speaker, Julian Phillips, is the plenary moderator. Plenary panelists are Mr. Brian Jacks, a managing partner at DX Holdings, LLC; Chuck Stetson, chairman and CEO of Essentials in Education (EIE), a non-profit educational publisher; and Dr. Anita Underwood, dean of Nyack's School of Business and Leadership.

 

The Nyack Scholarship Symposium is a daylong event required for undergraduate students.

 

The project was the vision of the annual parade's founder, Dr. Ramon S. Velez, Sr. Dr. Velez was passionate about seeing Puerto Rican youth pursue leadership roles in society and celebrating the achievements of educational and business leaders.  

 

Dr. Arzola was joined by family and Nyack colleagues from both New York City and Rockland County, NY campuses at the banquet. He and other Educational/Leadership honorees and delegates from Puerto Rico and states from across the country appeared on colorful floats in the June 12 parade which traveled along Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street in Manhattan.

 

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg hosted a reception celebrating the National Puerto Rican Day Parade on June 9 at Gracie Mansion. The reception was attended by the honorees, Hispanic community officials in public and private offices, and visiting constituents from Puerto Rico. Executive Director of Community Relations, Earl Miller, and NYC campus Associate Dean of Students, Charles Hammond, represented Nyack College at the reception. Dean Hammond is pictured with New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.

Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary hosted luncheons for alumni, faculty, staff, and friends at the 2011 General Council of The Christian and Missionary Alliance this past May at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, MO.

 

Rev. Charles O. Galbreath (NC '06, ATS '09), pastor of Clarendon Road Church in Brooklyn, NY, spoke at the Nyack luncheon on the topic of "How Nyack equips servant-leaders." Following an address by President Michael G. Scales, Alumni of the Year Awards were presented by Nyack College Alumni Association President Dwight D. Safer (NC '93), to Mrs. Janet A. Howard (Class of 1960) for Outstanding and Dedicated Service to God's Kingdom and to Rev. Timothy D. Crouch (Class of 1985) and Mrs. Shelly Crouch (Class of 1986) for Outstanding and Dedicated Service to The Christian and Missionary Alliance.

 

Minister Donna Baptiste (M.Div. 1985, MSOL 2007) gave her farewell speech as ATS Alumni Association Board President at the ATS luncheon. Alumni of the Year honorees included: Rev. Craig W. Hanscome (MPS 1978) for Outstanding International Ministry and Service to The Christian and Missionary Alliance; Rev. Rosilio Roman, III (M.Div. 1995) for Outstanding North American Ministry and Service to The Christian and Missionary Alliance; and Rev. Peter Yim (M.Div. 1991) and Mrs. Esther Yim (M.Div. 1990) for Outstanding International Ministry and Service to The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Dr. W. Wayne Gardner (MPS 1986) received the President's Award for Outstanding Ministry and Service to Alliance Theological Seminary and The Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Nyack College/ATS Director of International Relations Dr. Elias Dantas hosted a leadership forum in May that focused on "Selecting and training new church leaders." Approximately 100 pastors and church leaders from the New York metropolitan area attended the forum.

 

The keynote speaker, Rev. Edmund Chan, has been senior pastor of Covenant Evangelical Free Church of Singapore since 1978. With over 4,000 members, the church has grown to be one of the largest congregations in Singapore. Pastor Chan is one of the most admired and recognized Asian leaders for his ministry in the area of discipleship, leadership selection, and leadership training.

 

In response to the success of Leadership Development Day, Dr. Dantas will present quarterly leadership forums sponsored by the Center for Studies in Global Christianity, in partnership with Nyack College/ATS. For more information on upcoming forums, contact Dr. Elias Dantas at elias.dantas@nyack.edu.

After ten years of dedicated service as president of the ATS Alumni Association, Minister Donna Baptiste (M.Div. 1985, MSOL 2007) resigned from her position. Donna's time, service, dedication, and hard work in leading ATSAA are greatly appreciated. New president Rev. Hector Ramirez (MPS 2008) officially began his tenure on May 21, 2011. We pray blessings on Rev. Ramirez as he takes on this role! For information on ATSAA visit www.nyack.edu/alumni.

Dr. David F. Turk, Nyack College provost and vice president for academic affairs, (pictured right) announced several new degree programs have been approved by the New York State Education Department.

 

The Bachelor of Science in Music and Worship is a four-year program designed to train musicians for leadership positions in the church and community as music worship leaders, keyboardists and instrumentalists, choir directors, sound and recording engineers, and songwriters. The course of study includes specialized training in contemporary worship music, studio recording, composition, and arranging, as well as biblical studies which help support and develop the character and spirituality of an effective worship leader. An audition is required. Prospective students must prepare two pieces of their choice demonstrating readiness to enter a college music degree program. For more information on Nyack's new music degree program, contact Dinesh Mahtani, director of admissions at Nyack Rockland at dinesh.mahtani@nyack.edu. The BS in Music and Worship will be offered at Nyack Rockland and Nyack New York City beginning fall 2011.

 

The New York State Education Department has also approved the College's application to offer its first fully online degree program - the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, which will begin fall 2011. For more information, visit www.nyack.edu/al.

 

The School of Business and Leadership will also offer an MBA degree program fully online. The Master of Business Administration will ensure that the distance learning offering will meet the same academic standards and requirements as the on-campus program by using the same student learning goals and textbooks, as well as the same course requirements offered in the traditional program. For more information, contact Dr. Jerry Becker, MBA program director at gerard.becker@nyack.edu. The online MBA degree will launch in January 2012.

Nyack College Director of Athletics Keith Davie has announced that a women's lacrosse program will be established at Nyack and will launch in the 2012-13 academic year.

Says Davie, "This is a big move for us as an institution and we are excited to see how it progresses. It gives us a sport that is at the height of popularity and participation, and we are happy to be in a strong Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference."

Recruitment for a head coach is underway. Interested candidates should visit http://ncaamarket.ncaa.org/jobs.

The Nyack College/ATS campus community mourned the loss of the following extraordinary individuals.

 

Dr. Samuel G. Ferrell, Sr. passed away on June 30 at the age of 84. Dr. Ferrell was an alumnus of Nyack College, earning a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1949 and later completing two post graduate programs there by 1951.  He became a Christian at the Miami Gospel Tabernacle while Dr. T.G. Mangham, Sr. was pastor. Under the preaching of Rev. Gustave Woerner, Sam Ferrell responded to the call to Christian ministry at Lake Swan Camp in 1945.

 

He and his wife, Dona, were married on August 26, 1949 and later became the parents of two children, five grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. Their life together was spent serving in several pastorates and in missions work.

 

The legacy of Dr. Ferrell includes his work as a Youth for Christ director, Bible conference director, youth camp director, district church growth planter, home missionary, tour director, and church and missions consultant. In his latter years, he served as Minister-at-Large for Missions and Evangelism for the Bahama Islands for The Christian and Missionary Alliance.  

 

Sun "Sunny" Ng passed away on June 28, 2011 at the age of 83. Sunny received a diploma from Northeastern Bible Institute in 1962 and a BS degree from Nyack College in 1964. While a student at Nyack College, Sunny was trained as a member of the food service team. He retired from Nyack College in 2000 after 35 years of service.

 

Dr. Ruth C. Rambo went to be with the Lord on May 19, 2011. She was the wife of Dr. David Rambo, former Nyack/ATS president, who was also the eighth president of The Christian and Missionary Alliance.

 

Dr. Rambo completed training to become a registered nurse in 1957, received her BS degree from Nyack College in 1960, and the D.Min. from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1996. A lifelong member of The Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Ruth served as a missionary with her husband, David, in the Philippines from 1962-1967. After starting their family, Ruth taught at Canadian Theological Seminary, Alliance Theological Seminary, and Asbury Theological Seminary.

 

A fund has been established following Dr. Rambo's expressed wish that a scholarship for women pursuing graduate theological education in the area of spiritual formation be established. Two trees will be planted in her honor - one on the grounds of Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY and the other at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY.