25 Aug HU Surpasses Goal by $22 Million!

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, president of Huntington University, speaking at a press conference about the Step Forward campaign.

Huntington University set out to raise $34 million, and ended up raising over $56 million! HU made the announcement earlier this week.

In 2014, as the Huntington University Board of Trustees looked toward the schools 125th anniversary in 2022, they approved Step Forward, a comprehensive campaign to raise $34 million, the largest campaign in University history.

“For those of us in the room when that was decided, that was a large goal and frankly, a pretty daunting one,” said Tom Clounie, Advancement Committee chair. “And it had a ticking clock on it. We knew this campaign was intended to wrap up in 2022 as part of the University’s 125th birthday year.”

That $34 million figure included funding for six capital projects, nine new academic program launches, and growing the endowment and scholarship funds. Seeing how well things were going, the trustees upped the goal to $40 million in the fall of 2019.

Capital Projects
When this campaign launched in 2014, only six capital projects were on the University’s radar. But the University has gone well beyond that. Below are the capital projects which have been completed since 2014.

• New occupational therapy labs ($75K).
• Renovations at HU Arizona to create space for an entire occupational therapy program location ($125K).
• The reconfiguration of the Nursing Lab in the Dowden Science Hall ($300K).
• Forest Glen baseball field renovations and new turf project ($1.3M).
• The reimagination of the student center (known as the HUB) ($4.3M).
• The construction of the Welcome Center as part of the Merillat Centre for the Arts ($800K).
• The Ware Plant Science Production Facility addition to Dowden Science Hall ($500K)
• The construction of the Don Strauss Animal Science Education Center ($1.2M).
• The creation of the esports competition lab ($35K).
• The updates to the sand volleyball court and construction of the pavilion ($50K).
• The UB Launch renovation ($100K).

Endowment
$5.8 million has been added to the University endowment. That’s over $1.8 million more than the goal. The overall endowment during the campaign years (2014-2022) has increased by 50%.

New Academic Programs

• $3.8 million has been invested in launching five new academic programs, including.
• The Doctoral Program in Occupational Therapy — one of the first in the country.
• The Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy assistant — the first in the country.
• The Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.
• The Master of Business Administration degree.
• 12 degree programs in agriculture.

Academic Upgrades

• Nearly $1.2 million has been invested in academic upgrades and improvements, including:
• Additional academic classroom resources ($250K).
• Anatomage Tables ($300K).
• Agriculture tractors/trucks/equipment ($400K).
• Technology ($200K).

Investing in People

• Scholarships. $4.3 million has been raised toward the Forester Fund, HU’s student scholarship fund, which provides financial assistance for over 90% of the University’s traditional undergraduate students. Every dollar raised for that Fund goes directly toward student scholarships. Since 2014, overall enrollment has increased by 12.7%.
• Employees. $4.8 million has been invested in personnel and employee compensation.

“The results of this campaign allow HU to move forward faster to accomplish the mission God has called us to do,” said Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, president of Huntington University. “God’s faithfulness to the University through challenging times and a global pandemic is beyond evident in this campaign, not only in the capital projects completed and the dollars raised, but more importantly in the lives impacted. Nearly 400 additional graduates earned HU degrees as a direct result of this campaign. That’s a powerful statement to the steps of faith taken by so many since 2014.”

17 Feb HU Offering Degree in Electrical Engineering

Huntington University will begin an undergraduate Electrical Engineering program in the Fall of 2022 through the University of North Dakota. Check out the video below to hear from Dr. Jeff Lehman, Associate Dean of the Sciences and Professor of Computer Science, about this exciting opportunity for future Foresters! For more information about Huntington University’s Electrical Engineering program, go here.

16 Nov HU Day of Giving: Thursday November 18

Thursday, November 18, is the annual Huntington University Day of Giving. Every gift goes toward student scholarships. Day of Giving is all about helping current and future students experience HU. They’ve arranged a variety of matching grants to make your gift go further. For more information and to donate, go to www.huntington.edu/DayOfGiving.

05 Oct Paul Hirschy Receives HU Distinguished Alumni Citation

Congratulations to Bishop Paul Hirschy! On October 1, Huntington University awarded him the Distinguished Alumni Citation, a “lifetime achievement” award which recognizes exceptional service over an extended period of time.

Paul graduated from HU in 1968, where he served on the student senate for four years and was study body president. He then went on to a lifetime of ministry in the United Brethren church, which included:

• 9 years as pastor of Park UB church in Bluffton, Ind.
• 4 years (1978-1981) managing the denominational printshop in Huntington, Ind.
• 20 years (1981-2001) as the elected Director of Church Services at the UB national office.
• 4 years (2001-2005) as bishop of the US National Conference.
• 7 years (2005-2012) working as a development officer at Huntington University.

Since 2012, Paul has served as an associate pastor of College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind.

The award was presented on Friday night, October 1, as part of the 2021 Huntington University Homecoming.

30 Jun Job Opening: Campus Pastor at Huntington University

Huntington University has an opening for a Campus Pastor. This is a fulltime position with benefits. The campus pastor is responsible for fostering the spiritual formation of students. Under the direction and leadership of the VP for Spiritual Formation, the campus pastor will oversee day-to-day ministry programs and outreach experiences including worship, student discipleship, chapel programming, and small groups.

Qualifications

• Growing Christian with a track record of discipleship and accountability relationships.
• A ministry/theological graduate degree or its equivalent.
• Licensed or ordained UB minister. If not licensed/ordained through the UB denomination, willing to transfer license/ordination to the UBIC.
• A minimum of three to five years of successful full-time pastoral leadership in a university ministry or church setting.
• A deeply held sense of calling to ministry with college-age students in an intellectual community.
• Gifted in spiritual counseling, preaching, creative worship, discipleship and small group ministries.
• Understanding of and commitment to the goals and character of Huntington University.
• Evangelical in theological orientation, in general accord with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ’s Confession of Faith and willing to become a member of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

To apply, send cover letter, resume, and STAFF application to Human Resource Office, Huntington University, 2303 College Avenue, Huntington, IN 46750 or by email to employment@huntington.edu.

Staff application and job description may be found here. :

Huntington University is an equal opportunity employer.

31 Mar Obituary: Charles Brady, HU Business Professor for 27 Years

Charles Brady, 99, a business professor at Huntington University for 27 years (1958-1986), passed away Monday, March 29, 2021. He held the title of Associate Professor Emeritus of Business and Economics.

During his time in the Department of Business, the department grew from three graduates in 1959 to comprise about one fourth of the student body by the time he retired. He always had a “deep conviction for the need of committed Christian business graduates.”

Visitation: 1-4 pm Saturday, April 3, 2021.
Location: Myers Funeral Home Huntington Chapel, 2901 Guilford St., Huntington, IN 46750.l
Memorial Service: Friday, April 16, 2021.
Service location: College Park UB church (Huntington, Ind.).

Charles was born in Missouri in 1922. He enlisted in the US Armed Forced in 1942–his senior year of college–and served for three years in Hawaii, Okinawa, and Korea. Following his honorable discharge as a sergeant, he returned to Northwest Missouri State University to receive his degree in business administration. Mr. Brady then went on to teach business, earn his Master of Arts degree from Northern Colorado University, and became superintendent of a small high school in Kansas.

He taught high school for six years and spent seven years as superintendent of school in Kansas. Then, in 1959, Huntington University president Dr. Elmer Becker recruited him to come teach at Huntington.

Charles and Doris Brady were married in 1947. They were longtime members of College Park UB church in Huntington. They both served the church in various ways over the years. Charles also represented the church as a delegate to Central Annual Conference and served on the conference finance committee. After retiring from the college in 1986, he served as interim camp director for Camp Cotubic (Belfontaine, Ohio) and Camp Living Waters (Luther, Mich.). Doris passed away in November 2019. They are survived by a son and daughter.

“Charles Brady provided a clear example of Christ, scholarship and service to the community at Huntington University,” said Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, current president of HU. “He and his wife, Doris, were loyal supporters of all things Huntington and were seen many years after their retirements as faithful attendees in support of student and staff events. We are forever blessed by Mr. Brady’s love for his students and the Forester Family.”

19 Nov Day of Giving for Huntington University

Today is the Huntington University Day of Giving. They set a goal of $100,000, which will go toward student scholarships. As of 9:30 am, $38,000 had been given. They keep a real-time running total of the gifts, so you can check throughout the day.

The Day of Giving page includes a map of the United States. The first gift in every state unlocks an additional $300, and that state is turned from gray to Forester green. As of 9:30 am, just six states were green–Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, and Idaho. The goal is to turn every state green (and claim that $300 for each turned state).

Another 16 states have United Brethren churches. It would be great for all of those states to be green by the end of the day.

16 Nov HU Opens New Don Strauss Animal Science Education Center

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb cuts the ribbon for the building.

The Don Strauss Animal Science Education Center

HU President Dr. Sherilyn Emberton speaking at the dedication.

Inside the 10,000-square-foot center.

Huntington University held a ribbon-cutting for the new Don Strauss Animal Science Education Center on Monday afternoon, November 16. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb did the honors with some very large scissors.

Construction began in early 2020. The building, located along Route 24 just down from the soccer field, is named in honor of the late Don Strauss, founder of Strauss Veal Feeds and Midwest Poultry Services in North Manchester, Ind. The 10,000-square-foot building will house many of the key livestock elements of HU’s agriculture degrees, including large flexible pen space and a classroom. The adaptable space will be equipped to host a variety of livestock to allow students up-close and personal hands-on learning experiences.

Huntington University’s Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies was launched in 2014. It promotes a Christian perspective on agriculture, which recognizes a responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation and to examine questions of sustainability and justice.

Areas of specialization:

1. Agribusiness (Animal Production, Communications & Public Policy, Crop Production, Economics & Finance, Entrepreneurial Small Business Management. Management, Marketing, Ministry & Missions).
2. Agricultural Education
3. Animal Science
4. Crop Science & Agronomy
5. Pre-Veterinary

The institute welcomed its first students in the fall of 2015. As of this fall, over 50 students are pursuing degrees in the agriculture industry.

30 Sep New Enrollment Record for Huntington University

It may be the Year of Covid, but Huntington University has set a new enrollment record: 1,402 students, up from 1,393 the previous year. That includes students at the two Indiana campuses (Huntington and Fort Wayne) and at the campus in Peoria, Ariz. Enrollment hit 1300 back in 2016.

For the 8th consecutive year, the number of ethnic minorities from the United States has increased. They now make up 16% of the Huntington University population.

Also, for the fifth consecutive year, the number of states represented has increased. HU students now come from 34 different states.

Says HU President Sherilyn Emberton, “Our entire campus community, at all three geographic locations, worked diligently through the pandemic recess to offer the residential educational experience for our students in the fall of 2020.”

11 Sep Obituary: Dr. Carl Zurcher, Prof at Huntington University 39 Years

Dr. Carl Zurcher

Dr. Carl Zurcher, professor emeritus of speech, beloved teacher, and theatre director to hundreds of Huntington University students, passed to his eternal reward on September 11, 2020. He taught at Huntington University for 39 years, starting in 1950.

Born on a farm near Berne, Indiana, to Fred F. and Martha (Valentine) Zurcher, Carl graduated as valedictorian from Geneva High School. He began his college education at Huntington University (then College) in 1942 but was interrupted by World War II, where he served with the 104th Infantry (Timberwolf) Division in Holland, France. Returning to HU after the war, he began dating Mabel (Alpaugh) Thompson his senior year and graduated with a degree in speech and history in 1948. He taught at Huntington Township High School for a year and completed a master’s degree at Northwestern University.

In 1950, a position opened in the Speech Department at HU, and Zurcher stated that he “was flattered to be invited to teach at his alma mater.” He accepted the position and began a lifelong devotion to Huntington University, where he taught for 39 years. After completing his first year of teaching at Huntington he married Mabel Thompson in 1951, a marriage of mutual devotion that lasted until her death in 2018. The Zurchers have two daughters, Beverly Ann (Dan) Brauchler and Carla Jeanne Zurcher, both Huntington alumni.

Among the many positions and chairmanships Zurcher held at the institution was his service as registrar from 1953 to 1964 and chair of the Division of Humanities and Bible from 1965 until his retirement. Zurcher was one of the principle faculty members who worked tenaciously for national accreditation in 1961. Zurcher often cited this as one of the highlights of his service to Huntington University. One of the leading members of the faculty, he was always spoken of highly by his colleagues. Dr. Gerald Smith described him as “teacher … exemplar” and “persuasive” in faculty meetings. Dr. William Hasker states, “He was there with a lot of wisdom and judgement, and he would always take the time to work through the problem.”

The impact he had on students was immeasurable. Many have commented on his excellent abilities in teaching and directing, but most of his former students have reflected on the impact this humble Christian gentleman had on their lives. Phrases such as “elegance of wisdom and patience,” “cherished his counsel always and his friendship,” “unconditional love and integrity,” and “taught me my work ethic and my high standards” are just a few of the accolades of those former students who looked up to Dr. “Z” as a mentor and friend. Perhaps former Vice President for University Relations John Paff said it best…“Oh, what a true Christian gentleman! He embodied the values and virtues of Huntington College, modeling ‘Christ, Scholarship, and Service’ to generations of HC and HU students.”

During his years at Huntington University, Dr. Zurcher was recognized many times for his talent and contribution. He was elected four times by the student body as Professor of the Year, received the Alumnus of the Year Award in 1974, was awarded a Centennial Medallion in 1996 and received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree in 1989. In 2005, the University further paid tribute to Dr. Zurcher by naming the auditorium in the Merillat Centre for the Arts in his honor.

Dr. Carl Zurcher’s life and work can best be summed up with the verses from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”