SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP -- Baptist Bible College in Lackawanna County will switch to university status later on this year but officials thought changing only the end of the college's name wasn't enough.
The school will start using an all-new name just in time for graduation.
Starting in April, all of the signs and the diplomas will say Summit University instead of Baptist Bible College, or BBC as it's more commonly known.
The school's board of trustees says the new name goes along with their change in status but could also remove some stigma.
A class of high school students is taking a college class at Baptist Bible College near Clarks Summit. They're learning about business communication, a relevant lesson since this very college just completed test market analysis: what name would it use when it switches to university status this spring?
"Out of that then, we came up with a top three and then narrowed it down through some test marketing," college official Mel Walker explained.
BBC's leaders settled on Summit University, the school's new official name when it becomes a university on April 20.
Students just learned the new name this week.
"I was really surprised because I think it will always be BBC to me, but I think the new name is really pretty," said student Kira Seboe.
"I would love to graduate from BBC, but I know that this name is going to great things for the school, you know, university status and all the prestige that comes with that. And now my degree has a university stamp on it, you know, so that opens up more opportunities," said senior Dillon Bowman.
Here's one of the consequences of the name change: there's been rush of students coming to the welcome center where they sell Baptist Bible College t-shirts and sweatshirts which can now be considered collector's items.
"So, they want to get apparel and get more of it that they haven't had before so they can take that piece of history with them," said BBC alumna Kris Schill.
The Baptist Bible College name may be history but the school's trustees urge that not much more will change here. Trustees do think that removing the word baptist removes some religious stigma and could make the school appealing to students who may have never considered it.
Along with the new name, they're also pushing the slogan "same mission, new name."
"We are still implicitly Baptist, that's who we are, that's in our DNA, that's what our founding fathers wanted and all of that. But, we do think that there are places around the world where a religious tag might at least raise questions," Walker said.
Baptist Bible College will officially become Summit University on April 20, just weeks away from graduation. The school has decided that unless there's strong opposition from the senior class, their diplomas will have the new name on them.
