Reaching this May's goal will be an important step toward making the new fine arts building a reality, Kennedy said. Along with this building project, the college is evaluating and working toward revamping and rejuvenating its music program. One result is a new Associate of Arts in Music degree that will prepare a student to become a functional music director in two years. School officials believe this will meet a pressing need in BBFI churches. This will help cover some of the costs of scholarships and the added expenses related to obtaining expanded accreditation with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Accreditation verifies the quality of educational programs, training and academic standards.
Baptist Bible College and the Baptist Bible Graduate School of Theology are currently undertaking a self-study toward gaining the universally accepted institutional accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Kennedy stated that this enhancement will be accomplished without compromising the strong Bible-centered curriculum and position of the college and graduate school. When complete, this additional accreditation will provide graduates with academic currency that will be accepted across all academic lines, in all countries of the world. For these reasons, funds from the May offering will go for this purpose. It is essential if we are to maintain and improve BBC's high quality of training.