Wearing her trademark colorful suit and a pair of perfectly matching earrings, President Emerita Shirley Hoogstra makes her way to D.C.’s bustling Navy Yard, where sleek office buildings tower over the Nationals Park baseball stadium. The morning is loud with sounds of the city—honking cars, sirens, and the street-side conversation of commuters on their way to work—but Shirley barely notices the hubbub. In a time of silent prayer, she stops to appreciate God’s blessings and reflect on her decade of leadership as president of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities.

To say it has been an eventful decade is an understatement. Hoogstra’s indefatigable dedication sparked a legacy that strengthened the CCCU and positioned it as the leading voice of Christian higher education.

Shirley Hoogstra’s service to the CCCU began in the fall of 2014, but her academic foundation in Christian higher education has much earlier roots.

As a graduate of Calvin University, she carried her faith throughout her legal career. Though she was a successful, well-respected attorney, her calling remained in Christian higher education, and she decided to return to her alma mater. Hoogstra believed God led her to apply for the role of vice president of student life, stating that it was an “unrelenting prompting.” In that role, she mentored scores of students, provided resources, and served on the team that redesigned residence hall common spaces.

In a 2022 interview at Grace College, Shirley reflected on that time at Calvin, stating, “nothing is wasted in God’s economy,” as she was able to use her gifts and talents exactly where she was called to be. Her motto of “risk more, pray more, and worry less,” guided her for more than a decade as she helped to shape students’ transformative educational experience at Calvin. She stated that, “God has a chain link, leading to different kinds of experiences that ultimately give you the preparation for the next thing he might want you to do.”

After 15 years in student life at Calvin, God’s economy led her to the CCCU in 2014. She served as its first female president. Shirley’s tenure was marked by a clear focus on advocating for religious liberty, supporting leadership development, increasing the organization’s financial sustainability, and expanding the reach and reputation of the CCCU.

President Emerita Hoogstra shares her story and memories of her time leading the CCCU with Dr. Nathan Hatch, former president of Wake Forest University and author of The Gift of Transformative Leaders (Cambridge University Press, 2024).

Nathan Hatch: Shirley, you’ve been a gracious and transformative leader at the CCCU over the last decade. As you look back, what gives you the greatest sense of satisfaction and accomplishment?

Shirley Hoogstra: Looking back over the span of 10 years, one of the greatest things that stands out to me is witnessing the unity and the love that our CCCU campuses have for each other. There are over 180 institutions in our organization, throughout the U.S. and all around the world. These institutions are Christ-centered first and foremost, and they share a common cause.

Working with Christian colleges and universities through the CCCU has been like discovering an entire garden in all its variety and richness. Before coming to the CCCU, I worked at my alma mater, Calvin University. That was one Christian college, and it was like a beautiful apple tree. When I entered into the CCCU, I could suddenly see not just one apple tree, but the pear tree and the evergreen, all kinds of flora and fauna, and together, all of it creates a complete picture of Christian higher education. I have loved the opportunity to see God’s plan for the advancement of His Kingdom through the unique form and expression of each college.

Hatch: Under your leadership, how has the CCCU worked to strengthen these institutions?

Hoogstra: During this season of the CCCU, we determined to be the leading voice for advocacy. Now we file all sorts of amicus briefs, we lead the Legal & Public Policy Conference, and we form relationships with religious liberty partners. We also decided that the CCCU needed to be able to tell the story of Christian higher education more effectively—to our culture more broadly, to Congress, to business. We receive so many phone calls from people who want to speak about Christian colleges, and they didn’t know where to get all the facts and figures. We have made a tremendous effort forming relationships with media outlets, from The Wall Street Journal to the Washington Post, the New York Times, Deseret News, World Magazine, Christianity Today, and more, helping to give Christian higher education a voice in society.

Hatch: Shirley, you’ve worked with so many college and university leaders. What have you learned about leadership?

Hoogstra: Well, there’s no one kind of president: extroverted, introverted, with a background in finance or student life or academic disciplines. It is a role that requires a combination of skills, a huge dose of humility, and a level of persistence in the face of cascading challenges that is truly a calling.

Hatch: What is the greatest opportunity for Christian colleges and universities today?

Hoogstra: The greatest opportunity for Christian colleges is to be the exemplar for moral education. Faith integration and service learning are so central to Christian higher education, and they provide a model that all of higher education, and the world more broadly, needs now more than ever.

Hatch: During your time in Washington, you’ve also been part of the Washington Higher Education Secretariat, so you’ve had to work with all kinds of different people, some
who would understand Christian colleges and some who wouldn’t. What have you learned about being a Christian operating in the public square?

Hoogstra: First of all, Nathan, that it is so interesting! Figuring out why other people are passionate about what they’re passionate about, finding out what great ideas other people have, it is the perfect opportunity to really delve into what we call common grace. If Christian higher education has more special revelation at its core, we see the world doing so many good things through this concept of common grace.

Being a Christian in the public square provides an opportunity to exercise your faith in its best form. The Bible tells us to love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39), to always be prepared to give the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15), and that kindness leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). So if the most important identifier I wear on my metaphorical name tag is “Christian,” “Jesus lover,” “daughter of the King,” how would a person in the public square recognize that? It is often out of having real respect for the person on the other side of the table.

That Secretariat table seats about 60 other higher education associations, and we all support each other. So many people are doing important things, and we all learn from each other. It’s been invaluable for the CCCU to be at that table.

Hatch: Ten years from now, what are your hopes for the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities and its member institutions?

Hoogstra: In John 13:34, Jesus tells us to love one another. We live in a difficult world today, but it was not easier living in biblical times. People faced all kinds of challenges, including political occupations, health, housing insecurity, tribalism. Yet even in that context, the Bible says, “Love one another.” That’s because love is the antidote for the hatred, the division, the animosity. I would want campuses to continue to love one another and to be known for generosity of spirit—that they would bring forth solutions to the world’s problems.

For the CCCU, I hope that they are even more invaluable to members and their partner organizations. I hope that the CCCU will be salt and light in Washington, D.C., as they continue to advance Christian higher education for the next 100 years, or until the Lord comes again.

Dr. Nathan O. Hatch is president emeritus of Wake Forest University.

Dr. Amanda Staggenborg serves as Chief Communications Officer for the CCCU.