The new headquarters for It Is Written will officially open on Nov. 22 at 9340 Four Corners Place, Collegedale, Tennessee. The headquarters will feature wider spaces and a larger staff than the previous building. The grand opening will include a ribbon cutting and speakers such as It Is Written President John Bradshaw and representatives from Southern Adventist University.
For over 60 years, It Is Written has produced evangelistic media in an attempt to spread the Gospel around the world. They develop television programs and provide opportunities for Southern students to intern and grow within their respective fields. Specifically, students get to learn more about video production and editing, according to junior broadcast-journalism major Hannah D’Avanzo. However, despite the position not relating directly to her career, it ties in closely with real-world experience that may prove useful in the future.
“I want to be a reporter one day,” D’Avanzo said. “But this is also a part of it. As a journalist, you have to be able to edit your own videos. It’s helped me with my future career, but it’s not necessarily what I want to do in the long run.”
Prior to August, over local workers of It Is Written would commute to Bonny Oaks to work in rented office spaces. Currently, however, the new building allows closer access and will include two film studios, conference rooms, gym, and eating areas. Despite this staff, there are few workers producing the Spanish version of It Is Written, Escrito Esta. Mass communication and media production senior Kehiry Castillo had the opportunity to translate and write blogs for that ministry. Despite the smaller staff, they produce similar types of devotionals, Q and As, and sermons as the English version.
“It was very challenging,” Castillo said. “I had my supervisor come up to me and say ‘I need you to produce some spots for the program with Pastor Acosta’. So I had to come up with the idea, find footage, edit it, find someone to do voiceover.”
According to Human Resources and Treasurer of It Is Written Charles Reel, a majority of the staff are graduates from Southern Adventist University. However, due to the old building being located in California, it was difficult to obtain employees since the cost of living over there is much higher.
“We thought it would be better to move to a place with more affordable housing,” Reel said. “We [also] decided on Chattanooga for better access to volunteers, better access to employees and we are also going to start a program with Southern Adventist University, so we want to be closer to that partnership.”
