Throughout Eastern’s 100 years, it has gone through many name changes: Eastern Theological Seminary, Eastern Baptist College, and our current Eastern University. It’s natural for colleges to change their names as they grow, and as Templeton Honors College celebrates its 25th anniversary, it has officially decided to change its name for the first time.
“It’s not like the name change from ‘Eagle Learning Center’ to ‘Centennial Hall’ that’s only relevant for one year,” Dr. Brian Williams, Dean of the honors college, said. “The decision has been tossed around for a few years now, and as we started to order signage for the new building, we figured now was the best time to make it official.”
While the change was initiated by the construction of the new building, it is also part of the college’s larger marketing strategy. For years, the college has been undermined by its abbreviation “THC.”
“I’ll admit, it was funny at first,” Williams said. “It’s a rite of passage for freshmen to make the weed joke during their introductory classes as they ask the question, ‘What is the Good life?’ However, it was less amusing when we were looking to make merch or pamphlets with the abbreviation. It gives us a bad reputation, you know? That’s not what we’re looking for.”
“Honestly, I thought the abbreviation was hilarious,” Annika Pickard, the college’s Marketing Communications Intern, said. “It was easier to reach the younger audience, which is who we’re targeting. Also, who else would be buying our merch? If the kids think it’s funny, let them have it.”
Pickard’s thoughts on the matter were quickly dismissed during a meeting with the design team about the signs for the building, where she reportedly “could not stop laughing” at the sign mock-ups.
“It was honestly ridiculous,” former director Bekah Interiano said in a Zoom interview. “Like, we know it’s there, we know it’s funny, but you’ve got to have a certain amount of professionalism about it. I think that meeting was the turning point where we realized the name had gone as far as it could.”
Pickard, in between giggles, shared her favorite of the discarded marketing pamphlets: “‘Looking for answers to life’s hardest questions? Try THC!’”
Williams scheduled an emergency meeting with the faculty to decide on a new name. Pickard was noticeably absent from the meeting, although Philosophy professor Dr. J Burke Rea (who still remains the only philosophy professor not inducted into the honors college) was present. Their goal was for something that would reflect the college’s intellectual pursuit that carried over into the larger Christ-centered mission of the university. After a few ideas were tossed out, Dr. Steven Boyer suggested the “Christ-Bearing Department,” and the panel voted for it unanimously.
“I just think it’s really representative of what we’re trying to do,” Boyer said. “Our pursuit of the true, good, beautiful, holy, healthy, beneficial and neighborly is so accurately summed up in the mission to be Christ’s image-bearers.”
“I’m glad we could find a name that worked,” Dr. Matthew Moser said. “I’m a little worried we might be confused with Christian Book Distributors, but maybe that will inadvertently send people our way.”
“I think it’s cool,” Rea said. “I was mostly just glad to be there.”
With the name officially selected, Williams went to work on preparing the new wave of branding for the college.
“It’s going to be such a nice addition to the unveiling of the new building next year,” Williams said. “As we step into this next chapter, it’ll be a fond memory in our history where our students up until now can say ‘I remember when it was still just THC.’”
Williams also shared that Pickard was thrilled when he shared the new name with her for merch redesign.
“I was worried she was going to be upset with having to redo all of her previous work,” Williams said. “And, as much as it was annoying, she really did love our former name. But when I saw her enthusiasm for the new name, it reassured me that our students will love it as much as we do.”
So with renovations to the new building wrapping up this summer, students can look forward to the official re-launch of the honors college this upcoming fall and celebrate the next chapter of the Christ-Bearing Department.
“Wait, what’s CBD?” Williams said.
Colin Tomczak 
Eva Whited