Dr. James Glen Beggs, Ph.D. was born in Upland, California in 1945 when you could see the orange groves all the way up to a snowcapped Mount Baldy.

Dr. Beggs was raised between Iowa and California. In California he attended Pomona High School in Pomona, Chaffey High School in Ontario, then graduated from Davis County High School in Bloomfield, Iowa. He very much enjoyed his time as an operating technician at Davis County Hospital for a number of years.

In 1973 Dr. Beggs made a life-changing decision. Some of his friends at the time would say, “he got religion.” But, in reality, he recognized his need for a personal relationship with God through faith in Christ. He grew in his faith throughout his life primarily because of God’s grace and his wife, Kriss, whom he credited with teaching him steadfast and unconditional love.

Dr. Beggs attended Baptist Bible College graduating with a degree in Music amd Theology in 1975. That is where he met and married his wife Kriss Alene Badovinatz. They lived in Missouri, Louisiana, Florida and Arizona. They have two daughters Heather R. Beauchamp of Chicago, Ill. and Anna B. Banks of Dunfermline, Scotland. In addition, He was grandparent to Brookelyn and Thatcher Beauchamp of Chicago.

He received his Master’s degree in Performance Studies and Rhetoric in 1978 from Southwest Missouri State University. In 1982 he graduated with his Ph.D. in Humanities and Communication Studies from Louisiana State University. He taught at BBC in Springfield, Missouri for 10 years, at Miami Christian College later Trinity International University in Miami, Florida 17 years, and during his 15-year tenure at Grand Canyon University he served as Professor of Humanities and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

A sustaining member of the National Communication Association Dr. Beggs had participated in more than 25 convention programs and presentations.

Dr. Beggs spent three summers as Visiting Professor of Communication at the International University, Vienna, Austria. In addition, he taught conversational English at Shanghai Teachers Normal University in Shanghai, China and at the East-West Foundation in Rabat, Morocco.

Dr. Beggs has participated in, or lead, lay-mission groups serving the needs of people in Austria, Germany, China, Venezuela, Honduras, France, and Morocco.

He served as Assistant to Head of Volunteers at the Lipton International Tennis Championships for eight years.

Dr. Beggs lived with his wife of 50+ years in Fountain Hills, AZ where they are members of Scottsdale Bible Church - Fountain Hills. Their lives together have been a testimony to Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

He was the first person in my family to complete a college degree. In 1975 and graduated from Baptist Bible College with a major in Music Theory and Theology. He completed a Master of Arts degree in Rhetoric and Theatre at Southwest Missouri State University, and in 1982 and got his Ph.D. in Communication Studies at Louisiana State University.

He graduated with minors in Literature in Performance, Literary Criticism, Radio, Television and Film, and Rhetoric.