CCCU Welcomes Five New Institutions

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) is pleased to welcome five new members to its expansive network of Christian colleges and universities across the globe:

• Clarks Summit University (Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania)
  • Clarks Summit University has prepared Christ-centered, career-ready graduates who strengthen the church and influence society around the world for more than 80 years. As a private Christian college that embraces its Baptist convictions, Clarks Summit University aspires to be a community of individuals who love and serve God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and who love their neighbor as themselves.
• Concordia University Chicago (River Forest, Illinois)
  • Concordia University Chicago’s mission is to promote academic rigor in its liberal arts and professional programs; ground students in objective truth, integrity, and excellence; and practice faithfulness to the Confessional teachings of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, as it forms students for vocations in church, family, and the world.
• Northrise University (Ndola, Zambia)
  • Northrise University’s mission is equipping its students to become skilled and relevant professionals, ministers, and leaders who will have a lasting impact in their communities. By providing learning opportunities that enhance critical thinking, discipline, personal responsibility, character development, and sacrifice, students are inspired to achieve excellence and lay hold of their future.
• Tunghai University (Taichung City, Taiwan)
  • With a university motto of “Truth, Faith, and Deeds,” Tunghai University’s goal is to produce graduates who not only possess knowledge in their fields of expertise, critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and interpersonal communications skills, but who are also confident, responsible graduates with high moral and ethical standards, have appreciation in arts and humanity, and are socially aware of the needs of society.
• Wayland Baptist University (Plainview, Texas)
  • Wayland Baptist University is dedicated to providing an innovative education informed by a Christian worldview. Its mission is to educate students in an academically challenging, learning-focused, and distinctively Christian environment for professional success and service to God and humankind.

“We are thankful to be part of CCCU,” says James R. Lytle, president of Clarks Summit University. “Over these next months, we are looking forward to the chance to collaborate with like-minded schools who want to extend the reach of the Gospel through higher education. Other national organizations may understand the general needs of higher education in 2021, but CCCU understands the needs of Christian colleges in our society’s future. CCCU also understands the great value of Christian colleges for American higher education. It’s a privilege to be part of a group like this.”

“Concordia University Chicago is excited to join a broad network of peer institutions that share our strong dedication to providing students with transformative, Christ-centered educational experiences,” says Russell P. Dawn, president of Concordia University Chicago. “We look forward to working together—with a common purpose—to innovate and set success benchmarks while we continue to make the case for our meaningful work in the public sphere. As we navigate the political and cultural challenges of the contemporary world, the CCCU’s community of mutual support will ensure that we are able to share the Gospel faithfully in our service to students and the wider world.”

“Northrise University is committed to the idea that human flourishing can best be achieved by offering a Christ-centered education that encourages a love of God and a love of learning. We want our graduates to be men and women of faith with the courage and confidence to be a transforming influence within society,” says Moffat Zimba, president of Northrise University. “Our affiliation with the CCCU expresses our desire to be part of the larger world of Christian higher education so that together we may become more effective and resilient. We count it a joy to be able to collaborate with like-minded institutions and look forward to working together in honor of our God.”

“Tunghai University (THU) is proud of be part of the CCCU, as we have been a center and active partner in providing leadership for Christian higher education in Asia,” says Mao-Jiun Wang, president of Tunghai University. “THU continues to promote, lead, host, and financially support both the Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA) as well as Taiwan Christian Universities and Colleges Alliance (TaiCUCA). There is much to be done for the future of Christian higher education in Asia, especially amongst the Chinese diaspora. THU stands ready as a beacon for the best of Chinese Christian higher education. We look forward to fruitful and creative collaborations with the CCCU and to engaging the international Christian higher education community as a CCCU member.”

“A true nexus exists between the missions of Wayland and CCCU as we both strive to advance the cause of Christ in everything we do,” says Bobby L. Hall, president of Wayland Baptist University. “Our membership brings to Wayland a broad spectrum of resources and opportunities benefiting Wayland’s students and employees. It is extremely important today to be affiliated with like-minded institutions, and CCCU is the premier global association for Christians in higher education to join in sharing the resources and strength that are so important. We are honored to again be a member of CCCU.”

The CCCU Board of Directors approved the new members at its January 2021 meeting. Together, these institutions join more than 180 Christian institutions around the globe, including more than 150 in the U.S. and Canada and more than 30 from an additional 19 countries, that make up the CCCU.

For a full list of CCCU institutions, visit cccu.org/members_and_affiliates.