Annuals 2016 Annual Book | Page 68

       William Hild and William Viel archeological collections. The gallery is open daily for visitors, including Sunday school classes and Bible study groups. The Saint John’s Bible is the world’s finest hand-produced bible in 500 years. Carson-Newman’s 10th annual Operation Inasmuch service blitz pushed the total amount of service granted to area nonprofits and service agencies well past the 15,000- hour mark. The University's forensics team took the top five places at the National Christian College Forensics Invitational, which followed February’s top showing at Tennessee’s Intercollegiate Forensics Association Championship. TBC President and 1989 alumnus Dr. Roc Collins spoke in a January chapel service. The senior pastor of Kingsport’s Indian Springs Baptist Church challenged students to be spiritually prepared and to trust in that preparation when life’s struggles occur. Carson-Newman junior swimmer Nancy Claire Smith captured the NCAA's Elite 90 award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating at the finals site for each championship. She is the first Carson-Newman student-athlete to be so honored. “A Simple Justice: The Celebration of the 50 th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act,” featured several student exhibits, including explorations of how churches and Christians were central to helping change American society. Carson-Newman’s Robert Griswold competed in Rio de Janeiro last month as a member of U.S. Paralympic Swimming Team. Robert lives with cerebral palsy and qualified for the games with a 100 Meter Backstroke time of 1:04.69. Coach Jordan Taylor calls Robert a “tremendous” team member. As 2016-17 rankings began breaking in late summer, Carson-Newman University honored as both a “College of Distinction” and a “Christian College of Distinction” for its commitment to “methodologies that prepare students” in the areas of engagement, great teaching, outcome orientation in a vibrant community. Those honors joined Carson-Newman’s recognition as the Southeast’s top institution for undergraduate teaching and being a Top Ten “Best Value School” in U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 Best Colleges Guide. Washington Monthly listed it as No. 9 among the nation’s baccalaureate colleges, calling it a “Best Bang for the Buck” institution. The Princeton Review named Carson-Newman University as one of the best schools in the Southeast. This important work of sharpening minds and shaping hearts is possible because of God’s faithfulness, a daily commitment to our mission, Cooperative Program support and partners like you. Submitted by J. Randall O’Brien, President 66