Joni speaks at Cal Baptist graduation/Disability studies MA

California Baptist University was honored this past week by having Joni Eareckson-Tada as the speaker for the graduate commencement. Of course she was wonderful. She has the ability to speak in a deceptively friendly, almost folksy kind of way. However, her insights are deep, her biblical knowledge broad and she challenges her audience to live the Christian life as it was meant to be lived.

She was given an honorary doctorate degree by Cal Baptist (her 5th I believe) and she was gracious and grateful. Afterwards I had the chance to speak with her a bit and she was excited and honored.

One of the reasons she consented to be at Cal Baptist, I believe, has been the developing relationship between Joni and Friends and Cal Baptist in the development of an entirely online MA degree in Disability Studies. Joni was particularly interested in coursework related to disability ministry and pastoral counseling as it related to persons with disabilities. Of course her writing will be a staple in those and other classes and we were delighted to receive her input in the design of those classes. She actually began her remarks by telling those in attendance about the new degree which if not the first of its kind, is one of the few of its kind. We were honored to receive her endorsement. We are still awaiting WASC approval, but are hopeful we will receive it in the next month or so.

The MA degree in Disability Studies at California Baptist University will be offered entirely online. Students will be able to specialize in areas of leadership in disability (including understanding leadership development of leaders experiencing disability), disability policy study, and disability ministry, including studying Christian perspectives on disability.

As a part of the relationship with Joni and Friends, we hope to afford students opportunities for internships and other opportunities. Because Joni and Friends is an international organization, opportunities will be available internationally. Because the MA is online, students will be able complete the degree from just about anywhere in the world where they have decent internet access.

I am personally excited about the opportunities this degree offers for people around the world. Should you desire more information, please contact me, Jeff McNair at jmcnair@calbaptist.edu
With accreditation, we will launch our first cohort with the Fall semester of 2008. That will be a historic first cohort!

Please keep us in your prayers over the next days and weeks as we move through accreditation and program planning.

McNair