News

On-campus student life is in full swing as East Texas Baptist University begins the 2020-2021 academic school year. The year kicked off with almost 400 students enrolled in the August Mini-Terms, which allow completion of the equivalent semester-long courses in one-week and two-week class offerings. Fall semester classes began on Monday, August 17. This fall on-campus student experience was eagerly anticipated, as students attended classes online since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As East Texas Baptist University seeks to expand academic capabilities, enhance program offerings, and further spread the Gospel across East Texas and throughout the world, the J.E. and L. E. Mabee Foundation recently awarded ETBU a challenge grant in the amount of $1,500,000 towards the construction of the Great Commission Center (GCC), the future home for ETBU's Fred Hale School of Business.

Irene Sisk (’48) of Bonham recently gave $100,000 to East Texas Baptist University. A $75,000 gift is designated for the new on-campus Health Services Clinic, and $25,000 is designated for an endowed student scholarship. ETBU’s health clinic will be named the Sisk Health Services Clinic in honor of Mrs. Sisk’s generosity and in memory of her late husband, Dr. Walter Sisk, M.D.

East Texas will soon have additional services for mental healthcare. The East Texas Medical Center (ETMC) Foundation recently awarded East Texas Baptist University a $100,000 grant to help meet the growing need for mental healthcare in Smith County.  Plans include opening a community mental health clinic that will also offer the University’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, located at 1301 S. Broadway in Tyler at the former American Cancer Society building.

East Texas Baptist University strengthens the unique public/private partnership with Tyler Junior College by offering a specialized Master of Education program to TJC faculty and staff, as well as high school teachers who wish to teach dual credit/dual-enrollment courses. The 30-hour graduate degree, offered online through ETBU, will give those enrolled a new venue for career advancement with increased opportunities for teaching at the collegiate level.