University launches “Women of Faith” initiative in conjunction
Written by Tiane Davis // Photo by Macy Cox
University ambassador Lisa Williams announced during chapel this week the new “Women of Faith” initiative at Harding. As part of the action, plans to honor five women will pair with the Holland-Waller Center’s official dedication in November.
Dr. Joneal Kirby, founder of Heart to Home ministries; Dr. Cathleen Shultz, founding dean of the Carr College of Nursing; and former Board of Trustees member Lindy Ingram were chosen as three of the five women. The remaining two will be announced Nov. 4.
“We live in a day and age where gender lines are kind of blurred for people, and it makes it difficult for people who are coming of age right now to know what that means for their future,” Williams said. “It’s really about investing in our young women in particular, so that when they leave, they can go into a professional setting and be well-equipped and armed to handle a toxic environment or a healthy one.”
Williams is chair of a 14-member advisory board for Women of Faith made of Harding alumni, including five who work at Harding. The board had its first meeting Aug. 30 to discuss its goals for the coming year.
“This is about showing people there is a way to live that’s godly, holy, righteous and meaningful, has purpose and can give you a really good life that’s worth living, not one that you might question,” she said. “Today, the No. 1 thing was mentorship on all fronts for men and women.”
Williams said the advisory board plans to host a few weekend seminars for men and women that will be specific to each group. However, she said, mentorship is where the initiative needs to start.
“I’ve been listening to a lot of people, and they all resonate the same things: ‘I want to be a mentor,’ or ‘I want a mentor,’” Williams said. “I think the time is now for us to kind of pivot and do better for the women of Harding, and not just in recognition but in development and opportunities.”
Board of Trustees member and alumnus Rodney Waller, who is the lead donor for the building, named the building after his mother-in-law Sue Holland and his mother Joella Waller. The purpose of naming the building after them and creating the Women of Faith initiative, he said, was to celebrate and honor the humble people in his life that do not always get recognition.
“Let’s recognize the women who made significant contributions to their fields,” Waller said. “They have made big contributions to Harding, their churches and communities.”
Waller said the new building is based around Romans 12:1-2, which emphasizes transforming one’s life to become a living sacrifice for the glory of God.
“We want the student body to understand and appreciate eternal life and get them thinking about ‘What can I do today and practice in college to be able to really make an impact on the world?’” Waller said. “What we want to do is help facilitate growth in every one of our students so that they graduate with the self-confidence to go out into the world.”
The sidewalk in front of the new building directly connects to the First Ladies Garden, which has historically honored the women of Harding.
Construction on the new building went much quicker than originally planned, University President Mike Williams said.
“The Ganus building really needed to be replaced,” he said. “It’s really the best-case scenario, even though it kind of pushed people a little bit at the end.”
The Holland-Waller Center is “exponentially bigger” than the building it replaced, Williams said. The building “does not have a bad view,” and the community spaces were all the vision of Waller.
“The thing I love most about it is that what’s really going to emanate is this Women of Faith initiative,” Williams said. “The building is very symbolic of something much bigger.”
