CLEVELAND, Ga. – Truett McConnell University on Tuesday, Oct. 22, honored the late Charles Stanley and dedicated Dr. Charles F. Stanley Global Impact Center. Distinguished guests, several administrators, university administrators, faculty and students attended the dedication, during which Stanley was remembered for his impact for Christ.
Stanley was pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta for over fifty years, founder of In Touch Ministries, a New York Times bestselling author, and an avid photographer.
Today, “In Touch” is broadcast on thousands of television, radio and satellite networks and stations around the world and translated into 160 languages.
The center includes the Stanley Chair of Theology, which was endowed in honor of Stanley and his teaching of the Word of God. Mael Disseau is the first professor to hold the Stanley chair. The center, located on the third floor of the university’s Miller Building, houses a collection of ministry artifacts and an exhibit of Stanley’s photography.
Anthony George, who served as Stanley’s pastor for nine years before becoming his successor as pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, provided a moving summary of Stanley’s life.
George spoke about the challenging life Charles Stanley experienced growing up, including the death of his father when he was just nine months old and his heartbreaking memory of the mental and physical toll his mother’s work took on her while she was worked ten hours a day. under appalling conditions for only a ‘pittance of wages’.
The death of his father, the hardships of his mother and the lower standard of living caused Stanley to grow up with an unspoken sense of inferiority.
Despite her many hardships in life, the constant in Dr. Stanley her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ,” George said. “Dr. Stanley always attributed his unwavering dependence on the power of prayer to his mother. She continually took time to pray with him. And when she did, she taught him to kneel as a sign of reverence and submission to the Lord. Until his death, kneeling was his usual position when he prayed.”
George added, “From childhood to adulthood, it seems that pain and disappointment were never far away for Dr. Stanley. The challenges of his family life as an adult exceeded the pain he felt as a child. But he never stopped doing what he believed God was calling him to do.”
– By J. Gerald Harris of The Christian Index. Read the full story here.
University of Mobile dedicates Celia Wallace College of Health Professions
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Mobile (UM) dedicated the Celia Wallace College of Health Professions on October 17 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in honor of Wallace, a longtime supporter of the university and a visionary leader in the healthcare industry.
The newly named Celia Wallace College of Health Professions at the University of Mobile includes the School of Nursing, School of Nurse Anesthesia, School of Health and Sports Science and Center for Excellence in Healthcare Practice.
‘A tireless advocate for quality healthcare’
A healthcare leader for more than 50 years, Wallace’s contributions have shaped the medical field in Alabama and beyond. She was inducted into the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame and began her career in radiology technology, fueling her passion for healthcare. Since then, she has created nearly 2,000 jobs and co-founded Southern Medical Health Systems, owner of Springhill Medical Center – the largest solely owned hospital in the United States. She chairs the board of directors for the company that also owns and operates Springhill Rehabilitation and Senior Residence, Springhill Physician Practices, The SSI Group and several other organizations.
“Celia Wallace is a tireless advocate for quality, caring and compassionate health care, and a strong supporter of Christian higher education,” said University of Mobile President Charles Smith.
“Her long-standing relationship with the University of Mobile has profoundly shaped our ability to prepare students for careers in healthcare. Naming our College of Health Professions in her honor is a fitting recognition of her immense contributions to our campus and community.”
In addition to her leadership and support of the 2018 Weaver Hall Renovation Project, which resulted in the university’s state-of-the-art healthcare training facility, Wallace served on the university’s board of trustees and established the Gerald L. Wallace Tennis Center on campus and created endowed scholarships.
‘A drive to excel’
“I am absolutely honored by this recognition,” Wallace said. “We all know how much I love healthcare, and we are encouraged by the University of Mobile’s drive to excel in this field.
“They have done so much to be proud of. We have noted the capabilities of those participating in the nursing program and how they are performing in their administration. It is indicative of the good nurses these students will be. It is a very good nursing school, there is no doubt about it.
The University of Mobile School of Nursing has achieved a 100% National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program for two consecutive years and has a 100% placement rate. UM has been named the No. 1 BSN program in its rankings of “Best Nursing Schools in Alabama” by nursingeducation.org.
Also recently, UM’s first graduating class in the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program achieved a 100% initial pass rate on the National Certification Exam, the highest pass rate in Alabama for 2024. The inaugural class in the new School of Nursing Anesthesia also had 100% job placement.
— By Kathy Dean of the University of Mobile. Read the full story here.
