Lubbock Christian University is pleased to announce that Al and Pat Smith, longtime friends and supporters of the university, have agreed to make a $5.7 million gift in support of the College of Biblical Studies. The gift will endow the college and will fund needed renovations and improvements to the C.L. Kay Christian Development Center, which houses the College of Biblical Studies.

 Al Smith served on the university’s board of trustees for more than a decade and served as a member of the original board of the LCU Foundation. Al also serves on the board of Great Cities Missions. As members of the Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, they have both served in various ways including cooking and serving monthly meals for retirees in their downtown church neighborhood. Pat has served on the Women’s Ministry Committee and Al currently serves as one of the church elders.

The dean of the College of Biblical Studies, Dr. Jesse Long, said, “Al and Pat Smith exhibit the servant heart described in Scripture and modeled in the life of our Savior. With this special gift, the Lord is using them to bless LCU in our mission of shaping the lives of young men and women for service to the church. We thank God for their generous spirit, for their support, for believing in us—for allowing God to use them for His purposes at LCU.”

The College of Biblical Studies will be named the Alfred and Patricia Smith College of Biblical Studies.

The new college will include the Graduate School of Theology and will offer four undergraduate degrees and four graduate degrees. Each semester, more than 900 students pursuing a variety of academic degrees have a class taught by a faculty member of this college. The faculty in the college are active scholars and teachers, and several maintain ministry roles at local churches in addition to their teaching and scholarship.

The gift is part of LCU’s 20|20 Vision Campaign, which seeks to expand the university’s endowment and sustain its academic excellence. The endowment fund created as a result of the Smith’s gift will provide funding for student scholarships and support for faculty development activities, among other uses. The renovation of the Christian Development Center will include an expansion on the south side of the building, as well as an elevator and updated classrooms and restroom facilities. It is expected that the renovation will be completed by Aug. 2017.

LCU president L. Timothy Perrin said, “We are deeply grateful for Al and Pat Smith and their transformative gift to LCU. Their support will strengthen the College of Biblical Studies and in doing so will advance the Kingdom of God. We are humbled by their investment in the future of the university.”