AMBASSADOR COLLEGE UPDATE (Big Sandy Campus)
We have had a very active summer here in Big Sandy. We had the usual crush of college year-end activities and graduation. Then on May 22 all the Big Sandy faculty joined the faculty in Pasadena for the Refreshing Program. Things went very well during the program and it proved valuable to everyone who attended. The opportunity for the two faculties to be together is an important one.
We had hardly gotten settled back here when SEP began. There were 210 campers from all over the United States who spent three weeks in intensive training to either learn new skills or sharpen old ones in basketball, volleyball, tennis, cycling, computers and speech, to name a few. The group seemed to be an exceptional one. Any of you who had young people here from your church area can be assured they did nothing to embarrass you or their parents. They were very responsive and enthusiastic about all their activities.
Mr. Armstrong arrived on Wednesday, July 11, to see the camp in action and took a small part in one activity. You have probably seen his picture in THE WORLDWIDE NEWS putting at the golf course. He had stopped to see the action and was asked to try his hand. I understand Mr. Jim Kissee offered him a job if he wanted to stay and work with the campers. Needless to say, the youngsters were surprised and pleased to have him join them for a short time.
The SEP group left and the next day a group of 157 arrived for a three-day volleyball camp. The girls outnumbered the boys about two to one because most fellows tend to think of volleyball as a girls' game. They quickly learned that is not true. If you watched any of the Olympic volleyball games you know what I mean. The staff has done a great job working with these groups this summer.
Everyone is now rushing to prepare for the beginning of the 1984 fall semester. We enter the year with a recertification from the Texas Coordinating Board, which gave the college a license for two more years. We have 200 freshmen arriving on campus this week. Soon the academic year will be underway. Big Sandy will have about 25 to 30 more students than last year (depending on how many can't make it because of finances or some other problem). The nearly 35 international students on campus this year will be a great addition to the classes and activities.
Those of you who know Dr. Cliff Anderson will be pleased to know he is well on the way to recovery. The doctors tell him that he should be back in class in a fairly short time, and they say he should have another twenty or so years of life, which translates to mean a normal life span.
This summer the Student Services offices have been remodeled and a couple of offices were added. The job should be finished just in time to facilitate the handling of all the new students. Dean of Students Larry Salyer and those who work with him are very happy with the new work area. Dr. Don Ward and the Academic offices will also be moving into new offices here in the field house. All of us appreciate the upgrading and look forward to more as the budget allows.
In closing, I want to again remind all you church pastors of the need, for all those young people intending to apply to Ambassador College next year, to take the SAT as soon as possible. The tests will be administered October 13, November 3, December 1, January 26, March 23, and June 1. The October 13 testing comes during the middle of the Feast. These dates are for Saturday testings. Sunday administrations usually follow immediately after the Saturday date.
The SAT scores from the November 13 testing will not arrive in the Registrar's Office before December 15. If applicants do not take the test in November, they should schedule themselves for January or March at the latest to allow the results to be received in time for next year's acceptances.
The class this year looks like a good one. We had to turn down a large number of very acceptable young women due to lack of space. Encourage them to reapply for the fall of 1985. There is a greater need for good young men as Ambassador traditionally receives many more qualified applications from women than men.
Some of you may wonder why a particular applicant from your area wasn't accepted. If we can help clarify the matter for you, let us know. But if you recommended a "defer" or were only lukewarm in your recommendation, that may be a factor. Thanks for your evaluations and help.
— Leslie L. McCullough, Deputy Chancellor
