Lee College - Vindauga Yearbook (Cleveland, TN)

Page 18 text:

ACADEMICS PRESIDENT DR. LAMAR VEST The fall semester at Lee College found many new students, new situations, and new circumstances on the campus. One of those new people who would impact all of our lives was the sixteenth President of the Institution, Dr. R. Lamar Vest, who was appointed in May, 1984 to succeed Dr. Ray H. Hughes as President. Dr. Vest comes to Lee College with a very impressive record of Christian ministry including pastor, state youth and Christian education director, assistant General Youth Director, and General Director of the Department of Youth and Christian Education at the General Offices of the Church of God. In a recent interview with Dr. Vest, the writer had the opportunity to ask some very interesting questions con- cerning his stay at Lee College. When asked to evaluate his first semester as President of the College, Dr. Vest replied, There have not been any great surprises, personally; the workload has had a dramatic increase over that of the other positions, but it has been very rewarding to myself, my wife Iris, and my son Mark. He went on to say that the prayer of his heart upon learning of his appointment to Lee was that he could identify with the needs and desires of the student body of the institution. He has found the reception given him by the Lee family most gratifying and expresses much personal satisfaction with the rapport that he has established with the student body. I later asked our President what his plans for the spring, 1985 semester were for the college, and he answered as follows: I am intensely interested in seeing every Lee College student tap his potential as a person who can make a difference in this world. I am committed to discipleship and all that this process involves. The Lee Student Body will be challenged to realize their vast potential in making a difference. Images abound on the school campus, and so I found it only fitting to ask Brother Vest what image, in his opinion, best fits Lee College as a whole. He replied, The image that best represents Lee College is the student body ' s move against apathy. When we realize that we can change ourselves, then we know that we can change the world. I feel that we are definitely moving toward sincere repentance of our apathy. We are seeing more, hearing more and are almost inoculated against our need for God; but we are beginning to realize that we can do nothing within ourselves, but only as God enables us. We are living in the most sober- ing times of our lives, and I feel that the primary assignment of any occupation for me is to disciple people and help them become effective in the work of Jesus Christ. Another question that has been secretly hiding in the corridors of many minds on the campus has been, I wonder how long Brother Vest will stay as President? This has been very much so since many positions in the church will be coming open during the next assembly year. However, when asked how long he would stay, Brother Vest gave the answer that all of the students wanted to hear: I have no idea. I do plan to stay as long as I know that I am in the will of God. I don ' t have plans to leave any time soon. Dr. Vest has one specific goal for each person that he deals with on any level, and especially the Lee College family while serving as their servant- leader in the position of President.