The Institute for GOD Launches ProDev Partnership with MCH for 2024-2025 Academic Year
The Institute for GOD is excited to announce the launch of its Professional Development (ProDev) Program partnerships for the 2024-2025 academic year. Now in its second formal year, ProDev connects students' biblical education with real-world work experience, enabling them to graduate debt-free and confident in their career paths. President Gregg Garner, a theologian and entrepreneur, has been developing this program iteratively since 2011. Together with The Institute staff, he is committed to breaking the stereotype that Bible college graduates struggle to find employment.
Aligned with the college’s mission to produce "spiritually mature, competent professionals for global impact," The Institute combines rigorous Scriptural study with practical work experience and extensive global internships for every on-campus student. Since 2011, this unique combination has resulted in a 100% job placement rate for graduates—14% higher than the national average.
How Does It Work?
Traditional on-campus students enrolled in The Institute’s undergraduate program are invited to participate in the ProDev program. Here’s how it works:
Preference-Based Placement: Students undergo a personalized matching assessment that seeks to align individual career goals with available experiences with Christian businesses and nonprofits committed to investing in the next generation of professionals in Nashville
Scholarship Support: ProDev Partners contribute to a scholarship fund that significantly reduces the cost of students’ biblical education, helping students to graduate debt-free while gaining professional experience in their field of interest.
Real-World Experience: Students commit to 15-25 hours a week of professional experience in fields as diverse as medicine, education, hospitality, construction, social services, and the arts. Flexible Learning Opportunities: Students may switch ProDev placements each semester to explore different career paths or to stay in one role to build a specialized skill set toward a specific career goal.
Career-Ready Graduates: By the end of their undergraduate education, students will have earned a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies or Community Development, complemented by a resume rich with workplace experience, additional microcredentials, and a wealth of soft skills developed through mentorship and practical engagement.
ProDev is more than a scholarship program, it’s an opportunity for incredible personal growth. President Garner explains: “Students participating in the ProDev program will have the chance to determine if what they imagine they want to do is truly grounded in reality. In this way, students don’t find themselves realizing after earning their degree that it’s not what they want to pursue. Instead, they gain that insight before even completing their general education. This saves families money, it saves students time, and it significantly enhances their experience. Once a student identifies their passion, they become more eager to learn about it. By the time they reach their upper-division courses, they’ve already filtered out what they realized they didn’t want to pursue. Now, they’re driven to learn. When you combine someone driven to learn with opportunities for practical application, explosive growth follows. That’s what the Professional Development program offers.”
2024-2025 Partnerships
In the fall of 2024, The Institute is thrilled to provide professional opportunities to its students working in the following areas, alongside the college’s departments of assessment, admissions, A/V tech, and marketing:
CASE After School Program
Hopewell Family Care Integrative Clinic
NOVA Birth Services
Nyumba Food Services (Califarmia Food Truck)
Nyumbarista (Coffee Shop)
GOD Int’l Facilities & Maintenance
The Arts at Center Street (Music and Theatre)
Center Street Dance Academy
Genovations HR
Genovations Accounting
Genovations Media
Church Community for GOD
MCH Nashville (Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Utilities, Geothermal and Solar)
Nashville Futbol Club
Academy for GOD (Preschool-12th Grade)
A Collaborative Effort: ProDev at MCH
MCH has valued its relationship with the Institute for GOD and its alumni over the years. Since Scott Sherrod and Gregg Garner started MCH in 2011, many of our original employees were Institute graduates looking to further develop their skills in the construction industry.
Operating a construction company in Nashville demands a skilled, ethical, and quality-focused workforce. We’re always seeking individuals who meet these standards. By training Institute students in construction trades and project management, we empower them to become the kind of employees our company and our industry need.
As with many other occupations, people are unsure about pursuing a career in construction until they experience the day-to-day realities of the work. Our partnership with ProDev offers students hands-on experience in the field, helping them decide if this path is right for them after graduation.
Call to Action
For businesses and nonprofit organizations interested in joining this innovative program, or for students eager to enroll in a program that combines faith with practical experience and financial freedom, please visit the instituteforgod.edu or contact Laurie Kagay, the college’s VP of Enrollment, Marketing, and Communications (laurie@instituteforgod.edu).
About The Institute for GOD
The Institute for GOD is a Bible and Missions college in Nashville, TN, accredited with The Association for Biblical Higher Education. Their mission is to develop spiritually mature, competent professionals for global impact. Learn more about The Institute for GOD on their website or via their episode of The College Tour on Amazon Prime (Season 10, Episode 2).
