Written by Alex McClain
Dr. Mike James, Dean of the College of Communication, and his wife, Beth, have accepted the position as directors of Harding University in Greece. The James’ five-year commitment to HUG begins in the Fall 2010 semester.
The position fell into the James’ lap. They had applied for the job in 2007 but were not selected. When the Department of Communication became the College of Communication last fall with Dr. James as dean, it seemed like the door on International Programs had closed. Last month when the position opened, Dr. Jeff Hopper, Dean of International Programs, contacted the James to find out if they were still interested in the job.
Dr. James said his family is excited that he and Beth have this opportunity.
“I’m supportive of them,” their son Jonathan said. “I think it’s great that Mom and Dad are getting to live in Greece.”
Beth is a sixth grade teacher at Rose Bud Middle School and said everyone there was very excited for her.
“My principal joked, saying, ‘You can’t really move to Greece; we need you,’ and my students were concerned that they couldn’t come back and see me,” she said.
One student, Paige Passmore, even made Beth promise to come back for her graduation in 2016.
“Everyone there is happy for me, but with sixth graders there were of course jokes about living in Greece,” she added.
When the Jameses accepted the job, they had never been to HUG nor seen the Artemis Hotel, their new home.
With Beth on spring break last week, they were able to fly to Greece and get acquainted with their new home.
Mike broke the news to the College of Communication faculty last Monday morning before he and Beth flew to Greece on Tuesday.
After spending six days there, the Jameses have nothing but praise for the Artemis.
“The apartment we’ll be living in is fairly spacious to be in a hotel,” Beth said.
She also complemented the compound with the exception of a lack of grass for Roxy, the James’s Yorkshire terrier.
“The rooms are all big and unlike the HUF villa, if you need alone time, you can get it,” she said.
With Dr. James leaving, the College of Communication is now searching for a new dean. Most communication majors were surprised to hear that he was leaving but expect the college will continue tothrive.
“Dr. James has done a great job with the department, and we will really miss him, but I’m confident that whoever takes his place will lead the department in a great direction,” said junior public relations major Katie Fittz.
Besides overseeing the College, the Jameses host a home Bible study group every Wednesday.
Several have been going to Bible study for over five years and consider Dr. and Mrs. James their Searcy parents.
Kendall White, who has attended home Bible study for two years, said he was happy for the Jameses but sad for himself.
“It’s such an amazing opportunity for them, but I don’t know where I’ll go on Wednesday nights or what I’ll do without Mrs. Beth’s cooking,” White said.
Sophomore Adam Brown echoed White’s sentiments about the James’ move.
“I’m really to see them go because Bible study has been such a big part of my life over the past year and a half, but I’m happy for them and the opportunity they have in Greece and for the many students they will impact in the HUG program,” Brown said.
“I think HUG will be like home Bible study,” Beth said. “Except they’ll leave every semester, not stay with us for four years.”
Many of the students who go to Bible study spend time at the James’ house on more than just Wednesday.
“I’m not sure what’s going to happen to my DVR life,” sophomore Amy Littleton said. “I’m pretty sure they have more of my shows on their DVR than their own.”
Besides Bible study, Mike and Beth said they will miss their grandchildren the most.
“It’s hard to get to see them now just around their schedules so it made the decision to move easier, but we’ll really miss out on a lot with Ella Kate (their sixth grandchild due April 27),” Beth said.
All four of the James’s children, along with the grandkids, are already planning to visit Nana and Papa in Greece.
The James will begin their new life in Greece during the 2010-2011 school year.
