Getting to know the Colman’s

Recently students, faculty and staff filled The Charleston Room to share lunch and become better acquainted with CSU’s Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jim Colman and his wife, Becky.

The lunch was part of a series of events sponsored by residence life to give the campus community an opportunity to get to know the faculty in an informal setting.

The Colmans came to CSU in 2006 from Oklahoma Baptist University and have endeared themselves to faculty, staff and students. Mrs. Colman is actively involved in campus events and activities. Her warm smile instantly puts people at ease, and her genuine concern for others is evident. In fact, she has been overheard saying that she will nurture anything that stands still long enough. She and several others engage in a quiet, yet powerful and vital ministry on campus – prayer walking.

Dr. Colman has a calm, deliberate demeanor and is comfortable sharing around a lunch table or in a large group setting. He expresses a genuine interest in others and offers strong leadership and insight, as well as words of encouragement and inspiration.

Mrs. Colman shares that a malfunctioning elevator played an important role in her decision to accept Christ. “One day when I was five years old, I had the traumatic experience of being stuck in an elevator,” she said. “Before that day was over, I was sure of my salvation and the eternal life God provides to those who accept His marvelous gift of Jesus Christ.”

Prior to that experience, her Christian parents and three older sisters were instrumental in laying a spiritual foundation as she learned at an early age of her need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Dr. Colman became a Christian at age nine.

“My father had recently accepted Christ and began taking me to Sunday School. After several weeks of attending, the Sunday School teacher explained the way that I could know that my sins were forgiven and that I would go to heaven when I died. I accepted Christ and his free gift of salvation.”

Early on, he was inspired by the Bible story of Joseph and how the Lord blessed Joseph’s hand in everything he did. Dr. Colman purposed at that time to live the kind of life where God blesses what he does.

Referencing Proverbs 16:9, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps,” he said, “Linking up with God’s plan for your life and walking as Jesus did is the way you allow God to direct your steps.” He encouraged attendees to “Get into the light to see where God is going to lead you.”

Dr. Colman began playing the piano when he was eight and began playing in church at age 12. Following God’s path for his life, he chose to major in music and received his B.S. in music education from Grace College in Indiana and his M.M. and Ph.D. in music education at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. It was during the college years that he met Becky. She laughs as she shares that she was the one who asked him out on their first date, but “just as friends.” Eighteen months later they were married.

After college, Dr. Colman began his teaching career as a high school band and choir director. He later served on the faculty of Cedarville University from 1989-2003. In 2003, he joined the administrative team at Oklahoma University as the senior VP for academic affairs.

“God’s will became apparent as I moved closer to the administrative role,” said Colman. “And God continues to train and develop me here at Charleston Southern.”

Senior religion major Dustin Bowers attended the luncheon and said he appreciated the reminder from the Proverbs passage. “Being a senior, that verse definitely means a lot to me,” said Bowers. “And I always enjoy seeing the personal guy and hearing God’s story in his life.”