On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Southeastern Seminary’s board of trustees unanimously voted to approve that The College at Southeastern be renamed as Judson College. Named after Adoniram Judson, pioneer Baptist missionary in the early 1800s to Burma (modern-day Myanmar), Judson College exists to equip students to give their lives for the cause of Christ in the church, among the nations and in every aspect of society.
“When we were considering names for the undergraduate program at Southeastern,” said President Danny Akin, “we wanted a name that represents our Great Commission vision and mission as an institution and one that demonstrates what kind of school Southern Baptists would be sending their children to.”
“Adoniram Judson did not ask the question, ‘Should I go?’ He asked the question, ‘Why should I stay?’” Akin said. “And seeing the need was so great in Southeast Asia, he answered that call, and he went; and the results were incredible.”
Judson, Akin expressed, perfectly represents the college’s mission and culture in the way he dedicated his life for the cause of Christ in his ministry amongst the Burmese people.
The college’s new name was announced in chapel following the annual fall meeting of the board of trustees and Southeastern Society. Immediately after chapel, Southeastern students, family, faculty and staff gathered on the quad for a celebration lunch and the reveal of the official Judson College sign outside of Appleby Hall, the primary building for undergraduate studies.
This fall, Judson College celebrates its thirtieth anniversary, following years of unprecedented student body growth. This growth has extended both to campus building projects and amenities and to the college’s House System — the vibrant Christian community where Judson students develop life-long friendships as they learn to live for the cause of Christ wherever He calls them.
When reflecting on his own call to missions, Adoniram Judson once wrote, “The command of Christ, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,’ was presented to my mind with such clearness and power, that I came to a full decision, and though great difficulties appeared in my way, resolved to obey the command at all events.”*
The Great Commission is the heartbeat of Judson College, and over the years, many of its students have experienced a similar call to the one Adoniram was presented with over 200 years ago. Now, Judson alumni around the world represent Christ to their communities as they serve at local churches, in professional careers and on mission amongst some of the most unreached people groups on earth.
Visit judsoncollege.com/about to learn more about the college, and stay tuned for more information about Adoniram Judson and the legacy of the college.
*Judson, Edward. The Life of Adoniram Judson. New York. Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, 1883, 17.
