"Just coming off my second residency on-campus, I find myself grateful not only for the education, but also for the personal attention offered to me by every person there."
Ryan Bash, Online Student
Each fall, WBS holds a 10-day residency event at its Jackson, MS campus. Students wishing to complete a degree through WBS' online program must attend at least four residencies (or their equivalent), and they must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours for a residency semester. Residencies are timed to correspond with and integrate the seminary's annual Transform:ED Conference on Christian Leadership & Spiritual Formation.
Partial Attendance: All participants are required to attend the full 10 days of Residency for Residential credit. Attending only 1 week of Residency for partial residential credit is not permitted.
Lodging: Lodging arrangements for Residency students will be arranged by WBS. Students arriving earlier or departing later than the specified start and finish days are responsible for their own lodging arrangements for the extra nights.
Transportation During Residency: Transportation during Residency is handled through carpooling. Many students drive to Residency and volunteer to serve as carpool drivers throughout the 10 days. These volunteers receive a credit back on their student account to cover fuel, mileage, and maintenance.
Starting & Ending Days: Residency officially starts on Monday night of the first week and officially ends Thursday evening of the second week.
Travel times: Monday of the first week and Friday of the second week are designated as travel days. You should plan to arrive in Jackson between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday. Your departure from Jackson should be scheduled for sometime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the second Friday. This allows WBS sufficient time to arrange the appropriate transportation. If you need an earlier or later arrival or departure time, you will have to make your own arrangements.
Residency Fee: In addition to tuition, a Residency Fee is applied for each Residency students attend. This fee goes toward the cost of lodging, food, transportation, and residency and conference expenses. The residency fee does not include travel, books, or any other individual expenditures.
Local/Commuter Students: Students living within 75 miles of the Jackson area are permitted to register for the Conference as Commuter participants. However, please note:
- Lodging and transportation is not provided.
- The Residency fee only covers the following activities and meals: 1) lunches Tuesday through the following Thursday, excluding weekends, 2) Welcome and Closing banquets, and 3) special events. All other weekend meals are not included.
- There are no refunds for scheduled meals or events in which you choose not to participate, including weekday lunches. Fellowship and community sharing are a significant part of Residency and your participation in these opportunities is required.
Meals: The cost for all lunches and dinners are built into the residency fee. With the exception of a few designated special events, all meals will be provided at Belhaven college, a Christian liberal arts college located minutes from WBS' Jackson campus.
Dress: Dress for conference activities and evening services is business casual: slacks/khakis and a polo or button-down shirt for men; similar styles of slacks, skirts, or dresses for ladies. Short are not permitted during classroom or conference activities during the day.
First-year students participating in the Matriculation ceremony during the Academic Convocation should bring at least one dress outfit.
Registration: Each student planning to attend Residency in the fall must 1) add the appropriate residency to their fall course enrollment, and 2) register their participation and lodging/food arrangements through the residency registration website when it becomes available.
Late Fee: A $100 late registration fee will be assessed for any Residency registrations submitted after the announced deadline.
Cancellation: Upon registration for the Residency, any cancellation within 10 days prior to the start of the event will entail a $175 cancellation fee due to lodging and meal planning arrangements.
