The Tribune

SIXTY-eight students were added to the roll of graduates from Atlantic College in Grant’s Town, Nassau, last night as the school celebrated 20 years of offering quality education to all Bahamians in a ceremony at Evangelistic Temple on Collins Avenue.

Since Dr R E Cooper Jr, president of Atlantic College, founded the school in 1995, hundreds of Bahamians have passed through its campuses on Hay and East Streets, Nassau, and Freeport, Grand Bahama. To commemorate its 20th year Atlantic College will host a year-long series of events with the graduation theme “In Pursuit of Destiny”.

Students graduating from the class of 2015 comprised 39 receiving Associate of Arts degrees in Accounting Technology, Business Administration, Business Management (HRM), Criminal Justice, Human Services and Public Administration, while 29 received Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degrees in Accounting Technology, Business Administration and Business Management (HRM); Bachelor of Social Science (B.Soc) degrees in Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Public Administration; Bachelor of Ministry (B.Min) degrees in Christian Counselling, Christian and Theology.

“In light of the new challenges brought about by the overall economic, demographic, and competitive environment in which Atlantic College finds itself, we have set out to consult with the entire college community to propose a limited set of realistic institutional priorities for the next several years,” Dr Cooper said. “Therefore, we are focusing on the academic mission of the college pertaining to the quality of student life and the role of the college as a cultural and educational institution in our community.”

Dr Cooper said Atlantic’s main thrust as an inner city institution is “to graduate committed men and women distinguished by intellectual maturity and Christian character, to render loving service and prepared leadership worldwide”.

“We integrate faith and learning. We are unswerving to the supremacy of a Liberal Arts education to refine qualities most sought by employers who seek individuals with the ability to think holistically, reason analytically, communicate persuasively and even more importantly, act morally.”

Having served in the Grant’s Town community for 37 years, Dr Cooper said that, “our continued effort is to ensure that our religious extractions and core values are incorporated in our vision to support the mission of the institution”.

To survive and prosper despite limited resources and challenging urban geography, Atlantic College has developed a spirit of adaptiveness. The modern Atlantic College emerged from a fledging Seminary in 1995 to become a dynamic, private institution.

“Atlantic College is devoted to providing excellent educational opportunities to our undergraduates,” Dr Cooper said. “Central to our planning is the vision of placing business and entrepreneurship at the centre of society, and of working in partnership with others – locally, nationally, and internationally. To that end, we plan to provide many pathways for students to move into and through the College’s programmes, and to provide them with the tools to build sustainable lives, both materially and socially.”

There are seven major goals for the next five years outlined in Atlantic’s Chart for Development; they parallel the goals to which Atlantic College committed to itself and our community of students, faculty, alumni, and friends.

Many local and international dignitaries were expected to attend the gala event last night at Evangelistic Temple. Jim Schaefer, the CEO and Director of Old Fort Partners and president of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Bahamas, was the commencement speaker.