LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
I am proud of Mars Hill University! We have operated through a pandemic which is now stretching into its 13th month. As we have hung in together through a turbulent year of unrest and uncertainty in our country, our university is charging forward into a bright future. We have just closed out a record-breaking Day4MHU with approximately $261,000 raised in 24 hours; we welcomed 73 new students to Mars Hill over the winter break; we increased our student retention by 3.5% this academic year; and we exceeded our spring enrollment goal by 40 students. We are planning and dreaming of the concept of building a new campus center and doing significant improvements to our core campus. We have upgraded apartments on campus, constructed a new health center, installed new athletic playing surfaces, renovated our student fitness center and student game room, and we are installing air conditioning into Huffman Residence Hall this summer. Our momentum has been exhilarating! As you look across the country you can see the toll that the pandemic has brought to many campuses. We have been blessed so far. We have not accepted the common narrative that the pandemic must wreak economic havoc on all campuses. It has been challenging but we are persevering in a Mars Hill way! We have kept the campus open and the students are doing well with precautions and showing a lot of determination and grit. I am so proud of the way our student body, faculty, staff, and community responded when times were at their toughest. Although it has been difficult, it has pushed all to become stronger and make strides towards more modernized ways of delivering class content, accommodating different situations, and all the while continuing to foster student engagement and connection. You are a big part of our incredible momentum. You are the backbone and part of a solid core of our institution. We feel your prayers, appreciate your gifts, and love your posts and tweets on social media and your notes of encouragement. Mars Hill is a place that is spectacular. It is also a place where young people can come to find a place to belong, as many of you have done. It is a place to live up to your potential and most importantly, it is a place to find your purpose, your life’s calling. Thank you for the tremendous support. We are working hard to make you proud. We are looking forward to a day very soon where you can come back and celebrate our momentum with us! Sincerely,
Tony Floyd, J.D. President 4 Mars Hill, the Magazine | Spring 2021
