Hope College Raises $203M in 8-Year, Record-Setting Campaign
Michigan’s Hope College announced it has raised more than $203 million during its “A Greater Hope” fundraising campaign, the largest ever for the school. Launched in 2007, it has created 182 new scholarships, which have already helped 525 students, according to the Holland Sentinel. The campaign also increased the college’s endowment by more than $80 million. Several new development projects have resulted from the campaign, including baseball and softball fields, a soccer stadium, a tennis complex student housing, an engineering center, music center, art museum and a new student center currently under construction. The funds raised includes $24 million raised specifically for the “Hope Fund,” which provides support for operations from campus maintenance to supplies for classrooms and labs.
The C12 Group and Letourneau University Partner to Further Integrate Faith and Business
LeTourneau University has established a partnership with the C12 Group, a leading Christian CEO roundtable organization, which will allow C12 members and employees access to undergrad and graduate programs at the university, while connecting current students with C12 members who lead established, faith-focused companies. C12 companies and LETU faculty will also have the opportunity to engage in research projects for specific company challenges or growth opportunities. C12 members who enroll will be presented courses in a C12 members-only cohort model, which will allow instructors to tailor examples and content to these students, according to a news release.
Christianity is Not Declining in America, Baylor University Professors Say
At a panel discussion on religion at the National Press Club Nov. 10, professors from Baylor University’s Institute for Religion Studies argued religion is actually stronger than ever in America, contrary to many reports in the media. Though polls show many have left the faith affiliation in which they were raised, Baylor scholars argue this does not mean they have left Christianity altogether. In fact, the increase of denominations and church membership indicates the opposite. They also argue that “nones” — those who do not affiliate with a particular religion — does not necessarily translate to atheists. J. Gordon Melton says while the population of the U.S. has more than doubled, church membership has more than quadrupled, the Christian Post reports.
Academic Quality of Incoming Students Continues to Climb at Liberty University
The freshman class of 2015 at Liberty University not only raised the school’s residential population above 14,000 for the first time with more than 4,000 incoming students, but also made history as one of the most academically advanced freshman classes in the school’s history, according to the school’s website. Compared to the incoming freshmen in 2014, the university saw SAT scores rise by 18 points to a mid-range of 950-1170 and ACT scores by .3 percent to a mid-range of 20-26. High school GPAs were also up, increasing .7 percent to a mid-range of 3.17-3.85. Additionally, Liberty saw an increase in the number of students enrolled in its honors program as well as a record number of National Merit students, up 41 percent over 2014.
