According to email announcements addressed to the student body, a new page on the school’s website, and a YouTube announcement, Dr. Michael Hammond will be serving as Gordon College’s ninth President. The decision was made just sixth months after President Michael Lindsay declared his resignation.

Described as an “accomplished scholar and proven leader”, Dr. Hammond holds a PhD from the University of Arkansas, a MA from Wheaton College, and a BA from Taylor University. He has also held multiple administrative positions as both an executive and faculty member. According to his bio on the Gordon website, he was a history professor at Southeastern University and chair of their Department of Historical, Legal, & Leadership Studies in the College of Business. At Taylor University where he was recently employed before making today’s announcement, Dr. Hammond served as the school’s provost and executive vice president. Before he was promoted to these positions, he worked as a professor of history and academic dean for Taylor’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Biblical Studies. As an academic, his research has focused on “American Christianity, including the evangelical movement, the Civil Rights movement and the intersection of race and religion in 20^th century United States history.”

In a statement announcing the decision, Dr. Hammond expressed his excitement about joining Gordon College,

“Educating the whole person with hearts and minds surrendered to Jesus Christ, pursuing knowledge with curiosity, skepticism and an insatiable desire to serve the world with that knowledge: that is the mission of the Christian liberal arts, and I’m so excited to join you at Gordon College, to realize this mission in an even greater way. I look forward to seeing Gordon grow as a place where vigorous academic research and teaching are integrated with vibrant Christianity—where servant leadership is practiced, modeled and cultivated in our campus community and echoed through our alumni who faithfully participate in the work of Jesus Christ in the world.

Dr. Hammond is expected to speak to the student body this afternoon at 1:15pm and 2:15pm. At 4pm, a “big gathering” is also planned to take place outside on the quad, according to an email sent out by Rick Sweeney.