When Ben Murphy lost a schoolyard fight at age 14 — after three punches — it marked a turning point in his life. Today, Murphy, 19, from Toronto, Canada, is a student at Ohio Valley University in Vienna, W.Va., and is one of seven students there forming a boxing team, despite the challenges.

Enrollment again hit record and near-record levels this fall at some colleges and universities associated with Churches of Christ. Harding University in Searcy, Ark., posted an all-time high enrollment for the 25th consecutive year, eclipsing 7,000 students. Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., topped 4,000 students, marking a fifth straight year of record enrollment.

Ohio Valley University on Friday officially welcomed Harold Shank at its ninth president. “I was scared to death he was going to say no,” joked outgoing President Keith Stotts, who passed the presidency to Shank during an investiture ceremony Friday at the college. More than a dozen state and local representatives, politicians and educators spoke during the ceremony, welcoming Shank and his family to the college and to the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The new president of Ohio Valley University in Vienna, W.Va., believes the college has a bright future, but acknowledges serious and immediate hurdles lie ahead. Harold Shank described Ohio Valley’s financial situation as “precarious,” tempering the statement by saying he believed the situation is not insurmountable.

Harold Shank has been named president of Ohio Valley University in Vienna, W.Va. “They have offered me the position, and I have accepted,” Shank said in an e-mail today. “Most of the details of the transition are undecided.” OVU, a Christian university in Vienna, W.Va., is associated with Churches of Christ. Shank, a professor of Old Testament at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City, was one of two finalists for the presidency announced last month. The other was Michael Moss, dean of the College of Biblical Studies and Behavioral Sciences at OVU.

The trustees of Ohio Valley University in Vienna, W.Va., named Michael Moss and Harold Shank as candidates for president of the 476-student university, associated with Churches of Christ. Moss is the chair of OVU’s School of Biblical Studies and Behavioral Sciences. He served for 23 years on the Bible faculty at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. Shank is professor of Old Testament at Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City. He also serves as The Christian Chronicle’s reviews editor.

As far as Sue “Goldie” Goldcamp is concerned, the only unusual part about being 52 years old and returning to college to play for a women’s golf team is having to carry your own bag 18 holes. “That’s not something I was used to,” Goldcamp said. “I thought it would be more difficult than it was. I’m in good enough shape that I can walk 18 holes and not be dragging in.” Goldcamp will complete her final year of eligibility this weekend as Ohio Valley University travels to Davis, W.Va., to compete in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Meet at Canaan Golf Club.