From Shelby to Lattimore
When the college made the move from Shelby to Lattimore in 1997, it was a step of faith. Going from a rented campus to one of our own was a dream come true. After purchasing the core campus for $150,000, the college invested another $1.6 million to renovate the campus, purchase adjacent properties, and move modular trailers for temporary dormitory space. While the facilities needed more work, they were adequate for a young college to start a spring semester. The first graduating class in the Lattimore campus received their degrees in May of 1997.
 
The Kennedy Library Was Born
The Reva Kennedy Library was born years ago when a 2,100 square foot segment was walled off from the gymnasium to create a space for a library. The new library was a vast improvement over the original one located at the Shelby campus. Founding faculty member Mary Frances Rosenau took the assorted libraries that were donated to the college and assembled a respectable offering of theological, historical, and practical works for our students to use in their research. More than 25 years ago, this library had extra shelving, plenty of space, and new furniture to accommodate the studying of the students. As the years progressed, more theological libraries were donated and high-speed internet access was added to meet the growing demands of the student body. The library has been an important and valuable resource for our students as they prepare for the Lord’s work.
 
Growing Pains For The Library

Through the years, the library has experienced some major growing pains. New shelving was added to accommodate the growing number of books, and now there is no more space available for new books. The college has stopped receiving book donations because thousands of titles are boxed and in storage waiting to be displayed. Also, the proximity to the gym makes studying on nights when there are activities or league games a challenge because whistles and cheering can be heard through the single wall that separates the gym and the library. It is not uncommon for students to use ear plugs or study elsewhere during those activities. These growing pains have driven us to consider relocating the library.
 
A New Home For The Library

The college owns a 5,000 square foot facility located on Main Street in Lattimore that has been used primarily for storage. After putting a new roof on the facility, plans have been drawn to remodel it and convert it into a new library. This move will more than double the space of the current library, allow the college to provide more resources, and give our student adequate space to study in a quiet setting. Estimated cost: $350,000
 
The Levin Activity Center

Named after Evangelist Paul Levin, the 4,200 square foot Levin Activity Center houses the college gymnasium and fitness rooms. Throughout the school year, it is used to house league sporting events for volleyball and basketball. It is also used for banquets, missions conference, and our annual Rekindle Youth Conference.

The basketball court is sized for elementary age children and has carpet that is more than 30 years old. Events held in the facility in late spring and late summer are sometimes uncomfortable because of the lack of air conditioning. There is no more room to expand for special meetings like missions conference and Rekindle.
 
The Expansion Of The Levin Activity Center

The current library is separated from the gymnasium by a large, non-load bearing wall. By removing this wall, the gymnasium can be expanded by a third making the activity center more than 6,000 square feet. Because of age of the facility, it needs a new roof, air-conditioning, new flooring, and renovated bathrooms. Estimated cost: $400,000