Recently, I had the opportunity to join the oral review for a DTL student from BGU, Dr. Garth Sommerville, where he presented the innovative research from his Jamaican context on how to transform lives through an effective curriculum that he designed and implemented. I had the privilege of walking alongside Garth during his doctoral journey, first as a professor in one of his courses, and then as his dissertation supervisor. We collaborated regularly, and it was a joy to be the first person to officially call him “Doctor” toward the end of his oral review. He shared a gigantic smile with everyone who was a part of the Zoom meeting, including his other professors and friends and family members who served as his support network along the way. I could not help but lift my arms in triumph and smile at this milestone marker in Dr. Garth’s life. His leadership and research will have an ongoing impact in his town in Jamaica, and potentially throughout other parts of his country and his region of the world in the months and years to come.

This act of celebration never gets old to me. Dr. Garth is just one of many students in our master’s and doctoral programs at BGU who worked extremely hard for years to sharpen their transformational leadership skills through our world-class academic programs. We celebrate every graduate from this year and years past. Our graduates tend to stay in community with each other long after they graduate, including through opportunities to stay connected during BGU Alumni gatherings. There is another opportunity for our alumni to connect during the Annual Alumni Virtual Gatherings on April 25th and 26th. While some students are completing their degrees or gathering as alumni, others are just beginning with their first courses in April. Nineteen leaders from many different parts of the world are registered for the Singapore City Immersion that takes place during the April 2025 term. Hundreds more are participating in online courses and certificates focused on various aspects of urban studies, theology, and business.

For those who are looking to connect with BGU at some point in the future, there are so many upcoming opportunities. We will be facilitating another city immersion course in Raleigh, North Carolina, during the October 2025 term. As always, that course is open to students for academic credit, or it can be taken by lifelong learners for professional development as an educational experience. BGU will be hosting a global connections gathering and facilitating other opportunities during this year’s national conference with our partners from the CCDA network from November 5-8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our Doctor of Ministry program is offering new courses for academic credit and at the certificate level in missional spiritual formation. The possibilities are endless! Our staff, faculty, Board of Directors, and Board of Regents are ready and standing by to help connect people from around the world to all of the exciting learning opportunities that are being offered.

Dr. Bryan McCabe

President