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| Southeastern Celebrates 75th Anniversary | |||||||
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Southeastern University (AG) in Lakeland, Florida, will officially begin celebrating its historic 75th anniversary of educating and equipping students for ministry-related fields and other professional careers today, Thursday, November 4, 2010. Now located on 87 acres on Lakeland's east side, the private educational institution began as the Alabama Shield of Faith Institute in a rustic two-story building in New Brockton, Alabama. There were 22 students and four faculty members. Along with several name changes throughout the years, the school relocated to Atlanta in 1940 and then to Lakeland in 1946. The Assemblies of God founded the school for the purpose of Bible training in the Southeast region of the country: to prepare ministers for pastoring churches throughout the world. Today, Southeastern University has more than 2,800 students, 157 faculty members and 263 staff employees. It offers 44 programs leading to bachelor's degrees and eight programs leading to master's degrees. Southeastern is the largest of all of the Assemblies of God colleges and universities in the world. Dr. Charles Kelly, acting president, said the 75th anniversary marks an important milestone of training young men and women to develop a zeal to serve and a commitment to excellence. "We not only look to the past – the sacrifice, vision, dedication and generosity of all of those who have gone before us – we also look to the future," Kelly said, "a future bright with promise as we continue to move to the forefront of Christian higher education." Proclaiming today, November 4, 2010, as "Southeastern University Day" in Lakeland, Mayor Gow Fields said, in part, "The full and lasting impact of Southeastern University's current and former faculty, staff and students is known but to God." Southeastern University will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a variety of events slated for today and tomorrow, including alumni reunions, campus tours, a worship service and a worship concert. For more information about Southeastern University, call (863) 667-5000 or visit its website at http://www.seuniversity.edu. |
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