The Vine News

Dr. Larry Mercer, president of Washington Bible College, resigned yesterday after more than 6 years of leading the institution.

Mercer, who was the first African American to hold the position in the school’s 70-plus year history, oversaw the school’s reverse of an enrollment decline that began in 2003, and an increase in diversity among its students. Under his leadership, the school also achieved regional accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and added several certificate and degreed academic programs, among other accomplishments.

Despite the enrollment surge, the college continued to face economic challenges, and Mercer spent a great deal of the later part of his presidency dealing with those issues. He posted in his blog last week that a resolution to the financial challenges was “imminent.”  
A school spokeswoman said the school’s board of directors intends to conduct a national search for a new president.

Harton left his leadership role at the seminary in 2009 to return to full time ministry as part of the pastoral staff of Grace Baptist Church in Bowie, MD. He will remain on the church’s staff in a part-time capacity.

Mercer, in the meantime, is planning to return to Dallas, TX and to ministry.

“For the immediate future, I'm going to recapture some passions I have between speaking, teaching, and writing,” he said. He also added that he continues to pray for the school. “I’ve poured 6 years of my life into the institution. I want the school to succeed.”