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Georgetown College Welcomes Dr. Derek Hatch as Associate Professor of Religion and Endowed Chair of Baptist Studies


Submitted on September 8, 2020

Georgetown College is proud to welcome Dr. Derek Hatch as Associate Professor of Religion and Endowed Chair of Baptist Studies. In 2019, the college received an anonymous $1 million gift which established the Endowed Baptist Chair, with Dr. Hatch now serving in that role.

Dr. Hatch comes to Georgetown from Howard Payne University in Texas, where he taught for nine years prior to his new role. He achieved degrees from East Texas Baptist University, George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, and a PhD in Theology from the University of Dayton.

For Dr. Hatch, the chance to bring an expertise in Baptist Studies, particularly in the context of the larger overall Christian faith, attracted him to his new position at GC. “Georgetown creates space for a Baptist identity in a larger overall context, and that seemed to fit perfectly with my expertise and my own teaching style.”

The newest member of the Religion Department at Georgetown College, Dr. Hatch hopes to bring a passion to his particular area of expertise, which will present new and exciting opportunities to students interested in Baptist history and theology. “I hope to bring an enthusiasm and creativity in how I bring this material to students and how I facilitate conversations and those difficult questions that we sometimes have to ask within our communities.”

As the new Endowed Chair of Baptist Studies, Dr. Hatch is excited to foster relationships that are so key to the college and to bring new people into the fold. “Because Baptist life can be so diverse, it’s a great opportunity for the college to build deeper relationships and create new relationships, and I’m excited to be part of that.”

The family atmosphere at the college was also immediately present to Dr. Hatch, even before he began his new position. “Through the search process, I just met some wonderful people from Georgetown. It almost felt like home already, even at that early stage. What I’ve experienced so far is a family atmosphere, where we’re not defined by our work. Faculty, staff, students, the entire campus truly cares about each other on a deeper level.”

 


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