Williams Baptist College to Be Renamed

Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge announced Wednesday that, starting next fall, it will be known as Williams Baptist University.

“This is a monumental day in the history of this institution, reflecting a major step forward. Williams has provided an outstanding, Christian higher education for the past 76 years, and being known as Williams Baptist University will help us to advance our programs even further,” President Tom Jones said in a news release.

The institution has three academic divisions and more than 25 bachelor’s degree majors. It launched its first graduate degree, a master’s in teaching, last spring. 

Jones also said in the release that the new name would help address some misconceptions.

“Although we became a four-year institution in 1984, there is a lingering perception of Williams as a junior college. And, while we are very proud of our truly outstanding Christian ministries program, many fail to perceive that 94 percent of our students are majoring in other areas and preparing for careers in medicine, business, education and other fields,” he said.

The name change has been actively considered for more than two years and was formally approved Friday by the board of trustees.

There are no regulatory or accreditation criteria for a college to meet in order to change its name to university.

For the remainder of this school year, the insitution will be known as Williams Baptist College. A gradual transition to the new name will take place over the next several months, and the new name will become official on July 1.  A special ceremony will be held in August to celebrate the renaming.