Introduction to Student Resources
This document is intended to provide an overview of the services available to help you achieve your educational goals as a student at Washington Bible College/Capital Bible Seminary. The information provided in this Student Resources Update is organized in the following categories:
• Learning Resources
• Support Services
• Growth Experiences
• Support Centers
• Northern Virginia
• International Students
A number of individuals are available to provide guidance and support in their area of focus. If you have questions that are not addressed in this document or you need special assistance, please stop by the HelpDesk on the first floor of Miles Hall. Someone at the HelpDesk will be happy to assist you.
Communication
How does the institution communicate information to students?
• Community 411 - to student emails
• Announcements in class
• Bulletin Boards around campus
• Blackboard, Facebook and Twitter
Student Activities calendar can be found on the website under Student Life, on student email accounts, at the HelpDesk and on the bulletin boards. At the HelpDesk, there is a student opportunities folder where all non-community related information/opportunities are posted.
Learning Resources
Oyer Library
On the Lanham campus, the Oyer Library features a collection of 86,000 volumes and 12,000 non-print items. Two computer labs with a total of 18 computers plus two research computers, scanner, copier and printers are available for student use. The library also features an online catalog, OMEGA, e-resources, and 28 electronic databases providing our students access to 10,000+ e-journals, as well as Interlibrary Loan (ILL). WI-FI is available throughout the facility enabling access to the Internet.
Regular Library hours are Monday – Thursday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm; Friday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm; Saturday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. For additional information, please contact the Circulation Desk at 301-552-1400; or via email at iLibrary@bible.edu.
External Libraries
Off campus, our students have access to the Maryland Library System and the Library of Congress. In addition to these, our seminary students also have access to the Washington Theological Consortium (WTC) Library Services.
Maryland Library System
The following databases are available to the student body, faculty and staff of Washington Bible College / Capital Bible Seminary as a supplement to the archives found in the Oyer Memorial Library collection. Training sessions are frequently held in the library to assist patrons in the effective usage of these resources. Please inquire at the Library for more information:
Available databases: ATLA Religion Database w/ATLA Serials - Full Text articles; ATLA Religion Database; Academic Search Premier; Business Source Premier; ERIC; Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia; GreenFile; Health Source - Consumer Edition; Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition; Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts; MasterFILE Premier; MAS Ultra - School Edition; MEDLINE; Military & Government Collection; Primary Search; Regional Business News; Teacher Reference Center; PsycARTICLES; PsycINFO; Biblical Archaeology Society's Online Archives; Classical Music Library; Education Journals; Encyclopedia Britannica; Digital Dissertations
Library of Congress
From the WBC/CBS campus, our students are just twenty minutes away from the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. The Library of Congress serves as the research arm of Congress and is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections serving as invaluable resources.
Users of the Library's research areas, including Computer Catalog Centers and Copyright Office public service areas, are each required to have a Reader Identification Card issued by the Library. Cards are free and can be obtained by completing a registration process and presenting a valid driver's license, state-issued identification card, or passport. For further information regarding Reader Registration, call 202-707-5278.
WTC Library Services
The libraries of the Washington Theological Consortium contain over one million volumes in theology and related disciplines. Seminary students and faculty who hold a current, valid ID from a WTC school are eligible for borrowing privileges at WTC libraries during the academic year.
Policy, January, 2005:
"A faculty member or student who wishes to borrow books must first present a consortium form, validated for the current semester and signed by the home librarian from the Consortium member school, and a photo ID, preferably a student ID card from the Consortium member school." (Policy Adopted January 2005)
Below is a listing of the staffs of the libraries who are prepared to assist students, explain their collections in greater detail, and answer questions:
• Capital Bible Seminary
Director of Library Services: Bill Banks, 240-387-1260
• The Catholic University of America
Religious Studies Librarian: Dustin Booher, 202-319-5088
• The Dominican House of Studies
Librarian: Rev. Bernard Mulcahy, O.P., 202-529-5300
• The Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences
Librarian: Saber Al-Kilany, 571-203-9800
• The Howard University School of Divinity
Librarian: Carrie Hackney, 202-806-0760
• The John Leland Center for Theological Studies
Librarian: Jennifer Foucher, 703-812-4757
• Lutheran Theological Seminary
Librarian: Briant Bohleke; Catalog Librarian: Susann Posey, 717-338-3018
• The Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University
Librarian: Ronald Shelton, 804-257-5820
• Virginia Theological Seminary
Librarian: Mrs. Mitzi Budde, 703-461-1731
• The Washington Theological Union
Librarian: Mr. Alexander Moyer, 202-541-5208
• Wesley Theological Seminary
Director: Bill Faupel, 202-885-8690
• Woodstock Theological Center Library
Library Director, J. Leon Hooper, SJ, 202-687-7513
Online Bookstore
With the nation's largest mix of new and used textbooks, supplementary course materials, and eContent, our online bookstore makes it easy to find all the materials needed for class at affordable prices and offers guaranteed buyback of a number of titles. (NOTE: books for online courses are not available through the online bookstore. Students taking online courses should purchase materials according to the directions given in each online course.)
Support Services
HelpDesk
Have a question and don’t even know where to start? Contact the HelpDesk and our staff can direct you. From purchasing meal tickets and getting a parking permit to special services available or problems accessing or using campus information technology resources like cougarnet, email, or IT requests – to a myriad of other issues – the HelpDesk is available Monday – Thursday from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm and Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. Located on the first floor of Miles Hall near the main entrance (Room 121), feel free to walk in, call 301-552-1400 or email HelpDesk@bible.edu.
Financial Aid
Have you explored all the options available to you for financing a college education? Contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance to assure you are not missing an opportunity for a scholarship, grant, award, work study, discount, or military/veteran benefits.
The Financial Aid Office is open Monday – Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Evening hours are available by appointment only. Feel free to walk in to the office on the first floor of Miles Hall, Room 105; call 301-552-1400, ext. 1222; or email at iFinancialAid@bible.edu.
Student Accounts Office
Need to make a payment or obtain a copy of your billing statement? Have questions about your tuition or fees? Stop in to the Student Accounts Office, located in room 105 on the first floor of Miles; call 301-552-1400 ext 1243; see the cashier office on the second floor of Miles, room 208; or send an email to istudentaccounts@bible.edu. Office hours are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. For your convenience, you may also make payments online.
Registrar
For questions related to registration, course schedules, and transcripts, contact the Registrar’s Office at 301-552-1400, ext. 1279 or via email at iRegister@bible.edu. The office is located on the first floor of Miles Hall, room 100. Office hours are 9:00 am – 6:00 pm.
Food Service
With the completion of its remodeling in 2007, Miles Dining Hall exists to foster community building. Its comfortable environment is an ideal setting for the fellowship of prayer and accountability groups, for ministry networking, or as a meeting place for your project group. Click here for hours of service and meal ticket prices.
Commuter Students
Recognizing that many students' schedules are just beginning in the evening after their workday ends, the extended hours of the Help Desk ensure assistance is available to our students taking classes in the evening as well. Ensuring the needs of the Commuter Student are addressed, we’ve also added an Evening Commuter Student Liaison to help commuter students maximize their access to all the services and resources on campus. Contact our Commuter Student Liaison at iCommuterConnection@bible.edu.
Growth Experiences
Student Life. “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17) Connection with others is a foundational aspect of growth. WBC/CBS strives to provide opportunities where your gifts and passions may be strengthened and developed in community:
Activities
Scheduled regularly throughout each semester are activities such as concerts, coffeehouses, movie nights, picnics, tournaments, day excursions to other cities including NYC and Washington D.C., and various other events. Each Spring semester the College and the Seminary hold a Spring Banquet to honor the graduates. These events connect you with great people and will provide many fond memories. For more information, contact the HelpDesk.
Athletics
WBC is a member of the Shenandoah and Chesapeake Conference (SCC), offering Men’s Basketball and Women’s Volleyball. In addition to striving to demonstrate Christ-likeness in competitive games, the teams offer opportunities for ministry and personal development, be it a Bible study on characteristics for team success, or a trip to Helping Up Mission in Baltimore, MD to feed the homeless. For more information contact iAthletics@bible.edu.
Student Council
The student body has a Student Council with the goals of developing close relationships among students, administration, faculty, and staff; communicating student opinions and suggestions to administration, faculty and staff; and promoting student unity, morale, and spiritual growth. In addition to these responsibilities, the Council assists in planning and directing many activities, including chapels, special missions projects, faculty-student fellowships, and recognizing special accomplishment or service by fellow students, faculty, or staff. The Council consists of five to six members, elected annually by the student body, plus a faculty advisor. For more information, contact the HelpDesk.
Missions Conference
The Office of Student Life and Development assists in planning and implementing the yearly Missions emphasis event. This event brings part time, full time, resident, and commuter students together with the goal of increased awareness of and involvement in God's work around the world, as well as the role of the student and the local church in that process. Numerous experts in the areas of home and international missions are present at each conference to interact with the students. For more information, contact iMissionsEvent@bible.edu.
Global Outreach Fellowship (GO Fellowship)
Led by the Missionary in Residence, Go Fellowship offers opportunities for student involvement in prayer for global missions, short term ministry outreach, focus on intercultural involvement at home and abroad, and in preparation for and facilitation of the annual World Missions emphasis held each year on campus. For more information, contact the Missionary-in-Residence at MIR@bible.edu.
Small Groups
The Office of Student Life & Development works to support gatherings that may be comprised of residential sections meeting on a weekly basis; groups which meet on a regular basis established through professors on topics in which they are familiar and interested to share; or may occur as occasional gatherings on topics and subjects connected with either chapel themes or speakers. For information on getting connected in a Small Group, contact iSmallGroups@bible.edu.
Chapels
Providing a meeting centered on biblical instruction, worship, prayer and mutual edification, chapels meet on the Lanham campus at 10:45 am, 1:00 pm and 6:45 pm on various days throughout the semester. Information is posted under the chapel heading on the website.
Health & Fitness
Fitness Center
The Fitness Center provides opportunity for the WBC/CBS/EQUIP Community and Prince George's County residents to exercise, learn, and experience healthy lifestyle activities year-round. The Fitness Center, located in the Wagner Center, is a safe and clean environment equipped with top-tier equipment, professional staff, and an environment that glorifies God through the music we play and the standards we set. Racquetball, Basketball, and Volleyball courts are also available. Visit the Fitness Center Monday-Friday 7:00 am - 10:00 pm, Saturday 7:00 am - 9:00 pm, and Sunday 2:00 pm - 10:00 pm. For more information, please contact iFitnessCenter@bible.edu.
Medical & Other Emergencies
For medical emergencies, call 911 (keep in mind students calling from dorm rooms must dial 9-911) and then notify the Resident Assistant. For minor medical concerns that require first aid, dorm students should contact their Resident Assistant; commuter students should contact Campus Security (301-366-3105). The Resident Assistant will Campus Security, who will either contact Brian Smith on campus to administer first aid or arrange for transportation to the nearby Emergency Room at Doctor’s Hospital. Doctor’s Hospital and its emergency facilities are located adjacent to the campus. The West Lanham Hills fire department is also adjacent to the campus, making emergency response time minimal: both emergency facilities are within a quarter mile of the Good Luck Road gate.
Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the comprehensive Crisis Emergency Response Manual 2010-2010, found on the WBC/CBS website. This document also gives detailed information on what to do in the event of a criminal or medical emergency, fire, assault, or weather emergency, along with links for confidential and anonymous incident reporting.
Field Education/Service Learning
WBC/CBS is committed to ensuring students take learning from the classrooms and implement Biblically-based solutions in the world. To that end, all students must complete a Field Education/Service Learning credit for each 15 hours of credits taken at WBC/CBS. Please see the online Field Education Manual for details. If you have questions, please contact the HelpDesk.
Support Centers
Advising Center
The WBC/CBS Advising Center is committed to providing guidance and information to help students enjoy a successful college and seminary experience. The Advising Center is located in Miles, room 219 and is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 am - 7:00 pm. On the Virginia campus, the office is available Monday through Thursday from 12:00 - 7:00 pm. Advising within their academic concentrations and programs is also available via appointment with the faculty. On a limited basis, advising is available via appointment with the Associate Dean and Registrar's Office. Contact iAdvising@bible.edu for more information.
Writing Center
In the college/seminary setting, the ability to write formal, academic essays and professional papers influences your potential for success. Located in Miles Hall, Room 120 (near the Chapel), the WBC/CBS Writing Center offers tutors to come alongside students to strengthen this important skill. Sign-up sheets are available at the HelpDesk: students are strongly encouraged to sign up for appointments at least 24 hours in advance in order to avoid having to wait to see a tutor. For questions about the Writing Center, email iWritingCenter@bible.edu.
Academic/Life Coaching
Washington Bible College is pleased to announce a partnership with WIN Family Services designed to support students through counseling at their Life Management Support Office; grow students through weekly “Family Strengthening” training opportunities, and assist students in gaining valuable Human Service skills and Social Work experience through internship opportunities.
Life Management Support Office. WIN is prepared to begin seeing WBC students in need of life management support. During office hours, a skilled and experienced WIN practitioner will be available to meet with students, assess their life management needs, and suggest viable interventions that will address student concerns and challenges. Office Hours are Monday through Thursday from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.; appointments may be scheduled by contacting Nadirah Smith at nsmith@winfamilyservices.org. WBC students experiencing a life management crisis or emergency should contact Angela Gardner, Director of Family Services – 443.783.2712; Al Laws, Chief Executive Officer – 443.858.8240; or the PG Emergency Service Coordinator – 202.256.3099.
Internship Opportunities. WIN Family Services has developed internship opportunities for the purpose of gaining valuable Human Service skills and Social Work experience, and welcomes interested WBC students to contact them for internship opportunities. WBC students interested in an internship with WIN Family Services should e-mail their name, contact information, degree program, career goals, and what they would like to gain from an internship opportunity to Nadirah Smith at nsmith@winfamilyservices.org. Thereafter the student will be contacted and scheduled for an interview.
WIN Family Services is a faith-based, child and family services organization that has been providing community based treatment services to children and families since 1992. Their mission is to utilize holistic, faith-based principles through a variety of treatment modalities, and create programs and services that support youth and their families with successfully healing and stabilizing in the community. WBC will continue to communicate additional opportunities as our partnership with this exciting organization expands.
Placement Services
Graduating seniors can complete a Ministry Placement Questionnaire / Personal Ministry Profile and place it on file electronically at the school. When a church or other organization contacts the school seeking candidates to fill vacant positions, the school will notify students on file. It will be the responsibility of the candidate and the ministry to follow up once the initial contacts have been facilitated. Placement Services plans to offer other related resources in the future. Beginning November 1, 2010, profiles may be sent to iPlacement@bible.edu.
Maximum Access Center
Two rooms in Miles Hall make up the Maximum Access Center, dedicated to supporting our students with disabilities. In addition to providing helpful accommodations, auxiliary aids, and services to ensure effective participation in college and seminary programs, the Maximum Access Center offers The Complete Directory for People with Disabilities, an excellent source of information that lists a variety of both local and national resources available to our students with disabilities. For assistance in arranging or scheduling use of these facilities, academic advising, library check outs, or computer lab access, contact iMaximumAccess@bible.edu.
Northern Virginia
Computer Lab
The VA Extension has a computer lab with three computers and a printer, which enables students to access resources such as the Omega-Online Catalog and research databases, and specialized software such as BibleWorks and Libronix, for research. WI-FI is also available throughout the facility enabling access to the Internet.
Library
The library has expanded to more than 6,400 volumes, with interlibrary loan to and from the main campus. Library personnel are on site Monday through Thursday 12:00 – 7:00 pm to assist students. The library is also open for study until the last class is dismissed; usually at 9:30 pm. Students have access to a copier.
Student Support
Students can seek advice from a student advisor or professor by scheduling an appointment or walking in Monday - Thursday 12:00 - 7:00 pm. The VA Extension has one student advisor and one professor with offices on site. Appointments can be made in person, by telephone, or via email through the VA Admin Desk or directly with the advisor or professor.
The VA Admin Desk is open from 12:00 - 7:00 pm Monday through Thursday. It also serves as the HelpDesk in providing answers and resolving problems in Admissions, Academic Affairs, Student Accounts, and BlackBoard support. The VA Admin Desk may be reached by phone at 703-752-1624, or via email at iAdminDeskVA@bible.edu.
Snack Bar
Since the majority of VA students arrive for evening classes straight from work, the VA Extension stocks a coffee bar and snacks available for purchase for students' quick refueling.
Student Advisory Committee
Virginia seminary students are supported by a Student Advisory Committee (SAC) that is elected annually. The leader of SAC is the Virginia student representative on the Capital Bible Seminary Student Council. SAC participates each semester in providing an open house/orientation day, coordinates student involvement in missions and social events, and serves as a conduit for keeping students aware of Virginia services, activities, and information. In addition, Virginia students may participate in all student activities on the main campus in Lanham, MD.
International Students
Support with Documentation
Please email iinternationalstudentsgroup@
Fellowship and Prayer
Have fun and get to know other students from different parts of the world by joining in fellowship and prayer hosted by Dr. Ok Cha Soh. Dr. Soh hosts a weekly prayer meeting in the Prayer Barn every Thursday at 11:30 am. For fellowship and prayer, Dr. Soh hosts a meeting at her house once a month and provides a lunch. Dates for the lunches are announced in the Community 411 and the student bulletin board. For more information, please email iinternationalstudentsgroup@