The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has named Kody Gibson its new director of admissions as the institution heads into an academic year marked by historic enrollment numbers.
Gibson, 29, graduated from Southern Seminary with his M.Div. in 2012, and most recently served as the seminary’s associate director of admissions. He replaces Ben Dockery, who held the role since October 2012.
“Ben Dockery has done an outstanding job leading the admissions team and we are very thankful for his service. I am confident that Kody Gibson is the right leader for this strategic team at this time, and I am looking forward to seeing his influence in our admissions process,” said seminary president R. Albert Mohler Jr. “For Southern Seminary and Boyce College, admissions is a ministry, not a marketing program. Both of these fine Christian leaders embody that vision.”
Dockery will remain senior pastor at Vine Street Baptist Church in Louisville while he completes his Ph.D. at Southern Seminary and helps start a consulting firm for Christian higher education with his father, Trinity International University president David S. Dockery.
A native of Edmond, Oklahoma, Gibson earned his undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University. He met his wife Juli at his home church in Edmond, and they are currently active members at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville.
“Southern has seen a great enrollment increase at both the seminary and Boyce College, and I’m looking forward to seeing those numbers grow,” Gibson said. “There are a host of challenges that face the landscape of theological education, but we have a great team in place that will see this historic growth continue.”
During his annual report to SBC messengers in June, Mohler said the seminary’s fall enrollment will exceed a record of 4,600 students, including more than 1,700 master of divinity students. Those pursuing the M.Div. comprise the largest such group assembled at one time in one institution in the history of theological education, he said.
Gibson said a simple practice will help the seminary maintain those historic enrollment numbers: “One concept we’ve mastered is that everyone at Southern is an enrollment counselor and I want to attract alumni, students and friends of the seminary to keep doing that for us.”