I recently had the opportunity to appear on Grounded Radio with Ryan Dobson. We talked about why The King’s College prepares students for “principled leadership and nothing else.” Society gets its values from key institutions like media business leaders and government—but Christians aren’t there. To me it is tragic that Christians have in some cases willingly lost their strong intellectual voice in the secular space of society.
When I first came to King’s last year I began working on the Presidential Scholars program. One purpose of the Scholars’ program is to bring together the best and the brightest Christian minds to compete with the secular A-Teams like the New Atheists. Just two weeks ago we launched the program with the visit of Dr. Alvin Plantinga. Arguably the foremost Christian philosopher in the world he spoke at King’s for a week on the compatibility between science and religion.
Christianity has been pushed almost entirely out of many American universities (or at best confined to the religion department). One group promoting this agenda is American Atheists Inc. On October 12th I am debating the president of that organization David Silverman about the value of Christianity to American society. We’re taking the debate to one of America’s biggest campuses UPenn in Philadelphia.
At King’s we are building a small but first-rate college to engage the national debate. We are here to make Christianity competitive in the world of ideas.
I would be overjoyed to see you at my debate on the 12th. You can find more information on tickets by clicking here.
 Serving the King of King’s
Dinesh D'Souza
President The King's College
King’s Debaters Stun Established Programs at Season Opener
 On the weekend of September 16th Josiah Peterson (’12) and Burk Ohbayashi (’12) attended the Northeast Universities Debating Championship’s (NEUDC) first tournament of the season at Binghamton University. Sixty teams competed in British Parliamentary style debate. Josiah and Burk contended with teams from Cornell University the University of Vermont St. John’s University and more.
The team ended the first day of debate as the highest-scoring team broke highest seed into the quarter-finals the next day and advanced through the semis to end as one of the top four finalists of the tournament. Burk Ohbayashi tied for the fourth-speaker award out of the 120 debaters. The King’s College also received a trophy for placing fourth in the Northeast region last year.
Josiah and Burk were able to reconnect with teams and coaches from schools with whom The King’s Debate Society has been forming relationships since the society’s inception three years ago. Josiah the 2011-2012 president of The King’s Debate Society and Burk the society’s novice trainer also attended workshops and participated in exercises that they hope to incorporate into the training of novice and advanced debaters at King’s.
Josiah and Burk will be traveling to Manila Philippines this December to compete at the 2011 World Universities Debate Championship (WUDC).
"Debate is about understanding and communicating ideas says Burk Ohbayashi. The Binghamton tournament proves that The King's Debate Society is capable of doing that as well or better than some of the best schools in the American Northeast. I am very excited for this coming year."
The King’s Debate Society is thankful for the incredible support we get from our faculty & staff. We look forward to working alongside you in this year as we train students to advocate truth in the marketplace of ideas.
Go Back to the Top >
Business Plan Competition to Test Student Strategy Management and Planning Skills
 Earlier in the year members of the business program at The King’s College launched the first Business Plan Competition at King’s. The vision of the business plan competition is similar to that of King’s itself. The program holds students to exemplary standards and prepares students for their professional careers by providing an opportunity for entrepreneurial students to create tangible projects.
The business plan competition is itself the product of student ingenuity. A.J. Aran (’14) originally pitched the idea of a business plan competition to Leigh Anne Walker Dean of the Business School. Dean Walker liked the idea enough to install A.J Alec Nixon and Abigail Murray as the planning and leadership team. A.J. said that “I know the business plan competition is important because it will push students to be innovative in thought resourceful in material and influential in presentation; these three abilities are vital for success in modern business and in politics.”
Currently the business plan competition has attracted 25 students to sign up for a total of five teams. Each team consists of at least one Freshman Sophomore Junior and Senior. Two members will act as team leaders and will attend Redeemer's training sessions where they will receive information on building a successful business plan. To encourage a spirit of independence and focus teams are responsible for setting up all meetings and planning sessions.
Leigh Anne Walker Dean of the Business School said “The entrepreneurial spirit is not only critical to the U.S. free market capitalist economy it also is an essential part of how Christian businesspersons work meaningfully alongside God in the transformation of the world. I am thrilled that King's Business School students are developing and showcasing their business expertise through the Business Plan Competition.”
The goal of the business plan competition is to encourage students who have a strong ability to communicate ideas an urge to accomplish difficult things and a passion for innovation in whatever field God places them in. The business plan competition also offers those who succeed tangible benefits. The winning team will receive tickets to present to Redeemer's EI Forum which is an exclusive invitation only seminar on entrepreneurship. Winners of Redeemer's competition will be eligible for “incubation” with Center for Faith & Work staff and volunteers a year-long coaching relationship free consulting sessions financial planning advice and a financial grant or investment of $5 000 to $20 000.
Go Back to the Top >
Governor Walker of Wisconsin Addresses Students
 In 1981 Ronald Reagan held his ground against almost 13 000 striking air-traffic controllers. Three years later Margaret Thatcher prevailed against British mining unions. Now in 2011 Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin is holding his ground against a political firestorm after limiting collective bargaining rights for public sector unions and cutting government expenditures.
On Monday September 26th Governor Walker visited The King’s College to address students on the current state of Wisconsin and what it means to truly lead.
Since the beginning of his term in January of 2011 Governor Walker has focused his agenda on balancing the budget. To accomplish this he has pursued a variety of highly controversial policy changes including completely doing away with collective bargaining for public sector unions. To his critics Governor Walker said “the reality is our reforms are working.” “From January to June ” he continued “we saw the private sector create 40 000 new jobs—that’s double the average rate.”
During the student Q&A Governor Walker was asked what justified doing away with collective bargaining. “Some people call [collective bargaining] a right ” Governor Walker replied. “It is not a right. It is an expensive entitlement.”
Another student asked about the political backlash of Walker’s reforms asking “how do you handle the heat?” “I start out my day the same way I end it: on my knees ” he said. As far as responding to the critics “you respond with the truth with the facts and you let that be your argument.”
Dinesh D’Souza President of The King’s College said of the visit “Guest speakers like Governor Walker allow our students to see the real world application of what they are learning at King’s—government is more challenging in practice than on paper.”
The King’s College would like to thank Governor Walker for his visit as well as Allie Hanley for her help making the opportunity possible.
Go Back to the Top >
.jpg "bradley2 (1).jpg") Anthony Bradley Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics argues in an article for Urban Faith that African American communities place a dangerous emphasis on sports. Bradley argues that "what is needed are new role models and peers that reinforce the virtues that form and shape character and equip young men to be successful in the marketplace whether they play sports or not." He also appeared on Moody Radio Chicago to discuss the article. You can read the original article here and listen to the interview by clicking here.
 Assistant Professor of Economics Jared Pincin writes for the Baltimore Sun “Save the Oysters by Privatizing Them.” Pincin writes “the fate of the Eastern oyster is too economically and environmentally important to be left to government ownership. Both common and government ownership have not stopped the decline of the oyster population.” Read the article in its entirety here.
 David Corbin Dean of Politics Philosophy and Economics appeared on Moody Chicago Radio to discuss issues impacting Christian broadcasters in America. They also discussed the modern threats to the American republic. Corbin says that “the disease that has come into being in the past 200 years is to place ourselves above our Creator.” Click here to listen to the complete interview.
 Associate Professor of Business Dawn Fotopulos advises small business owners in the Cox Business Network in how to conserve cash to maintain and improve liquidity. Her advice includes negotiating payment with subcontractors based on performance asking for early-payment discounts from suppliers and offer early-payment discounts to customers. Read the complete article by clicking here.
Go Back to the Top >
The King’s College is a unique institution in that it offers three academic programs built upon a strong theology/biblical studies and PPE-driven common core. This is a purposeful departure from the trend in higher education in which colleges diversify their academic offerings in the spirit of developing the tastiest dining hall carte du jour.
Our administration faculty and student body’s commitment to “transform society by preparing students for careers in which they help to shape and eventually to lead strategic public and private institutions” necessitates a serious consideration of what type of education best enables a student “to shape” and eventually “to lead” strategic institutions. I would contend that the study of politics philosophy and economics from the first principle that God designed the world for His glory is the best academic preparation for private and public leadership. Why?
Men who engage in politics believing themselves gods draft plans for societies that they soon view filled with anything but men. And men who view themselves as little more than beasts are easily persuaded to graze rather than to live.
Men who engage in philosophy believing that possess the truth soon trade in curiosity for ignorance. And those whose studies move them beyond Truth soon discourage a truthful assessment of the essential difference between good and evil and right and wrong.
Men who engage in economics believing resources hyper-abundant or hyper-scarce tend to disregard the necessity for innovation efficiency and the rule of law because they think everyone can get what they want or that all exchange is a zero-sum game.
Sensibility in each of these disciplines requires a careful study of the extent and limits of human attainment within each of these earthly spheres. This sensibility grows when nurtured in a setting where all are encouraged to be humble and strive for excellence a setting in which we recognize that while we are men God to paraphrase C.S. Lewis gave us chests for a reason.
As we grow as a college improve current programs and build new programs I hope that we continue to be guided by our mission. For the more we consider and act upon The King’s College raison-d’être the greater the encouragement to glorify Him as servant-business men and women servant-culture creators and critics and servant-thinkers and statesmen moving forward onward and upward.
David Corbin is an Associate Professor of Politics and the Dean of the School of Politics Philosophy and Economics at The King’s College New York City. Dr. Corbin’s analysis of political cultural and social trends has appeared in major news outlets all over the country. He resides with his wife Catie in New York City and has three children: Alex Catherine and Patrick. Learn more about Professor Corbin
here.
Go Back to the Top >
|
