BY KIRSTY WATKINS/BUC
News

The Board
of Governors at Newbold College in Bracknell, England, has appointed John
Baildam to the position of principal at its Spring meeting on May 11. Baildam
will assume the office June 17.

Baildam
has served the College for more than 30 years in a variety of
capacities, including English school director, and admissions and records
director. Since 1997 he has served as director of Academic Affairs and more
recently as deputy principal.

He also
has experience of secondary education having served as boys' dean at
Stanborough School and teaching German, French, Sports, European studies, and
religion (1975-82). Baildam has also served as chair of Governors for Garth
Hill College in Bracknell, since 1999.

Through
his involvement with many professional committees and associations, Baildam has
developed a deep and comprehensive knowledge of the UK higher education system
and established a wide network of contacts.

He comes
with solid Adventist and academic credentials. He’s the son of Denys and Jean
Baildam, an Adventist pastoral family who served across the UK from the 1940s
to the 1990s. His wife, Lynda, serves at Newbold as associate librarian and is
the daughter of Pastor Don and Kathleen Lowe.

Outside
of academia and church his wide-ranging interests include sports, arts, and
culture. He is a qualified cricket umpire, a keen student of opera, and plays
golf. He now may have less time for those interests over the next two years as
he implements the school’s regeneration plan, voted by the college board in
February.

Facing
this challenge Baildam says, "I am excited by the task ahead as all of us
at the college–students and staff–work together to give increasing numbers of young
people the opportunity to enjoy the high quality of spiritual, social and
academic life at Newbold." He is already working to significantly increase
enrollment by September 2015.

His
message to parents and potential students alike is, "Too many are missing
out on the life-changing, faith-affirming experience to be found at Newbold!"

Baildam
will replace Philip Brown, who is returning to Australia following a three year
stint at Newbold. College development under his leadership included campus
refurbishment, student life initiatives, a new certificate in health and wellness,
and admission to the Adventist Colleges Abroad consortium.

[Kirsty
Watkins/BUC News]