DBU Report Winter 2020-2021 - Page 27

WINTER 2020–2021 27 DBU PARTNERS WITH OUTSTANDING INSTITUTIONS TO FURTHER SERVE STUDENTS SWBTS President Dr. Adam W. Greenway and DBU President Dr. Adam C. Wright DTS President Dr. Mark Yarbrough and DBU President Dr. Adam C. Wright In these challenging days for higher education, some institutions are taking the opportunity to collaborate in fulfilling their unified Kingdom mission to equip Christian leaders to meet the needs and challenges of our world. Recently, Dallas Baptist University signed a partnership agreement with two neighboring seminaries in the Metroplex—Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Dallas Theological Seminary. Plans for these agreements began to be discussed between institutional presidents in the spring of 2020, and this past fall semester the schools made the admissions process available. Preparing them for a diverse range of ministry contexts, graduate students currently enrolled in or having completed DBU’s MBA program can round out their degree with a Master of Divinity from either SWBTS or DTS, while seminary students can add to their M.Div. with an MBA from DBU. “We are very pleased to be a part of this partnership with you,” shared Dr. Norma Hedin, DBU Provost, at the October 27 articulation meeting on the campus of SWBTS. “Particularly with all of the divisiveness in our world right now and in our nation, it is a joy to join together in a positive and hopeful opportunity.” Dr. Denny Dowd, who serves as a special advisor to the President and helped develop the partnerships, shared his enthusiasm for the “increased opportunities” for graduate students that will result from obtaining this timely dual degree. “Our prayer is that through these agreements many DBU, SWBTS, and DTS students and graduates will be better prepared to impact the world for the Kingdom of God, and in turn, contribute to the achievement of the vision, through the fulfillment of the mission, of each of these schools.” “This is a unique time for Christians to come together and join in making God’s Kingdom known on the earth,” said Dr. Adam C. Wright, DBU President. “We can do more together than apart, and we are hopeful that these joint partnerships between DBU and two outstanding seminaries in Dallas and Fort Worth will not only deepen our unity as institutions but also prepare our students to minister holistically to a broken world that needs the Gospel.” Now more than ever, our nation needs strong Christian leadership to guide it through the complex challenges facing our world. These new partnership opportunities will not only allow more degree-seeking students to experience God’s work at DBU but also foster a cooperative spirit among like-minded institutions striving to make a difference through educating and preparing the leaders of tomorrow.