App7 Jefferies C

Connie JefferiesConnie JefferiesEDUC 6105 Organizations, Innovation, and Change EDUC 6105 Organizations, Innovation, and Change

Instructor: Dr. Sunil HazariInstructor: Dr. Sunil HazariDecember 19, 2009December 19, 2009

Hello, my name is Connie Jefferies and I want to welcome you to Week 7 of Education 6105 Innovations, Organizations,

& Leadership. As we get closer to the end of this course, Week 7 is the final project submission. In this application, the objective is to be a story teller of the organization you chose

who has shown significant changes in the recent years. And I would like to take this opportunity to share with you the story

of the college many call a home away from home. I am grateful and delighted to give you a glimpse inside

Mississippi’s best kept secret. This educational institute I am speaking of is none other than Blue Mountain College. During the last eight years or so, I have seen so many

changes happen as a result of a greater vision being birthed out. The new president came in and went to work. BMC has grown in a such a short period of time during her tenure. I hope that you enjoy this presentation. I am calling it, “Blue

Mountain College, A New Vision Fulfilled.”

Introduction

Blue Mountain College was founded by General Mark Perrin Lowery in 1873. He saw a vision and made provisions to make it a reality. He wanted the best education possible for his two daughters. So they got together and gathered up the first faculty at was then named Blue Mountain Female Institute in which they first 50 students enrolled. From then on, it was known as an independently owned Christian college for women until 1920. The Lowery family also carried the torch of this organization for many years until their death. Blue Mountain College stands as an institute of higher learning founded on Christian based values and principles to prepare students for their future professions in the workplace, personal lives, and in the area of ministry. And today, this institution is still rooted and grounded on the biblical principles from the beginning.

General Mark Perrin Lowery ….Long ago a man of

vision strong in right….

Kindled from the fiber of his soul a light.

Many hands have fanned its flame and fed its blaze,Till today it sends afar its

beacon rays,

Alma Mater! Old B.M.C!Till time is done our loyal

hearts proclaim,

Alma Mater! Old B.M.C.!Like faithful sons and daughters (servants)

We will guard that flame.

Since its founding in 1873, it was an independently owned institute until the affiliation extended itself to the Mississippi Baptist Convention in 1920. From that time on, it has been referred to as a Southern Baptist college. The college is comprised of dedicated, Christian educators, faculty and staff in each department, thus providing a good, spiritual atmosphere to obtain an education. With this being said, the Christian environment sets the stage for many students. They can be at ease knowing there will be none or very few crimes and acts of violence on campus, along with security in place to keep those there with a sense of safety. These attributes tremendously not only to the structure but also to its culture.

Gateway to the Path of Knowledge

Blue Mountain College: A New Vision Fulfilled

Structure

Dr. Bettye R. Coward,

BMC President

CarryingThe

“CurrentVision”

Since a new President was selected in 2001, the structure and organization has expanded greatly to meet the needs of all students including the men. Her leadership style from the start was vision based. She came in with an agenda to be in touch with all people especially the students. Even though, it has been a women’s college for some time now, the culture has expanded immensely with the additional of changes in recent years. In my interview with the president, Dr. Bettye R. Coward, I felt the compassion and drive she had in her heart to be able to meet the needs of all students, accommodating the men as well as the women. What strikes me most was her being the first woman President who brought a new greater vision for the college and made it a reality. This brings out the uniqueness of the college because her main focus was to keep in mind what matters the most to the institution. The selection they made for a President exemplified a person of respect, honesty, character, and most of all, a vision towards making the college a greater success. The choice was based on ability and her previous 30 years plus experience in the area of education that was an asset to this institution. She served in many facets of Mississippi College and was serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs when this job vacancy opened and was asked to look at the job. Dr. Coward was one who showcased a leader’s six prime responsibilities: assessment, culture, vision, plan, implementation, and follow-through in her ability to lead the college and bring about change (Beach, 2006).

Different strategies proved effective during the course of communicating and sustaining the changes taking place within the organization. The challenge is to develop techniques for making the “new way” stick. To sustain change, most experts recommend that the change become “institutionalized.” Change has been institutionalized when organizational members no longer think of the change program as a special initiative or project (Anderson, 2010). The President shared a new, broader vision and communicated it effectively with the constituents to make this vision become a true reality. Change and going forward were a top priority. And the key word, “vision” has remained in existence to being communicated before, during, and after the change was implemented. This answers the question of seeing what is really going to help this college grow to the its expected potential. As a result, the college has transformed internally and externally 100 percent focusing on what was best in the long run for the institution.

Strategy 1: SD 1 Enrollment – Recruiting and Retention, “R & R” as Dr. Coward expressed this idea, spending more time and money to enhance recruiting literature and bringing in an outside source to get more students enrolled and retaining them until graduation. Also, the decision to go fully coeducational in 2005 added more intercollegiate sports for women, and now incorporated more men generating a mix of students as well. She says, “She says, “Recruiting and retention go hand in hand. And if you recruit a student who is a good match, you are far more likely to keep them through graduation.” (Coward, 2009).

A great deal of time was dedicated to recruiting but an outlet source was needed. So an outside source was paid to recruit prospective students. The recruiting literature

was also enhanced giving those prospects a better knowledge of the college and what it has to offer. Once

recruited, retention was then implemented to make sure the students stayed on board. The vision is to have 600

students enrolled by 2012. And at the present time, there were 505 students enrolled. Since her tenure as President,

the number was 365 . Also intercollegiate sports brought in students and their friends.

Adding more intercollegiate sports for men & women helped boost enrollment

BMC Toppers –Men’s Basketball Team

Started in 2007

BMC Cross Country Team

Started in 2007

FALL 2010 --- Men’s Baseball & Women’s Softball to be addedBlue Mountain College: A New Vision

Fulfilled

Strategy 2—Enhancing the Look of the College

SD 2 Enhancing the learning and living environment – Performing major renovation services from the entrance of the campus to almost every building there to revive and bring a more appealing look to the Christian institution. And also creating little “hotspots” for students to congregate and enjoy a feeling of a homelike atmosphere while in attendance.

Major renovation, new additions, & restoration occurred on campus

All residents halls are now attractive spots on campus and many buildings received a facelift to beautify the institution to the fullest potential

The Gal-ry was renovated in 2001. This area provides space and equipments for workouts.

Tyler Gymnasium received accurate enhancements.

Fisher-Washburn Hall, Ray Dining Hall, and a parking lot took the space where the old edifices once stood.

Cockroft Dormitory is now a men’s dormitory after all these years.

The Admin is a constant reminder of the preserved the legacy of the institute

And the list goes …

Renovated in 2001

Formerly a women’s dormitory, now exclusive for the men

Lowery Administration Building

College Hangout affectionately known as

“The Sub”

Music Majors

Hangout on Campus

This is the building I

called Home

Garrett Hall

BMC 2009New Campus Entrance

Mark Perrin Lowery Boulevard with BMC Banner

One of the campus little “hotspots”

SD 5 Keeping a strong resource base for the viability of the College – Broadening the donor base in support of those who can contribute to the college. The college increased their advertising efforts and took their story out to educate more people in the community. This will aid in getting those who do not know much about the college to know who the college is, why they are here and how they can serve (Coward, 2009).

The college that continues

to MAKE A DIFFERENCE!