A Legacy Endures

A Legacy EnduresTEN YEARS AFTER ITS INAUGURAL CLASS, THE BISHOP SCHOLARS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO PRODUCE RESULTS

The history of Georgetown College is one of fresh, innovative ideas leading to positive change. Almost twenty years ago, though, no one could have guessed the impact a chance meeting would have on the trajectory of the College and the lives of so many young people.

The launch of the Bishop Scholars Program at the College forever connected Georgetown to a like-minded institution, Bishop College. Now, ten years after the graduation of the inaugural class of Bishop Scholars, the program continues to change lives and produce results.

VIBRANT HISTORY

Bishop College, a historically Black College, was founded in Marshall, Texas in 1881 in direct response to the lack of educational options for Black Baptists. After its founding, Bishop College would gradually become a hugely influential institution, serving as a beacon for the young Black population in the region.

Bishop College focused on spiritual growth as part of its educational model. In the 1940s and 1950s, the college founded its Lacy Kirk Williams Institute, a ministerial program designed to prepare the next generation of Black Baptist preachers. The institute attracted many wellknown preachers to speak on campus during its existence, including Jessie Jackson and Martin Luther King, Sr.

By the early 1960s, enrollment at Bishop College had topped 2,000 students, and the college moved its campus to Dallas. Unfortunately, Bishop College was then rocked by a financial scandal in 1988, which led to its accreditation being stripped. The College would close its doors soon after.

But the story of Bishop College was not meant to end just yet. Throughout its entire existence, no one could have predicted how the college would be forever connected to a small Baptist college in Georgetown, Kentucky.

A SIMPLE START

“It all started with a conversation,” said Robbi Barber, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Georgetown College. Barber has been a crucial part of the Bishop Scholars Program since its inception, overseeing the program now for 15 years.

In the mid-2000s former Georgetown College President Dr. Bill Crouch sought to increase diversity on campus. He connected with former Bishop College officials and was intrigued by the college’s history and influence.

“We thought, ‘how could we bring that here,” said Barber. “We all saw a connection between the two institutions. Both have that ‘heart and mind’ concept, so the fit always made sense.”

Eventually, the College would form the Bishop Scholars Program, which would welcome legacy students of the former Bishop College. By 2007, the program was ready to launch, and two trailblazing students formed the first class of Bishop Scholars.

FIRST STUDENTS

It’s hard for an eighteen-year-old college freshman to realize the gravity of a moment, and that was certainly the case for the College’s first Bishop Scholars, Ralpheal West and David Boyle.

“We were eighteen,” said West. “I don’t think we truly understood the importance at that time of being the first class. It was definitely hard, but we understood the legacy of Bishop College, and we wanted to do right by our families and honor that legacy.”

For West and Boyle, the tradition and influence of Bishop College ran deep within them. Their families are filled with Bishop College graduates, men and women who received a top-level education from the college and transferred it into lives well-lived. It was a lot to live up to, but they were up to the challenge.

“I always felt that we had to be and do better than everyone else,” said West. “Being the first students in the program and trying to create more diversity on campus, it was easy to get caught up in stuff and be negative, but we just had to rise above it all.”

Without these students, who were willing to take a chance on a new program at a small college in Kentucky, the program would not be what it is today. Barber, who played such a vital role in the formation and continuation of the Bishop Scholars Program, gives them more credit than they’d ever give themselves.

“They would never say this, but I’ll say it,” she said. “They were trailblazers. They’ve led the way for countless students to come to Georgetown College and go out and change the world.”

A LEGACY LIVES ON

After graduating from Georgetown College, Ralpheal West began his graduate studies at Truett Seminary at Baylor University. Now, he serves as a pastor at the Church Without Walls in Houston, Texas, which welcomes thousands of families each week.

This marked the start of a vital relationship between Texas natives in the Bishop College Legacy Scholars Program and Truett Seminary. In the last two years alone, three Bishop Scholars from Georgetown College have received full-tuition scholarships to attend Truett Seminary.

“There’s so much pride in Bishop College in my family,” said West. “It just permeates everything and finds its way into you. Seeing that continued connection just enhances that pride. It really is a special thing.”