Dec. 23, 2015
For Immediate Release

By Jordan Antle, communications assistant

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - “May the beauty of the Lord, our God,
be upon us and establish the work of our hands.”

The words of Psalms 90:17 grace the walls of the newly
renovated Cosmetology School in Campbellsville University's Brockman Center in
Hodgenville, Ky.

Dr. Michael V. Carter, president of Campbellsville
University, started off by thanking those in the community.

“I want to say a special thank you to all the good people
here in LaRue County and Hodgenville, for the incredible reception that we have
received over the last six years,” Carter said.

Carter said the expansion of the Cosmetology School and the
university helps provide work ready programs to other communities.

“We're excited about what's happened in the past, but we're
very excited about what's getting ready to happen with the School of
Cosmetology providing full service on site in the Brockman Center,” he said.

Campbellsville sees these programs as career ready, meaning
that an individual can come and take these courses that provide immediate
access into a career.

“Not only do we want to graduate individuals who are
technically competent, but we want to make sure they have hearts that care
about other people. We believe that to be the essence of Christian higher
education,” Carter said. 

The Brockman Center was made possible
originally by a generous gift from Dr. E. Britt Brockman, a Louisville ophthalmologist
and eye surgeon and native of Hodgenville. The original gift from Brockman was
made in honor of his parents, Russell and Sue Brockman of Hodgenville, who were
present for the dedication and ribbon cutting for the new cosmetology program
space.

 

The building was originally donated to Campbellsville
University by Freddie Hilpp of Lebanon.

The improvements to the Brockman center consisted of over
$100,000 of capital improvement to help spread the Christian learning
environment to Hodgenville.

“We are the only cosmetology program in the country that is
a Christian cosmetology program. We begin every class setting with a short
devotion, and we don't make any apology for that,” he said.

 

Carter closed in thanking the community once again as he
welcomed Tommy Turner, LaRue County Judge/Executive, to speak.

“I appreciate the warmth, hospitality, and the way we've
been able to work together,” Carter said.

Turner started by looking at the importance of the field of
cosmetology.

“Cosmetology is a very strong field. We need folks to be
training in cosmetology so they can go out and enter the workforce. This is the
place to do it,” Turner said.

Turner said LaRue County welcomed Campbellsville University
with open arms into the community.

“We see this as such a great opportunity for our community.
Too many times we see our youth have to leave. This is the opportunity for them
to stay here, live here, raise a family here, to be a part of the community
they grew up in,” Turner said.

Benji Kelly, vice president for development, thanked Todd
Parish and his crew at Pro Services, who renovated the center.

Carol Sullivan, director of the Virginia Ponser Flanagan
Technology Training Center, thanked God for leading her to programs that might
be considered out of the box.

“That leads to a special administration that doesn't turn
their head when there is a new idea,” Sullivan said.

She looked back to the planning and dedication of the
Cosmetology School in Campbellsville as the program has expanded.

“We thought we were
going to start a small cosmetology school; we'll take 10 students and this will
be great. Now we stand in the second facility,” she said.

April Higdon, director of the Campbellsville Cosmetology
School, said she wouldn't be were she was if not for God.

“I am very grateful for this opportunity to serve this
community in a top notch facility, with a great staff. We can't wait to be a
service to you,” she said.

Kelly gave the invocation and Dr. Paul Richey, senior pastor
of First Baptist Church Hodgenville, gave the prayer of dedication.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed
Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering over
80 programs of study including 24 master's degrees, seven postgraduate areas
and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is
campbellsville.edu.