Among those present are Dr. George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God USA, which is part of the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world.

As preparations for the Bushes' impending visit to the Lakeland campus continued March 11, the rain and overcast sky didn't put a damper on the excitement that Forum attendees had about hearing and seeing the former First Couple.

"I am extremely excited to hear former President Bush here on our campus," said Kyshon Mitchell, a Southeastern student. "We have the awesome experience to see a person who is a great leader and man of influence."

Marie Golia, an Orlando resident attending the Forum, had similar comments: "It will be a pleasure to see former President George W. Bush and hear his experiences while he was in the White House."

Meanwhile, the lineup of notable of speakers continued March 11 with mega-church inspirational pastors Craig Groeschel and Andy Stanley; highly successful business consultants Patrick Lencioni and Marcus Buckingham; and Joyce Meyer, one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. As before, the speakers focused not just on leadership but, rather, on servant leadership - a concept and practice whereby people set out to be servants first, and then aspire to lead. Servant leaders achieve results by focusing on meeting the needs of the people they serve, and by developing those people to bring out the best in them.

Southeastern University says it is "dedicated to the proposition that servant leaders are world changers," and encourages its students to do just that.

The following speakers preceded the Bushes today:

Bill Hybels, pastor and founder of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. Known for his relevant teaching and cutting-edge leadership, The Rev. Hybels has authored 20 books including Too Busy Not to Pray, Becoming a Contagious Christian and Courageous Leadership.

Jim Collins, a student and teacher of enduring great companies -- how they grow, how they attain superior performance, and how good companies can become great companies. He has authored or co-authored four books, including the classic Built To Last, which has been a fixture on the BusinessWeek bestseller list for more than six years.

John Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor who is internationally known as the foremost speaker on the topics of leadership and change. He has authored 17 books including Leading Change, which outlines an actionable eight-step process for implementing successful transformation.

The Forum is being held in Bush Chapel, an intimate setting on campus that seats just over 700 people. The building was named for Howard S. Bush, former superintendent of the South Florida District of the Assemblies of God and former president of what is now known as Southeastern University.

On Wednesday, Brian Houston, pastor of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia, talked about his passion "to be a leader who thinks generationally," a pastor who prepares the next generation to be, as it says in Psalm 45:16, "princes in the land." He also talked about moving forward and not dwelling on the past: "The great challenge of leadership is to move things to the unknown, the untried, and the unproved.... I don't want to live my life serving history, I want to live my life making history." The Rev. Houston and his wife, Bobbie, established Hillsong Church in 1983; today, it is considered the largest church in Australia with more than 21,000 people in attendance.

Also in Wednesday's lineup of speakers were Jim Blanchard, retired chairman and CEO of Synovus Financial Corp., who led the company to experience its greatest growth and prosperity; Mark Floyd, CEO of SafeNet, Inc., a global leader in information security-protecting communications, digital identities, and intellectual properties; and Erwin McManus, pastor and cultural architect of Mosaic, a Christian community in Los Angeles known throughout the world for its spiritual creativity and cosmopolitan diversity.

Among the points Blanchard made: "Leaders who will be the most influential in the next 10 years are leaders who will offer the most hope," and "I want to be a lifter, not a leaner." Floyd gave specifics about how leaders should go about the job of leading and said they need to recognize that leadership is a full-time job. McManus offered a Biblical basis for his views of leadership; he also said there is greatness in every human being, but that greatness "needs to be pulled out of them."

The audience of mostly students, church leaders, and men and women from the business and professional community, seemed genuinely engaged, challenged, and inspired.

Speakers scheduled for the National Leadership Forum's last two days are more of the foremost and compelling teachers and leaders of our time: Craig Groeschel, Joyce Meyer, Bill Hybels, Andy Stanley, Patrick Lencioni, Marcus Buckingham, Ken Blanchard, John Kotter, and Jim Collins.

Tommy Barnett, pastor of Phoenix First Assembly of God in Arizona, will pose questions to President Bush in Friday's session after the former First Lady speaks. George W. Bush's visit is a historic one; it is believed that it will be the first time a U.S. president or former U.S. president will have ever stepped foot on the campus of an Assemblies of God-affiliated institution of higher education.

In previous years, the National Leadership Forum's speakers have included retired General Colin L. Powell, Indianapolis Colts football coach Tony Dungy, and former GE Chairman and CEO Jack Welch.

Gordon, who is only 22 years old, was named the Midwest League's "Prospect of the Year" while also sharing the league's Most Valuable Player honor with teammate Kyle Russell.

Gordon is expected to be the starting shortstop this season for the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Dodgers' AA affiliate.

At Southeastern, Gordon was named the 2007 NCCAA II National All-Tournament's Most Valuable Player. In his only collegiate year, he batted .378 with 45 stolen bases, 61 runs, 71 hits, nine doubles, four triples, and 44 RBIs in just 59 games.

Gordon batted .301 with 96 runs, 17 doubles, 12 triples, and 73 stolen bases last season with the Great Lakes Loons.

The most recent evidence happened near the end of last semester when four Southeastern graduate-student teammates -- Richard Felver, Luke Burke, Jason White, and Taylor Goldsmith -- placed in the top one percent: seventh out of 702 teams that participated in the simulation exercise worldwide. The four have since graduated with MBAs.

It wasn't the first time Southeastern ranked high in the exercise. Accounting Professor Dr. Bill Hahn said that several years ago another Southeastern team had a second place showing. Most often, Southeastern teams finish in the top 50 percent, he said.

Dr. Hahn oversees Southeastern's participation in the simulation exercise in his business policies class for undergraduates and his business strategy and policy class for graduate students. Students take those classes in their last semester before graduation. "The simulation is one of the ways we try to tie the whole program of study together so that the students use what they've learned about running a company," Dr. Hahn explained. "We use (the simulation exercise) for assessment, too. And it's in the assessment process that we run into the competition" with other colleges such as Old Dominion University, University of California, Wake Forest University, Northwestern University, Penn State, Auburn University, and the University of Delaware.

Classes are divided into teams of four, five, or six students. Worldwide, all of the teams receive the same simulation parameters and then draw on the tools they learned throughout their studies, to build and run a successful company. In last semester's simulation, the students were told to build a company that makes computer sensors.

During a simulated, eight-year period, they make decisions about developing and marketing their company, conduct a comprehensive analysis of all pertinent aspects of the business, and closely monitor its profitability. In the end, success is measured by Return On Equity (ROE) and stock price. Students analyze why specific aspects of their plan had shortfalls. "In any job," Dr. Hahn said, "if you understand why performance is as it is, you can usually make a better decision" going forward.

Dr. R. Joseph Childs, dean of Southeastern's College of Business and Legal Studies, was ecstatic at hearing the news from Dr. Hahn's class last semester. "This is a testament of not only quality instruction from our faculty, but is representative of the capabilities of our top graduates," he said.

Currently, there is a temporary road parallel to the one that's under construction. Longfellow is being widened with numerous improvements from its terminus at North Crystal Lake Drive northward along the west side of the university property. The road will include three left-turn lanes, a 425-foot-long, 12-foot-wide, beautifully landscaped median, a pedestrian crossing, and 3,000+ linear feet of underground storm-water system improvements so water can be properly treated and transported to Little Lake Bonny on the west side of Longfellow.

The road construction is part of a bigger project that began last March and should be completed late spring, school officials said. The project, estimated at $3 million, encompasses about 10 acres and includes:

Two stately, lighted gateways - each two stories tall - on each side of Longfellow's south end

A lighted parking lot for 281 vehicles, plus four retention ponds on the west side of Longfellow between Little Lake Bonny and North Crystal Lake Drive

An east-west pedestrian crossing from the new parking lot, through the new Longfellow median, and onto the university's property via a small bridge that passes over a pre-existing retention pond (That crossing will include a pedestrian-activated traffic-control device.)

Underground utilities

Sidewalks, decorative fence, aesthetic lighting, landscaping, and queen palm trees on both sides of the road (The new median is already adorned with eight date palm trees.)

A custom-designed, upgraded transit shelter for Citrus Connection commuters, located in front of the university's Steelman Library and Addison Hall administration building

Four-way stop signs on Longfellow at Prima Vista Boulevard, the university's main entrance

Southeastern is expecting more than 750 people at the National Leadership Forum, which is set for March 10-12 during the students' spring break. This year's lineup of influential speakers is headed by former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush. Joyce Meyer, Andy Stanley, Jim Collins, and Marcus Buckingham also will be among The Forum speakers.

As a "We Proudly Brew" location, the Center Court Cafe offers Starbucks brewed coffee, and hot and iced Starbucks specialty drinks.

Chartwells Assistant Director of Dining Services Kevin Nazzaro says the quality of the Starbucks drinks is a big draw for the Southeastern community. Students can enjoy their favorite drinks without leaving campus.

Southeastern's vice president for finance and administration wanted to bring a popular brand name on campus that students recognized and enjoyed, Nazzaro said. The "We Proudly Brew" location, which opened last semester, worked for the size of the student body and the space that Center Court Cafe offered, Nazzaro said.

Chartwells purchased new couches and chairs to help create inviting study spaces for students, and the walls have been repainted to give the cafe a more relaxing atmosphere.

"The old color was more of a bland off-white," Nazarro said, "and the new colors are more relaxing earth tones."

The cafe menu includes caramel macchiatos, mochas, lattes, and regular coffee. Chartwells provides pastries at the cafe.

Hot drinks are made exactly the same way that they are in Starbucks stores. The white chocolate mocha and the caramel macchiato are two of the most popular drinks on the Center Court Cafe menu, says barista Jared Plummer, a Chartwells employee.

Plummer and another barista/Chartwells employee received three hours of training from Starbucks shortly before Chartwells unveiled the new Starbucks products.

The idea is to engage students in their class curricula - math, science, literature, social studies, or any other subject - using some of the basic concepts found in music, theatre, dance, and visual arts, and doing so in a lively, robust, energetic way.

The program is informally known as "Untie the Right Brain." It is believed artistic ability is a function of the brain's right hemisphere.

The program stems from a $660,000 Florida Department of Education professional-development grant that Southeastern is sharing with The University of Tampa, Eckerd College, Ringling College of Art and Design, Saint Leo University, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, along with other educational organizations and school districts.

The other colleges also are offering the arts-integration program, which has a total enrollment of about 180 degree-seeking teachers statewide. The grant pays for more than 80 percent of the teachers' tuition.

At Southeastern, the program is tied to the Master of Education in Teaching and Learning, with a Concentration in Arts and Academic Interdisciplinary Education. The curriculum consists of 12 classes and 36 credit hours. About half of the classes are online; half are in a classroom.

The driving force behind the entire statewide program and the grant is Dr. Helene Robinson, a Southeastern professor of Exceptional Student Education who has 14 years' experience teaching special education students in public schools. Drawing on that experience and the successes she had in utilizing the arts to engage those students, Dr. Robinson conceived the graduate program and started the process that led to the grant and the program's start last summer.

"Research has shown that students who have had training in the arts score higher (in) academics," Dr. Robinson said. "The reason is, everything they do in the arts is to create, analyze, critique, perform, critique. So, if we can teach the students the basics of these different art forms, we're teaching them how to critique in the art forms. Then that automatically rolls over into helping them to critically think and critique in the other (academic) areas."

The intent of the master's curriculum is to transform the teachers into lively teacher/coaches who will share the lessons and tools of this program with their school and district colleagues to stimulate creativity among students for years to come. For the teachers of academic subjects, the goal is to integrate academic and art concepts and to get them to teach their subject using the arts.

Dr. Robinson explains: "For example, let's say we were teaching a science lesson about the solar system. Instead of just having the students take a test on that, one way we could teach through the arts would be to have them either choreograph a dance routine, demonstrating the locations of all the different planets, or create a production - write a theatrical piece or even a multi-arts performance."

The students/teachers enrolled in Southeastern's program are already applying their newly gained arts education in their districts and schools, and they're already seeing results - just as other teachers integrating the arts have experienced elsewhere. The strides are particularly evident among students who were formerly struggling or not motivated. "Suddenly they are engaged and excited about learning," Dr. Robinson said.

The 2010 Forum is set for March 10-12 on Southeastern's campus. Seating is limited to 750 people. Tickets are still available, but Southeastern expects a sellout soon, just as the three previous Forums sold out. Ticket information is available at www.seuLEADERSHIPforum.com or (877) 367-8620.

The National Leadership Forum is geared toward men and women who are leaders--or those who strive to be leaders--in the church, business, and professional community. Southeastern is dedicated to the proposition that servant leaders are world changers, and The Forum is an innovative and creative approach to teaching the servant leadership concept.

In addition to the Bushes, the 2010 Forum speakers include:

Joyce Meyer, one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. She is a New York Times bestseller author, and her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ.

Tommy Barnett, pastor of Phoenix (Ariz.) First Assembly of God, which has experienced phenomenal growth during his tenure and now has more than 245 outreach ministries, including the Los Angeles Dream Center. He inspires pastors and churches in the full gospel movement to grow.

Brian Houston, pastor of Sydney, Australia's Hillsong Church, which he and his wife established in 1983. Today, Hillsong is considered the largest church in Australia with more than 21,000 people in attendance.

Erwin McManus, pastor and cultural architect of Mosaic, a Christian community in Los Angeles known throughout the world for its spiritual creativity and cosmopolitan diversity. McManus is also the catalyst behind Awaken, a collaboration of dreamers committed to creating environments that expand imagination and unleash creativity.

Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv, which he and his wife founded in 1996. Groeschel is known for his creative and relevant Bible teaching. LifeChurch.tv is now a multi-campus church with more than 50 weekend worship experiences at 13 locations throughout the United States.

Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, and founder of its parent organization, North Point Ministries, Inc. Since its 1995 inception, North Point Ministries has grown to three campuses and has helped plant 14 strategic partner churches. Each Sunday, more than 20,000 adults worship at the Ministries' campuses.

Bill Hybels, pastor and founder of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. Known for his relevant teaching and cutting-edge leadership, Hybels has authored 20 books, including Too Busy Not to Pray, Becoming a Contagious Christian, and Courageous Leadership.

George O. Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God (USA), part of the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world; he is the author of A Psalm in Your Heart, Vol. I and II, Living Fully, Successful Life, and a college text on the book of Acts.

Jim Blanchard, retired chairman and CEO of Synovus Financial Corporation, a financial services holding company based in Columbus, Georgia, with approximately $35 billion in assets. During Blanchard's leadership, the company experienced its greatest growth and prosperity.

Mark Floyd, CEO of SafeNet Inc., a global leader in information security-protecting communications, digital identities, and intellectual properties. Floyd is also Chairman of the Board of Tekelec, a high-performance network-applications company whose products are deployed in large wireless and wireline carrier networks worldwide.

Ken Blanchard, one of the most influential leadership experts in the world, is respected for his years of groundbreaking work in the fields of leadership and management. He is an author or co-author of more than 40 books, including the classic The One Minute Manager, which has sold more than 13 million copies.

Patrick Lencioni, author of eight best-selling books that have sold 2.5 million copies. One of those books, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, is a popular business fable that explores work team dynamics and offers solutions to help teams perform better; it has sold more than one million copies.

Marcus Buckingham, a motivational speaker, trainer, public leader, researcher, and author, helps people discover and capitalize on their personal strengths. He is considered a leading authority on employee productivity and the practices of leading and managing.

John Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor who is internationally known as the foremost speaker on the topics of leadership and change. Kotter has authored 17 books, including Leading Change, which outlines an actionable eight-step process for implementing successful transformation.

Jim Collins, a student and teacher of enduring great companies -- how they grow, how they attain superior performance, and how good companies can become great companies. He has authored or co-authored four books, including the classic Built to Last, which has been a fixture on the BusinessWeek bestseller list for more than six years.

In previous years, keynote speakers at The Forum have included retired General Colin L. Powell, Indianapolis Colts football coach Tony Dungy, and former GE Chairman and CEO Jack Welch.

Schoenherr said no funds from Southeastern University will be used for expenses in connection with their trip; he and the students will be raising funds to pay their own way. Anyone seeking to contribute to their relief effort can make checks payable to "Southeastern University" and write "Haiti" in the memo field. Mail to Southeastern University, ATTN: Student Life, 1000 Longfellow Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33801.

Independent of those efforts, Compassionate Alliance(www.compassionatealliance.org), a faith-based nonprofit organization that responds to victims of disastrous and chaotic conditions around the world, is sending 25 truckloads of food, water, and other basic necessities to Port-au-Prince. Compassionate Alliance is headed by Dr. Robert Houlihan, dean of Southeastern University's College of Christian Ministries & Religion.

RAW TV, or Real And Willing Television, features relevant topics and popular musical guests. Adoption, homosexuality, marriage, relationships, and outreach, are among the topics RAW TV will address in season seven, said Roxane Griner, the show's executive producer.

Last season, RAW TV featured musical guests Jonny Diaz, B.Reith, Sleeping at Last, and Mark Lowry. Author Tony Campolo and others also were guests.

RAW TV films about four episodes each month to complete two seasons within each school year. The crew finished filming season six on November 18, Griner said.

"It's a great accomplishment to get through another season of RAW TV, especially in light of so many transitions that happen each academic year," Griner said.

Because RAW TV is completely student-produced, the cast and crew frequently change due to student turnover. A new cast and crew will be chosen this month for season eight because many members of the show, including hosts Corrie Lovette and Andrew Harley, will graduate in May.

While season seven will be the final one for Lovette, who has been involved with RAW TV since her freshman year, she plans to go out with a bang, she said.

"I'm confident that season seven is going to be the best yet. We have some exciting topics to cover and excellent guests and music on the line-up," Lovette said.

RAW TV airs regularly on the NRB Network, TCT network, and Sky Angel. The public is welcome at the free shows in the Bolin studio, but seating is limited to the first 50 to 60 guests. To reserve a seat, click here.

Seniors Danielle Shryock, Michael Hanlin, Stephanie Valencia, and junior Joy Skywalker won the scholarship this year for their involvement in ministry and community service. Each student received a $1,250 scholarship from Southeastern and a matching $1,250 from the Servant Leadership Award program for each of their remaining years at Southeastern.

The award also included a $250 donation to a charity of each recipient's choice.

The award, given only to college juniors and seniors, was created to provide a way for schools to honor students who were making a difference on campus and in their local communities, said Servant Leadership Communication Coordinator Dr. Mark Troyer. The award also is given to encourage philanthropy and giving, he said.

The Servant Leadership Award program began in 1995 under Marty Moore, president of the Indianapolis, Indiana-based Moore Foundation, and Bill Reichardt, president of the Barney II Foundation. Moore's father started the Moore Foundation in the early 1960s as a means to support the principles of sound education, morality, and spirituality. The Barney II Foundation, started by Reichardt's family, is named after Barnabas, a friend of the New Testament apostle Paul. The foundation's mission is "to encourage people that God has put in our path."

Shryock, Hanlin, Valencia, and Skywalker are among about 150 students throughout the United States, Kenya, and Albania to win a Servant Leadership Award. Southeastern will hold a banquet in honor of its four recipients in April.

The Servant Leadership Award is a great way to identify students who have a servant's heart, said Danita Joell, the executive assistant to Southeastern's vice president for administration and finance. "The students were thrilled when they found out they won."

Shryock, a management and accounting major, is the worship coordinator for Encounter, an on-campus contemplative chapel service. Shryock's chosen charity, Charity: Water, is a non-profit committed to bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

Hanlin, an accounting and finance major, is president of Southeastern's Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) chapter. His charity award will help support David Goldsberry, a missionary of High Point Church in Brandon, Florida.

Valencia, a junior, is leader of Adoración, a bi-lingual singing group at Southeastern. Her chosen charity, Mission of Hope Haiti, ministers to Haiti's poor communities.

Skywalker, a junior, started Sophia 1:28, an on-campus student prayer group. Her chosen charity, Love 146, is committed to abolishing the child slavery industry throughout the world.

The Southeastern University Scholarship Committee, comprised of university administration, faculty, and staff, selected Shryock, Hanlin, Valencia, and Skywalker to receive the Servant Leadership Awards.

In addition to the scholarships and charity donations, the students received a roughly foot-high version of Divine Servant, a sculpture that depicts Jesus washing the feet of his disciple Peter. A life-size version of the sculpture sits in Lambert Plaza on Southeastern's campus.

Hobby Lobby owner Mart Green made the pledge earlier this year along with an initial $2 million gift. The $10 million total represents the largest single gift donated to Southeastern in its 74-year history.

"On behalf of the Board of Regents, faculty, staff, students, and alumni of Southeastern University, I want to express our deep appreciation to the Green family for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to our cause - providing a strong Christian education that produces servant leaders to be world changers," said Charles Kelly, the Regents chairman.

Dr. James L. Davis, Southeastern's vice president for development, echoed those thoughts, adding that the money will go a long way towards advancing the curricula and programs to bring the university to the forefront of Christian higher education.

"As a result of recent visits to the campus of Southeastern University, we are impressed with the vibrant programs of Christian higher education and the beautiful facilities and campus," Green said in a letter that accompanied the first installment. "It is our hope that the financial assistance will only increase Southeastern University's financial strength." He added that, "it is the joy of the Green family to be faithful stewards of our resources and to partner with many ministries in the advance of the gospel of Christ and His kingdom. The addition of Southeastern University to this community of ministries will be a new joy for us."

With Friday's $8 million gift, Green said, "we appreciate your commitment to Christian higher education and all that Southeastern is doing to raise up students with a Christian world view."

The book provides undergraduate and graduate students with an introduction to public administration. Dr. King, an associate professor of public policy who joined Southeastern in May, wrote the textbook with former colleague Dr. Bradley S. Chilton, a professor in the Department of Government and Justice Studies at Appalachian State University.

Administration in the Public Interest covers basic principles of public administration in the United States, including the field's history, philosophy, and important people and issues. In addition to these areas, the book discusses the increasingly influential role of non-profits, private agencies, and faith-based initiatives.

"Government is not designed nor is it capable of meeting all human needs," Dr. King said. "Citizens acting as volunteers or working full-time in non-profit organizations and faith-based initiatives assist government at all levels to respond to the multitude of needs."

Administration in the Public Interest is available through Amazon.com.

In her classes, Professor of Marketing Dr. Carolyn Tripp plans to emphasize the importance of marketing in non-profits. Both she and her husband, Professor of Finance Dr. James Tripp, will offer students business instruction drawn from their professional experience, academic research, and teaching careers.

The Tripps join Southeastern with nearly 20 years of teaching experience, and about 10 years of industry experience in their respective fields of marketing, and finance and banking. In fact, the couple came out of a recent retirement--a year for him, and less for her--to teach at Southeastern.

So why did the Tripps come out of retirement--most recently after a decade-long stint at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois--to teach at Southeastern?

Both say the opportunity enables them to fulfill a desire to teach at a Christian university. In addition, the Tripps like new challenges and meeting new people, Dr. Carolyn Tripp said.

The Tripps also were inspired to join Southeastern because they admire how quickly university leaders make a dream, a reality, from the renovation and construction of campus buildings, to the establishment of the Jerusalem Studies Center in Israel. "These people act on creative ideas and get it done," she said.

The Tripps, who will split their time living in Lakeland, Florida, and Springfield, Missouri, will teach some of their classes online and others on campus. This semester, from Missouri, Dr. Carolyn Tripp is teaching an undergraduate principles of marketing class online; in the spring, she'll teach that same marketing class on campus, as well as an undergraduate advertising and promotions class.

Dr. Carolyn Tripp has published extensively on consumer behavior and marketing. Before she became a marketing professor, from 1983 to 1986 Dr. Tripp managed a $1.1 million annual promotion budget for the Assemblies of God's Gospel Publishing House.

Working remotely from Missouri this semester, Dr. James Tripp will begin to help other Southeastern business professors increase their research and publish their work in academic and trade journals. In the spring on campus, he will teach a financial markets and institutions class for undergraduates, and a special topics course that will analyze the recent global financial collapse. Undergraduates and Southeastern MBA students may both take the special topics course, he said.

While Dr. Carolyn Tripp hopes to stress the importance of marketing within nonprofits, Dr. James Tripp also has a personal goal for his teaching tenure at Southeastern: to inspire some undergrads to become finance majors.

"There's a need for some ethical bankers, for sure," he quipped during an interview this summer. He hopes that bringing in guest speakers, such as bank presidents and locally based national bank regulators, will help build student excitement for the field, he said.

Prior to becoming a finance professor, Dr. James Tripp worked in commercial banking and ultimately managed the $20 million Assemblies of God credit union from 1983 to 1986. As a professor on sabbatical during the 2003-2004 school year, he spent two weeks observing the Supervision and Regulation area of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and two weeks observing the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.; in both experiences he gathered information to help teach students how these bodies work.

In addition to his observation of the Federal Reserve, Dr. Tripp has produced dozens of articles and presentations about his research into credit unions and banks. He may give students insight into how the U.S should change consumer credit regulations and the oversight of financial institutions, said Dr. R. Joseph Childs, dean of Southeastern's College of Business and Legal Studies.

Southeastern also may host public forums--featuring Dr. James Tripp--about how the country should proceed in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Having professors with expertise in current business issues, said Dr. Childs, will give students fresher insights than ones they'd receive at other universities.

And the Tripps say they're thrilled to share their expertise with students. "We're very excited about coming to Southeastern," said Dr. James Tripp, "and becoming part of the program there."

Dr. Wood holds a doctorate in pastoral theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and a law degree from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California. He received his bachelor's degree from Evangel University (College) in Springfield, Missouri. He was ordained by the Southern Missouri District of the Assemblies of God in 1967.

Dr. Wood has served as the Assemblies of God General Superintendent since 2007, a position that oversees the U.S. Pentecostal denomination of more than 12,300 congregations and some 2.9 million members and adherents. The U.S. Assemblies of God is part of a larger World Assemblies of God fellowship with a membership of more than 61 million.

Dr. Wood is a staunch supporter of Southeastern and its Jerusalem Studies Center Program. "Over the years, Dr. Wood's passion for education and for students has been obvious," said Charles Kelly, chairman of Southeastern's Board of Regents. "And it has been equally obvious that having a facility like this in Jerusalem to train future ministers has long been dear to his heart. The Board of Regents will be honored to bestow this naming opportunity upon Dr. Wood in recognition of his years of exemplary leadership," Kelly said.

Located in downtown Jerusalem, the center was established by Southeastern in 2008 and serves as the home base for students participating in the university's Jerusalem Studies Center Program in Israel. The official naming ceremony will take place in November 2009.