BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (June 12, 2019)— About 130 alumni and friends of Gateway Seminary gathered for their annual luncheon at the Southern Baptist Convention in Birmingham June 12. Attendees heard reports about the seminary's progress and honored distinguished alumni.

President Jeff Iorg said the institution’s accrediting agency had granted reaccreditation for 10 years and complimented Gateway on its strong and consistent academic program.

“The Arizona campus was relocated to a new facility in Phoenix and now features educational technology on the same level as our campus in Ontario,” he said. “In addition, all of our master’s degrees are fully online. We are the only SBC seminary with all of our master’s degrees fully online and the doctor of ministry program will be available completely online soon.”

He said the first online D.Min. cohort will begin in Singapore in July, if accreditors grant permission to proceed with the program. Also, the seminary’s enrollment has increased by 6 percent over last year, with full-time equivalency hours also up.

Iorg announced that the seminary had hosted its first ever social media-driven fundraising campaign, raising $75,000 in seven days, culminating at the spring trustee dinner.

“I thought ‘That will never work. I wouldn’t give a dime over a text message.’ I like to be wrong about that!”

Iorg recognized Gateway’s Distinguished Alumni Award honorees Mark Wyatt and Kelly King.

“We are proud of the outstanding accomplishment Mark and Kelly have shown throughout their careers as they exemplified a commitment to shaping leaders and expanding God’s kingdom around the world,”

Wyatt has served as vice president for marketing and communication at California Baptist University since 2002. He leads a professional staff responsible for branding, advertising, public relations, media relations, publications and internet marketing activities. Wyatt also oversees the use of campus facilities by campus groups and external clients. 

Prior to joining the CBU administration he served more than 18 years as chief communications officer for the California Southern Baptist Convention and editor of The California Southern Baptist newspaper. He is a former pastor with nearly 40 years of higher education administration, communications, journalism and media experience, including 14 years as a radio and television news reporter and anchor.

Wyatt holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in theatre arts from Valdosta State University in Georgia; a master of divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.; and a doctor of ministry degree in executive leadership from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, now Gateway Seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Wyatt and his wife, Jean, have been married 48 years and reside in Riverside, Calif. They have three adult children and nine grandchildren.

King serves as women’s ministry specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources, where she coordinates training and equipping events for women in leadership. She was previously the women’s missions and ministries specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, a post she held for more than 11 years. Prior to her denominational role, she was the women’s ministry director at her church, Council Road Baptist, located in the Oklahoma City metro. She currently leads the women’s ministry as a volunteer at Green Hill Church in Mt. Juliet, Tenn.

She holds a master of theology degree from Gateway Seminary.
She and her husband Vic have been married 30 years and have served together in ministry teaching students and young adults. They have two adult children, Conner and Courtney, and a son-in-law, Gaige.

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