Carolina University Ph.D. in Leadership

I was more concerned with the fact that I couldn't find any information on the president's education.

 

https://carolinau.edu/faculty-staff/petitt-dr-charles

Can’t say I’ve seen many bios this ambiguous about his history. No indication where or in what he got his doctorate?

 

"Dr. Charles Petitt was born in Abingdon, Virginia and is a graduate from Easley Christian School. Dr. Petitt graduated from Baptist University of America in 1985 with a Bachelor of Theology." (https://www.regisgroup.org/ourPress/pdf/InterviewCharliePetitt.pdf)

"Tennessee Temple’s legacy will be preserved through the continuation of Temple Baptist Seminary as a school of Piedmont International University. Petitt is proud to have a diploma from Temple Baptist Seminary hanging on his office wall"
(https://www.garbc.org/ministry-highlights/piedmont-international-university-announces-merger/)

"In 2002, Dr. Wilburn stepped down as President to concentrate on his ministry as pastor of Salem Baptist Church. He currently holds the advisory position of Chancellor to the fifth President of Piedmont, Charles Petitt. In 2002, Charles Petitt received an honorary doctorate from Temple Baptist Seminary." (https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/4802029)

Petitt took over in 2002. Temple Baptist Seminary merged into then-Piedmont International University in 2005. Piedmont was renamed Carolina University in 2020. Is it possible President Petitt has only a Bachelor's degree and an honorary doctorate? He is identified as "Charles Petitt, D.D." in this 2018 journal from the university. (https://vdocument.in/a-research-and-ministry-journal-of-temple-baptist-in-biblical-studies-theology.html)

 

It may come as a complete shock to a non-cynic as yourself! …but there, just may, be people who use “mission trips” as externally funded or tax advantageous… vacations… Don’t the people of St Barts also need… hey, it’s margarita time!

 

Not just President but President AND CEO!

Details young padawan… always pay attention to the small details!

 

Great google-fu! To make it more interesting, there appears to be a few entities that are or were going by Baptist University of America, and at least some were not accredited… it’s entirely possible he doesn’t have any accredited degree. Also note the timing of the honorary degree and his promotion. Shrugs.

 

Yes.

Technically, an honorary doctorate is a doctorate. "All the rights here unto...." and all that jazz.

Our colleague, John Bear, used to describe the beginnings of graduate study in America where the Harvard College faculty (all three of them) had no faculty with a doctorate--and as Puritans, no English university would award one. Yet, there's the tradition that it takes a doctor to make a doctor. So, they got together to award one of them an honorary doctorate. He (Cotton Mather?) then bestowed earned doctorates on the other two. Thus began graduate education in America.

 

Hey, I ain't go'in to no Bellevue!

 

Omaha? In December?

 

Okay, Midnight Cowboy! LOL!

 

Haha, not quite.

I was actually referencing the Seinfeld version of the quote, but good catch.