Thanks, Team

Dr. Robert Knowles, Vice President for Advancement

As a sports fan, I enjoy watching my favorite teams play on television, and as a parent I’ve taken my place on the sidelines or in the bleachers many times and watched my kids compete. I’ve learned that successful teams rally around the common goal of winning. The Apostle Paul reinforces this by talking about earthly training and competition and pressing toward winning the heavenly prize (Philippians 3). Paul was “in it to win it” and he surrounded himself with teams in ministry to succeed at spreading the good news.

When we think about “winning” and “teamwork” at Crandall University, it is more than goals or points scored as our Chargers step onto the field or the court, compete on the course or in the ring. We want all of our students to win not just at athletics but at life – their careers, their character, their relationships with others and with God. For some, this is the continuation of a journey built on a firm foundation provided by their family, for others it is a new start, and for every student it is a work in progress.

For employees of the University, winning means rallying together around our mission to see lives transformed. We want to give our students the tools they need to be successful in the classroom and in the years following graduation. Our professors are committed to integrating the Christian faith with their disciplines, and our staff supplement that by committing to the mission in their own individual ways with their gifts. We rely on each other to get the job done and bring honor to the Lord (Colossians 1:18b).

We are excited to see growth in the lives of our students and hear of our alumni excelling in their fields – education, business, law, medicine, ministry, missions, politics – wherever God leads them. We cheer them on and thank God for the opportunity that has been ours to coach and encourage them toward their desired goals. Many of you reading this do not work at Crandall and maybe you did not attend here as a student, but you do support us financially. You are also a part of the Crandall team – helping us as staff and faculty do our part to fulfil our mission as we help our students reach their educational goals. Since we do not receive government funding, we rely on the financial support of our donors to keep our students’ costs reasonable. We also rely on our support base to promote Crandall to potential students. Don’t underestimate the importance of those investments!

When I give financial support to Crandall University or another ministry or cause I believe in it, I’m saying in essence: “I support you; I believe in what you are doing, and I want to see you succeed. I want to be on the team and I like to hear stories of how my gift is working toward a bigger goal!”

This magazine is all about this. Celebrate the wins, team! Great things are happening at Crandall University.

Dr. Robert Knowles (’89) has served as Vice President for Advancement since 2012. He is married to Crystal (Huxter) (’92, ’16), and they are parents of two Crandall graduates and two current students.