In my updates to you through the Baptist Trumpet, I often mention transformation. In fact, transformation is so important that it is part of CBC’s mission statement: Central Baptist College is committed to transforming lives through education that integrates Christian faith and academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment. Those of us that work at Central Baptist College, and many of you who support the ministry of the college, know the change that can take place in a person’s life through education, especially education that is delivered from a Christ-centered perspective. For many years, we have been aware of a need in our community. There are many women who are served by our local non-profit agencies for whom education would truly transform their lives. But due to lack of financial resources, lack of a support network or for a myriad of other reasons, higher education seems like a dream that would be impossible to achieve. That is why the WISH Circle was created! WISH stands for Women In Support of Hope. It is a women’s initiative where women support women in one of the following three ways: • Scholarships — The WISH Circle provides scholarships for women to attend the PACE Program at CBC. The PACE program allows women the opportunity to attend class at night or online so they can still work full time and take care of their families. Funding for the scholarships is provided through membership dues to WISH. • Mentoring — Members of the WISH Circle Mentoring Advocacy Group will be paired with WISH scholarship recipients or current PACE students to support students in the areas of professional dress, job interview skills and resume writing. • Prayer — Members of the WISH Circle Prayer Partner Advocacy Group will be paired with a WISH scholarship recipient or a current PACE student to pray regularly for these women while they are enrolled in college. Just a few weeks ago, on Nov. 9, CBC formally launched the WISH Circle at an event hosted at a home right here in Conway. Over 80 women came to the launch to learn more about the WISH Circle and to consider membership in the group. During the event, Ashanti Wallace, a current CBC PACE student, who works in the Conway Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at Conway Regional Medical Center, was announced as the first WISH scholarship recipient. Ashanti was awarded a $10,000 scholarship, and that scholarship will cover most of the remaining balance of receiving her degree. Ashanti is a widow and mother of two. She has, at times, worked as many as three jobs to help support her family and pay for her tuition. Ashanti is scheduled to complete her degree is December 2018. The 2018 fundraising goal for the WISH Circle is $261,550. These funds will help 45 women begin in PACE, 10 women continue in PACE and will foster transformational change in the lives of more than 50 families! At the Nov. 9 launch event, 22 women committed, providing over $28,000 to help transform women’s lives through higher education. We still have work to do, and you can be a part! From January through April, we are planning WISH Circle informational events in Conway, Little Rock South Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas. If you would like to be invited to one of these events, please contact Jessica Faulkner in the Advancement Office at jfaulkner@cbc.edu or (501) 205-8800. Jessica will need your name, mailing address and which event you would like to be invited to, and we will add you to our list to receive periodic updates and event invitations for the WISH Circle.
Written by: President Terry Kimbrow
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