New Orleans Seminary students return to main campus

Calling it a great day of triumph and victory, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) President Chuck Kelley welcomed students back to the main campus Jan. 23.

After five long months away, about 200 students participated in a “welcome back” lunch on the first day of classes. Also among those in attendance were 17 new NOBTS students.

The return of classes to New Orleans marked the most significant milestone to date in the seminary’s efforts to recover from Hurricane Katrina. The storm and subsequent levee failures inundated much of the campus with water in late August, forcing a complete evacuation.

“It’s good to have you back,” Kelley told the commuter students at a special red beans and rice lunch. “Welcome to ‘Camp New Orleans’ — lots of uncertainty, lots of limitations — but God is here.

“People literally all over the world know your challenges and they are praying for you,” he said.

The return to campus is an illustration of God’s grace and His redemptive power that provides confidence and security to face the future, Kelley said.

Spring classes on the main campus will be held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Many students will be able to carry a full-time course load by commuting to campus only one or two days a week. The seminary also has offered a full schedule of Internet-assisted courses for students who are unable to commute to campus.

The first signs of normalcy returned to the main campus earlier in January when a number of seminary offices reopened. The president’s office, library, dean of students/campus life office and clinic were among the offices reopening Jan. 11 in New Orleans.

The remaining offices, temporarily housed at the seminary’s Atlanta-area campus, are expected to return to New Orleans later this spring when telephone and Internet services are more stable.

Normal campus operations and classes will resume on the main campus in August. Seminary officials are optimistic that student housing will be ready for the start of summer workshop classes in May.   (BP)