After 27 Years of Faith and Service, Campus Minister David Roland Retires from Shorter University

Shorter University is bidding a heartfelt farewell to one of its most beloved and dedicated servants, Campus Minister David Roland, who is retiring after 27 years of faithful ministry at the University. David’s impact on the Shorter community is immeasurable, and his legacy of faith, leadership, and compassion will be felt for generations to come.

A Life Devoted to Campus Ministry
David Roland’s calling to campus ministry began long before he arrived at Shorter. After earning his degree from the University of Kentucky from 1975 to 1979 and his theological training at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1980 to 1983, David embarked on a distinguished career in Christian campus ministry that would span decades.

He served as Campus Minister at Brewton Parker College from 1986 to 1992, before answering the call to serve as Baptist Campus Minister at Georgia Tech from 1992 to 1999. In 1999, David joined the Shorter University family, where he would spend the next 27 years pouring his heart and soul into the lives of students.

A Ministry Built on Relationships
Throughout his tenure at Shorter, David served as the heart of the University’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), creating a welcoming and faith filled community where students could grow spiritually, find belonging, and discover their calling. His open door policy and genuine love for students made him a trusted mentor and friend to countless young men and women who passed through Shorter’s doors.

David also led numerous mission trips with students over the years, taking the Shorter community beyond the campus and into the world to serve others and live out their faith in meaningful and tangible ways. For many students, these trips were life changing experiences that shaped their faith and their character for years to come.

A Grateful Community
As David closes this chapter of his remarkable career, Shorter University is deeply grateful for everything he has given to this community. His faithfulness, his servant heart, and his unwavering commitment to students have left a lasting mark on this institution and on the countless lives he has touched along the way.

David and his wife Margaret, whom he married on January 16, 1982, are entering this exciting new season together. Shorter University wishes them both nothing but joy, rest, and continued blessings.

Thank you, David. You will always be a part of the Shorter family.