Sue Bennett College

When the Woman's Department of Church Extension was created by the Southern Methodist General Conference in 1886, Sue Bennett was appointed the Corresponding Secretary from Kentucky.

As an appointed member of the Society's Central Committee, Sue Bennett began the work to establish a school in the southeastern Kentucky mountains.

Her younger sister, Isabel "Belle" Harris Bennett (1852–1922) took her place on the Central Committee and, appointed as the Superintendent of Mountain Work, began the process of establishing the school.

Bennett continued with fundraising: they built eight cottages on campus (each with a mother or older sister as housekeeper) and first a dormitory for girls (named in honor of Miss Lucinda Helm, an early proponent of women missionary work).

A new president, Paul Bunnell, was elected in the fall of 1991 and added four new sports programs for the following season: football, men's soccer, women's volleyball and cross country.

[2] The athletic programs (nicknamed the "Dragons") were to be hosted off-campus; they were projected to add 50 students without increasing administrative costs, but the enrollment growth never came.

[2] In June 1997, its accreditation was recommended for removal due to a lack of educational resources, technology and guidelines, an unclear institutional purpose and poor finances.

The appeal was based on SBC's pending litigation versus the Eastern District of Kentucky to have the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools reinstate its accreditation.

The campus at the time was being used for by Laurel County Adult Education, Sunrise Children's Services, and Connect Church, and one of the dormitories was reused as an apartment complex.

Hayes’ goals were to reuse the Administration Building for an antique store, and for an alumni suite, clear out Helm Hall of its dormitory supplies, and secure the Belle Bennett Auditorium.