University Advancement
Jim Mellers Center Renovation
From its inception in 1878, Southwest Baptist University has been a distinctively Christian and Baptist institution with a distinguished reputation for providing the highest quality educational experience integrated with Christian faith and values.
The first Bible department was established at Southwest in September 1904. Fifteen ministerial students enrolled the first day. More than 100 years later, that Bible department has matured into a vital college with four departments and 11 majors.
The Courts Redford College of Theology and Ministry is committed to preparing Christian men and women for service to meet the enormous spiritual and educational needs of a global society. The mission of the Redford College is to teach students the Bible, our Christian heritage, and spiritual formation, and to prepare students for professional church vocations.
To meet this challenge, SBU must provice tomorrow's Christian leaders a modern, technologically advanced facility that can encourage and enhance student learning.
The Jim Mellers Center on the SBU campus is home to the Redford College. Since its completion in 1984, the Jim Mellers Center has remained relatively the same with original furnishings, classroom configurations, faculty offices and the original heating and air conditioning system.
As the number of students in the Redford College has grown, so has the need for improved facilities. The renovation of the Jim Mellers Center will include replacing the heat and air conditioning units, moving all faculty offices to the entry level, reconfiguring classrooms, installing computer, Internet and audio/visual capabilities in every classroom, and providing a student lounge.