Providence Christian College

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Providence Christian College is a four-year liberal arts college in Southern California founded in 2005. As an independent, confessionally Reformed college, Providence has no denominational ties but recongizes the infallible authority of the Bible as interpreted by Reformed and Presbyterian confessions (the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dordt).

The official website states, "The mission of Providence Christian College as a Reformed Christian institution is to equip students to be firmly grounded in biblical truth, thoroughly educated in the liberal arts, and fully engaged in their church, their community, and the world for the glory of God and for service to humanity."

Providence offers majors in Biblical and Theological Studies, Biology, Business Administration, Communication, English, History, and Liberal Studies. Minors are offered in those disciplines, as well as in Cultural Studies and Biblical Languages. A minor in music is being planned.

James Den Ouden is the inaugural President of the college, and Mary Ellen Godfrey is the interim Academic Dean. Dr. Russ Reeves, currently Associate Professor of History, has agreed to accept the role of Academic Dean as of July 2007. Mary Ellen Godfrey will be stepping into a part-time position which will focus more intensely on the college's accreditation process. For the 2006-2007 academic year, Providence has five full-time faculty, several adjuncts, and 38 full-time students.

Providence Christian College is a member of the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education and has applied for accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

[edit] History

On several occasions, as early as the 1960s, discussions were held about establishing a Reformed Christian College on the West Coast. In November of 2001 a small group met in Chino, California to consider the feasibility of such a college, and unanimously agreed to establish a quality four-year liberal arts program that would in all aspects of its life and learning seek to reflect the lordship of Jesus Christ from a Reformed Biblical perspective.

The group also agreed that the college should be governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Directors drawn from various Reformed and Presbyterian churches. The college has no denominational affiliation, but does hold to Presbyterian and Reformed confessional standards (the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dordt).

Providence Christian College was incorporated in the state of California on November 12, 2002, and the first board meeting was held on January 18, 2003. On January 1, 2004 Providence took full possession of a campus in Ontario, California, and began renovating its five main buildings into classrooms, dorms, a library, a dining hall, and administrative offices. Providence Christian College was granted permission to operate as a degree granting institution in the state of California on December 9, 2004 by the Bureau for Private Post-Secondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). Immediately following approval by the BPPVE, Providence Christian College began the process of seeking eligibility by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The application was completed and submitted to WASC for review on October 17, 2005. The college's WASC Steering Committee is now in the process of developing a time-line for pursuing Candidacy status, the next step in the accreditation process.

In the inaugural 2005-2006 academic year, Providence had 3 full-time faculty and 22 full-time students. The student population increased to 38 full-time students in the Fall 2006 semester. There are currently 34 full-time students at Providence during the Spring 2007 semester.

[edit] Facilities

The Providence Christian College library has a wide selection of books, journals, encyclopedias, and magazines, including over 10,000 books and 100 periodical subscriptions. There are no card catalogs, because the entire collection is indexed online and available anywhere on campus via the internet or from the two computer terminals located in the library itself. Providence students have access to an additional 5,500 online periodicals (many full text), 2,500 electronic books, 52 other scholarly databases through online subscriptions with FirstSearch and NetLibrary. Interlibrary loan services and cooperative borrowing agreements with California Baptist University and Loma Linda University give Providence students access to an even wider selection of titles, including medical and scientific source materials.

Wireless internet access is available campus-wide and students report reliable uptime throughout the semester. All incoming students are required to purchase a notebook computer if they do not already have one that meets the school's minimum hardware and software requirements.

[edit] External links

v • d • e Colleges and Universities in the Inland Empire

Community colleges	Barstow Community College • California Preparatory College • Chaffey College • College of the Desert • Community Christian College • Copper Mountain College • Crafton Hills College • Mount San Jacinto College • Palo Verde Community College • Riverside Community College • San Bernardino Valley College • Victor Valley College

Public universities	California State Polytechnic University, Pomona • California State University, San Bernardino • University of California, Riverside

Private universities	American Sports University • California Baptist University • Claremont Colleges • La Sierra University • Loma Linda University • Providence Christian College • University of La Verne • University of Redlands • Western University of Health Sciences

For-profit branches	The Art Institute of California • ITT Technical Institute • National University • University of Phoenix