Central’s History

As a result of action taken by the Arkansas Missionary Baptist Association at its organizational meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas, November 14-15, 1950, a committee began investigating proposals for a permanent location for a college to be founded by the Association. The school was established as the Arkansas Baptist Extension School in Little Rock at that time.

At the Association’s next session (Warren, Arkansas, November 13-14, 1951), the committee recommended the purchase of the former Central College in Conway, Arkansas, where a junior college would be opened in September 1952. The recommendation was unanimously adopted by the messengers from the cooperating churches, and a fund raising campaign was opened at that session. At the end of the campaign (September 1, 1952), title to the property was acquired by the trustees of the churches of the Arkansas Missionary Baptist Association; and the College was opened under the name of Conway Baptist College the same month.

The school’s name was changed to Central Baptist College in 1962 to reflect its evolving mission.

During its short history, Central has experienced considerable change. Since 1952 enrollment has grown from a dozen students to more than 800. The faculty has increased from 5 to approximately 90, and library holdings have multiplied dramatically. Even with the razing of historic Old Main in 1984, the number of campus buildings has more than doubled.

Central recently completed Phase 1 of a capital fundraising campaign, Vision 2020: A Miracle in the Making. Vision 2020 is a plan to complete 10 major construction projects over 10 years to accommodate an enrollment of 2,020 students. Phase I included three major projects. Project #1, the construction of the David T. Watkins Academic Building; Project #2, the construction of the Story Library; and Project #3, the construction of a new student housing, Dickson Hall. Plans for Phase II are in the planning stages.

Central Baptist College remains a college committed to the integration of Christian faith and academic excellence.