Greenville College Annual Report 2002-03

Message from the President

At Greenville College, we are “lifting our eyes.” Our stance is shifting, leaning into the future. We are building on strong foundations, gathering momentum, extending our horizons….yet always rooted in His promises and relying on Him alone.

  After five years at Greenville College, I look back and marvel at what He has done. Our focus at first was to react to immediate needs, then for another period to focus on building strong institutional systems. But now the time has come to “lift our eyes,” to recast our vision, to let our dreams be enlarged as we imagine what He has in store for us.

  Consider what we have accomplished during the past five years:

• Three successive years of budget surplus….the year ending this past June with a $600,000 positive swing despite a “recession induced” 25 percent reduction in unrestricted giving.
• Five years of steady improvement in both net revenue and cash flow after several years of steady decreases.
• Four new buildings on campus: Tower Apartments and College Avenue Residence…for senior and intermediate students respectively, the Dietzman Center, a new classroom-bookstore-coffee shop, and dedicated just this fall at Homecoming, the V.W. Maves Art Center, with new classrooms, studios, and the Rowland Gallery.
• Four of the top five years of total giving in the history of the College.
• Dramatic improvements to facilities including remodeling, safety improvements, and the closed inner quad with pedestrian circles, improved lighting, and beautiful landscaping.
• A completely redesigned and fully implemented innovative General Education Curriculum that derives straight from the heart of our Christ-centered mission in the liberating arts..
• A semester abroad program in Mozambique and another to launch in St. Louis.
• Two new Master's degree programs and degree completion programs in education, both offered to the adult learner, mostly in partnership with regional community colleges on their campuses. Our partners are applauding our efforts to "take education to the people."
• Funds and plans in place to acquire and renovate 38,000 sq. ft. as a new Music Center
• State-of-the-art, first in the nation, wireless campus computer network.
• 20 percent increase in enrollment, and the recently combined Admissions/Retention offices running hundreds of inquiries ahead of last year and our four year averages already this fall.
• Our comprehensive campaign, “Transforming Lives, Shaping the Future,” ready to launch next spring with $10.8 million already in hand or pledged, including gifts and pledges to eliminate the longstanding internal debt to ourselves of nearly $3 million. The campaign will support many of our dreams, especially for new music facilities and new space for students and for athletics.
• A Christian Leadership Network of over 300 Christian professionals as “new friends” thriving in St. Louis, Chicago, and Indianapolis.

And then consider the future:

• This year we start our New Millennium Commission strategic planning process afresh. With state budgets in free fall, the economic recession still lingering, we believe the desire for an education that is face-to-face, individualized, focused on character, and Christ centered is stronger than ever. With our own state of Illinois in desperate need of teachers, our graduates persist in their careers at nearly twice the state average. The demand for our nationally recognized music program grows more each year. The competition is stiff in marketing ourselves in a day when students lean toward urban institutions with gleaming facilities. But these strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are providing us with the basis we need to “lift our eyes” and imagine the future.

• Our 10 year comprehensive accreditation visit from the North Central Association will come in 2005, so that too energizes us to plan for the future. Our study teams are formed and trained. We are excited to record for ourselves the progress we have made and to be given the opportunity to tell our story.

Each of these three planning efforts causes us to “lift our eyes.”  God has been faithful. He has blessed us. He has brought our feet from miry clay, and set them upon a rock. He has put a new song in our mouth, and by this, we pray others will come to know that Greenville College is His institution. Our commitment to transform students into the image of Christ is stronger than ever. But we rely constantly upon Him for this work. We “lift up our eyes” to the hills….to Him….from whence comes our help.”  Thank you for your part in making His work possible in this place. I hope you share our enthusiasm, and will join us this year in a new phase of that endeavor.

Last updated: January 9, 2004