Lee University history

Pat Robertson, original name Marion Gordon Robertson, (born March 22, 1930, Lexington, Virginia, United States), American evangelist who was noted for his conservative views.

The Board of Trustees of the Goose Creek Independent School District had agreed as early as 1931 that a junior college should be established to provide educational opportunities to students who could not otherwise afford it.

Lee College was established in 1934, and when registration was completed for that first semester, 177 students had enrolled in the inaugural session of Lee Junior College of Goose Creek, Texas.

The first graduation was on May 24, 1935, with four women receiving diplomas: Juanita Barrington (Mrs.

In 1938 the Murphy Collegiate Institute was purchased, and the Bible Training School moved from Cleveland to Sevierville, Tennessee.

In 1945, Walter Rundell, one of the original faculty members, became Dean of Lee College.

A successful bond election in 1949 led to the completion of the first two buildings, the administration building and the gymnasium.

After graduating from Washington and Lee University in 1950, the younger Robertson, who had been a reservist in the Marine Corps, was called to active duty.

He founded (1960) what became the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), which aired his talk show, The 700 Club.

The library was completed and the gymnasium expanded in 1962.

On August 18, 1965, Lee College’s first Board of Regents, appointed by the public school board, assumed governance of the College.

A significant event in the history of Lee College occurred in 1966, when the College, under the leadership of Dean Rundell and George Beto, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Corrections, began a program of courses in the state’s prison system.

The following year, in 1968, he accepted the position of president of the university, becoming the only law dean to lead the university.

In 1969, Lee College, in cooperation with two Liberty County school districts, began offering courses at Liberty and Dayton.

The College also established a program for senior adults in 1972.

Robertson subsequently founded CBN University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and it opened to students in 1978.

Beginning in 1985, women were permitted to enroll in two undergraduate programs.

In 1986, Lee College began two new programs to serve not only Lee College’s district constituents, but also interested citizens outside the College’s service area.

A focus on economic development resulted in the Small Business Development Center being opened in 1987.

After a strong start, however, his support waned, and Robertson withdrew from the race in February 1988.

The 711 West Texas Avenue property, acquired in 1990, was renovated to house a performing and fine arts complex in addition to an allied health suite named the McNulty-Haddick Complex in honor of Alma Haddick and her husband Luther.

In May 1995, the Board of Trustees renamed the School the Williams School of Commerce, Economics, and Politics to honor alumnus Ernest Williams II, '38, for his devoted service and generosity to the University.

The following year he founded the Christian Coalition, an influential conservative political organization, and served as its head until 2002.

In 2007 he stepped down as CEO of CBN and was replaced by his son Gordon Robertson.

After serving for 12 years as associate dean of the Williams School, Rob Straughan began his tenure as Crawford Family Dean on July 1, 2015.