A hope-filled institution

Dear Friends,

This past July, I attended a conference for Christian college presidents. During our time together, there was robust discussion among the presidents regarding the challenges that lie ahead for higher education institutions—more specifically, for Christian liberal arts schools similar to mbu.

Along the same lines, there was an article written about this subject this past December by Michael Horn, a fellow at the educational think tank Clayton Christensen Institute. In the article, Horn poses this question: “Will half of all colleges really close in the next decade?” It’s a sobering thought and one that catches the attention of any university president. Horn quotes Harvard business school professor Clayton Christensen, who asserts that as many as 50 percent of colleges and universities will close or go bankrupt in the next decade.

His prediction is based on several factors. First, demographics are changing and the pool of 18 year olds is beginning to decline. Secondly, there is a natural pressure in higher education for operational costs to continually increase, such as salary and benefits, facility costs and technology. Add in growing tuition discount rates, and it’s most certainly an uphill battle, Christensen contends.

Today, there are 4,600 public, private and for-profit higher learning institutions in the U.S. While there is not a general consensus among educational leaders that half of these institutions will face bankruptcy or close, Christenson does raise legitimate concerns.

One college president said it this way when describing his own institution: “We have to exit an ocean of sameness and enter a lake of differentiation and, ultimately reside in a pool of distinction.” In the midst of these challenges, what is mbu’s pool of distinction? As a Christian liberal arts university, what do we offer that sets us apart from secular schools that will help ensure we flourish in the days ahead?

Simply stated, we offer hope! And hope is what everyone is searching for in a world full of uncertainty. It’s what our faculty members impart every day to our students in the classroom. mbu has the unique opportunity to provide both an exceptional educational experience and the hope only found in Jesus Christ. So, what does it mean to be a “hope-filled” institution?

First, we must confidently lean into our Christian liberal arts mission and our Baptist identity and never turn from it. This is our clarion call and the message we should shout from the rooftop. What makes us a hope-filled institution is the meaningful investment that our Christian faculty and staff make in students’ lives daily. It prepares mbu students to be redemptive voices in the careers and communities in which they will serve.

This edition of the mbu magazine will reach all 50 states and will arrive in numerous countries across the world— from Brazil to Bulgaria. Today, more than 15,000 alumni are fulfilling the Great Commission around the globe in whatever is their chosen career.

As a Christ-centered University, we enrich our students’ souls and help them to discover a hopeful optimism about their vocational calling and inspire them to a bright future. At our best, mbu offers the hope that is only found in the good news of the gospel. This is what makes this Baptist institution distinct. The world and our students are longing for hope and at mbu we offer that every day. I love the words of the old hymn, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the Solid Rock I stand.”

I am grateful for your support, prayers and for sending students to mbu. This is a great responsibility and one that we do not take lightly. ■

Many Blessings,