Written by Maggie Samples and Nic Fraraccio // Photo provided by Patrick Bowman
The College of Bible and Ministry recently hired two faculty members to begin during the 2024-2025 school year.
The college will welcome Alicia Williamson and Patrick Bowman to Harding in the fall semester. COBAM announced the two faculty members via an instagram post March 26.
Williamson has served as an adjunct professor of Bible at the University for the past three years. Before relocating to Searcy in 2018, Williamson spent 14 years working as a church planter and a public school teacher in New Jersey.
Williamson holds a master’s degree in systematic Theology and Christian ministry from the Harding School of Theology and is currently working on her doctorate in practical theology.
Dean of the College of Bible Monte Cox said Williamson is a very talented teacher.
“She was hired because she’s really good [at teaching],” Cox said. “She is already very invested in disciple-making groups on campus.”
With the retirements of Ross Cochran, who specializes in religious education, and Jerry Bowling, who specializes in spiritual formation, Williamson’s specialties are a good fit for the gap left in the college. Williamson is currently working on a dissertation on spiritual formation in young adults in Ghana.
“I’m going to interview the students there to get an African perspective of what emerging adulthood is like for them and see if there’s similarities and how those things have impacted the spiritual formation of American young adults and see if that is happening there,” Williamson said. “It’s cool because it’s a hole in the research, and I get to speak into that and give a voice to our African brothers and sisters.”
Williamson said she is looking forward to being a full-time faculty member and having a permanent space in the Bible department.
“I feel really confident stepping into that role, not just as a female, but also as a theologian,” Williamson said. “I’m really excited to get to use my experiences and all of my knowledge to be able to be a blessing and fill a gap where our Bible department is going to have a gap.”
Williamson has previously taught World Christian, freshman Bible classes and Christian Families with her husband Carl Williamson. She said she looks forward to teaching a children’s ministry class and classes on spiritual formation.
Bowman, a Louisiana native, is finishing his dissertation in religious studies with a concentration in historical theology at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bowman said it is “a surreal feeling” being able to teach at his father’s alma mater.
“I am thrilled that the position opened up and that I get to follow in my father’s footsteps,” Bowman said. “I came to Harding [for the interview] thinking it was going to be a great fit, and I left thinking it was going to be an even better fit for me and my family.”
Bowman and his wife are expecting their third child and will move to Searcy in the coming months. Bowman said he is excited to take on the challenges of being a faculty member at the University.
“With the excitement, there will also be challenges and a lot of newness at the same time,” Bowman said. “There will be faculty members who will help me tap into their wisdom and guidance as I face potential challenges.”
Cox said Bowman is an engaging professor, and Cox values faculty that do not have a learning background from the University.
“It’s nice to have someone who wasn’t a Harding product to come and join us,” Cox said. “I feel like it enriches us in a lot of ways.”
