Bryan College — Local services in Dayton

It is with a heavy heart that I must give my beloved Alma Mater a 1 star rating. Bryan holds so many wonderful memories for me, including Chorale tours, serving on SGA, leading an orientation group, performing in Hilltop Players, playing intramurals, studying, learning, making lifelong friendships and meeting my now husband. I was the Judson Rudd Testimony and Influence Award winner and a P.A. Boyd Award winner my senior year (which I say not to boast, but to give you a picture of how involved I was with so many aspects of the college). I spent time in professors' homes, served the community on MLK Service Days, and the list goes on. Bryan was my dream, my life, my happy memories. I wish I could say it is the same place as when I was there (2006-2010), but even while I was there, the foundations for the troubled state the college finds itself in now were being laid. Because of the prideful, narrow-minded, power-abusing, hateful and evil leadership that is now in place, countless faculty and staff have lost their jobs, programs have been cut, finances have been ruined, and the motto of the college, "Christ Above All", has been blatantly disregarded. Until the current president and board of trustees resign or leave, I cannot recommend this college to anyone. Not even my own daughter. It is not the same place it used to be -Christ centered, intellectually sound (by examining all sides and viewpoints to see that the Bible is the answer), Biblically solid, a warm community- but instead has turned into an institution who should just go ahead and change their motto to "Livesay above all". Livesay's way or the highway (job termination, for example, should you dare to speak the truth). God help us.

*EDIT (2021) I am happy to say that I've seen great strides in restoring Bryan to the place it once was. The current administration really seems to have the best of the students, faculty and college in mind. Praise the Lord! I have been blessed to return twice (Oct 2020) and (Mar 2021) since my original review. I think there is still work to be done to restore trust and heal hurts, but things seem to be moving in the...

We took a tour of several Christian colleges with my high-school junior daughter. Bryan, with a smaller student body, was unique in how "warm" and close knit community the school felt compared to the bigger Christian universities. The engineering and health sciences departments had modern and current equipment to learn on. (Engineering is still short in a few key pieces for their workshop, but they are also only in their second year and still building out.) Several professors and staff paused what they were doing to get to know us. A private general inquiry of a few students over lunch seemed that the students genuinely enjoy their professors. The students had as much access as they felt they needed to be successful. The school was one of the most well equipped for outdoor sports - volleyball, basketball, softball, soccer, bass fishing team and more. The dorm rooms were adequate. Pretty campus layout with mature trees and flowers for color. The grounds staff had worked hard to counter COVID isolation with outdoor venues where the students could safely enjoy community. The cafeteria food was "OK"; but the staff serving was that wonderfully sweet southern hospitality that you just can't help but love. Home-schooled or public schooled, I would expect students would transition well to this safe, respectful community for their next level...

I attended Bryan starting in 2015 as a freshmen. My first year was amazing and I loved it. However, after my first year the campus became incredibly toxic and continued getting worse. Many staff had favorites, students were nice to your face but terrible behind your back. The only positive for me was the professors and those who were in charge of worship team while I attended. I loaded up on credits in order to graduate early to leave that environment. If you met me today after attending school with me I’m a completely different person because I’m no longer in that environment. I was heavily involved in leadership on campus, but honestly never felt “poured into” or mentored by any staff on campus. I’m unsure what campus is like now with the new leadership, but with the experience I had I have little reason to visit. I will say I give the benefit of the doubt that the new leadership has made it a good place...