29 Sep November 13: Come to America’s Best Hope Event at HU

America’s Best Hope is about building godly leaders in the marketplace–men and women hungry to grow and lead spiritually, professionally, and personally. On November 13, you’re invited to Huntington University to view a simulcast of the 4th annual America’s Best Hope conference occurring live in Indianapolis. HU is one of 16 simulcast locations across the country.

A line-up of world class speakers–including the presidents of Tyson Foods and Hobby Lobby, Christian writer Lee Strobel, and comedian Michael Jr.– will address what defines a godly leader and how to practically integrate faith and vocation.

Past speakers have included Francis Chan, coaches Tony Dungy and Tom Crean, and Dr. John Townsend from Huntington University’s Townsend Institute.

Date: Friday, November 13.
Time: 8am – 4 pm (doors open at 7am).
Location: Merillat Centre for the Arts at Huntington University.
Cost: $29. Includes lunch in the newly-renovated Habecker Dining Commons at HU.

21 Sep HU Enrollment at 1273

The official numbers have been released for fall 2015 enrollment at Huntington University. It is the largest enrollment over the past five years, with a 5 percent increase from 2014.

The numbers are as follows:

• Residential Campus Undergrads – 934.
• Professional Programs – 78.
• Graduate Students – 261 (+126 from 2014).
• Total Enrollment – 1273 (+64 from 2014).

There also are 47 international students, which is an increase from 38 students in 2014. With the launch of the Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies, there are 16 agribusiness majors, 12 of whom are first-time freshmen. Another area to note is that there are 32 new students in the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program for a total of 64 students.

The growth in the Graduate programs was fueled by the second entering class of doctoral Occupational Therapy students, the development of the Master’s in Organizational Leadership, and the launch of the Townsend Institute.

10 Sep Record Number of International Students for HU

The 2015-2016 school year is a record year for international student enrollment at Huntington University. There are a total of 47 international students representing 24 different countries. Of those, 23 students are new this year.

International students are considered to be any student coming from outside the United States. They may be students with international citizenship or students who are U.S. citizens living abroad.

International students help “broaden the worldview of our entire campus community,” says Daniel Solms (right), vice president for enrollment management & marketing. “Engaging with students from Europe, Asia, South America, etc. allows our students, as well as faculty and staff, to better understand the world we live in, helping us to become better at relating to others and assisting with world concerns.”

Shoshannah McKinney (right), as the international admissions counselor for the past three years, carries specific responsibility for international recruitment. Previously, international admissions was absorbed by other admissions counselors; no one person was focused on recruiting and supporting those students. “My sole region or territory is focused on international students, so I can give those prospective students a lot more focus and attention and walk them through the process, which is much different than that of a domestic student.”

During the past three years, she has seen a steady enrollment rise from 37 to the current 47 international students. She works part-time in that role, while also serving as associate director of the Institute for TESOL Studies.

Huntington University has gained international students through athletic recruitment, word-of-mouth from alumni, and the HU website. HU has also had a focused recruitment effort in China for the past three years, capitalizing on HU’s existing partnerships with schools and individuals in China, and on McKinney’s own experience living in China.

There were no Chinese student at HU during the 2011-2012 academic year, and hadn’t been any for several years. But over the past three years, HU has had:

• 8 fulltime Chinese students.
• 22 Chinese university students.
• 12 Chinese high school students visit HU for one month during January Term.

To better serve these students, HU expanded the international orientation program. They started an international mentor program and are exploring ways for students to practice English.

This year’s new Intensive English Program will enable HU to accept students who need additional tutoring and support with the English language before they begin their classes.

Having this international population, says McKinney, “brings the world to HU in a sense and allows our domestic students, faculty and staff a cross-cultural experience right here. This better prepares them to go into the world to be all things to all people and to be loving and compassionate representatives of Christ.”

03 Sep Second Free Symposium for the Townsend Institute

About 400 people attended the first Symposium for the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling on August 29. It was a great way to kick off this major new program at Huntington University. Participants received top-tier leadership and counseling training by Dr. Townsend (right) and several of his colleagues and fellow authors.

A second Symposium will be held later this month:

Date: Friday, September 18.
Time: 8:30 am – 5 pm.
Location: Merillat Centre for the Arts, Huntington University.
Cost: Free.

On Friday, September 18, Huntington University will host the second Symposium for the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling. Dr. Townsend will be joined by these Institute Fellows, either in person or by video:

• Ray Hilbert, CEO and co-founder of Truth at Work, an association which helps Christian business leaders build strong organizations.
• Richard Halderman, CEO of Teays River Investments, a food and agribusiness company with over 1,200 employees.
• Daniel Amen, M.D., psychiatrist, brain disorder specialist, best-selling author, founder of the Amen Clinics.
• John Baker, co-founder of Celebrate Recovery with Rick Warren, on pastoral staff at Saddleback Church, popular author.
• Jim Daly, President and CEO of Focus on the Family, and popular author, including the book Finding Home.

Although this training event is free, but you will need to register.

Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) are available through the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) for two presentations (one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon). The cost is $25 per hour ($50 for 2 hours total). Check the schedule for more specific information about CEUs. You must preregister and pay for CEUs prior to the event.

There is limited seating for a luncheon with Dr. Townsend, the Institute Fellows and Faculty. It will include a Q&A period.

26 Jul August 29 Free Training Event to Launch Townsend Institute

Dr. John Townsend

Huntington University’s Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling is kicking off its first year by hosting an opening training event on August 29.

Registration for the event begins at 8:00 a.m. in the Merillat Centre for the Arts, with the welcome starting at 8:30 a.m.

New York Times best-selling author Dr. John Townsend will give counseling and leadership training on his Character-Plus-Competency model in the morning. It will be followed by a luncheon at College Park Church, 1945 College Ave., Huntington. Townsend will speak on both topics again in the afternoon. The day ends at 5 pm with a meet-and-greet with Townsend, faculty, and Institute Fellows.

Townsend has assembled a few of his colleagues to be Institute Fellows, who are experts in their field and a few bestselling authors, to add value to Institute students. Institute Fellows Dr. Gary Oliver, Dave Lindsey, Wayne Williams, and Steve Arterburn will speak live at the opening event. The other five speakers–Kenneth Blanchard, Drs. John and Julie Gottman, Dr. Henry Cloud, and John Ortberg–have each created a special video to be shown at the event.

“We are really excited that we can bring such world-class leaders to Huntington University to train not only our students in the Townsend Institute but area leaders,” said Scott Makin, Director of the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling.

This is the first of monthly training events that will take place through the Townsend Institute. Upcoming events will take place on September 18, October 23, December 11, January 22, February 26, March 11, April 29, and May 12.

There is no charge to attend the opening event. However, reservations are required. There is a $12 charge for the luncheon, and seating is limited to the first 200. Reservations and pre-payments are required by Monday, August 24.

The first of its kind, the Townsend Institute offers degree programs based on his Character-Plus-Competency model. The curriculum is biblically based, addresses the internal world of the leader and client, and uses the latest neuroscience research. It focuses on training the adult learner to help others grow and heal in the personal, relational, behavioral, and professional aspects of life. It is designed to be practical and skill-based, allowing the student to become a practitioner who is competent both in theory and technique.

The Institute offers a Master’s in counseling, a Master’s in organizational leadership, and credentials in executive coaching, counseling, and organizational leadership. More than just learning the Townsend model, students in the programs will also be personally taught by Townsend. He will lead sessions that demonstrate the different modules from his character growth model. The program is offered onsite at the Huntington and Fort Wayne campuses, as well as online.

“Dr. Townsend and I have been so excited by the overwhelming response to the programs that the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling is offering this fall,” Makin said. “We have had three times the amount of students enrolling than our highest goals. We will have nearly 120 students in the fall, and we still have room for more if students contact us within the next three weeks.”

The program is drawing both national and international students. For the online programs, students from all across the United States and international students from Africa and Holland are enrolled. There is still space in the program, and applications are due by August.

09 Jul HU Teams Leave for up to Five Weeks in China

The Huntington University team going to China for the summer 2015 program (click to enlarge).

On July 9, 2015, seven Huntington University teams with a total of 54 persons departed for five locations in China to lead English language camps.

Since 2007, HU’s Institute for TESOL (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Studies has sponsored yearly English camps and training in China. This year’s trip will include six HU faculty members, 16 current Huntington students, seven alumni, and Dr. Luke Fetters (right), director of the Institute for TESOL Students at HU. They will train 195 teachers and 730 students will be trained.

The teams will provide English-speaking instruction and camps for students, as well as TESOL training for teachers in the cities of Changsha, Zhongshan, Zhuhai, and the district of Doumen. The university’s Institute for TESOL Studies organizes the programming each year, writing curriculum and recruiting volunteers.

Four of the HU teams will assist in the teacher training for two weeks before returning to the United States. Two other teams will return after three weeks, and one team will remain in China for five weeks. For HU students, the trip fulfills a practicum required a TESOL minor or certificate.

 The 2015 summer will conclude a five-year contract between HU and the Doumen district. Shoshannnah McKinney (right), associate director of the Institute for TESOL Studies, said by the end of the five years, every teacher within the district will have participated in the HU-sponsored training.

The summer program will continue to strengthen the relationship that HU has with China. “Over the past eight years, HU has grown in terms of being known in China,” McKinney said.

While the teams are in China, McKinney will spearhead another TESOL-sponsored program on HU’s campus. This program is a three-week TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course that will certify 19 Chinese professors to teach English at their respective universities.

09 Jul HU Expanding to the Phoenix Area

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton (right), President of Huntington University

On Tuesday evening, July 7, an Economic Development Agreement between Huntington University and the City of Peoria, Arizona, was approved by the Peoria City Council with a unanimous “Yes” vote. Jeff Berggren, HU representative, reported that Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat smiled after announcing the vote and stated “Huntington University, welcome to Peoria!” The City of Peoria will provide up to $1.875 million dollars of financial support for the HU Digital Media Arts campus over the next three years.

It was almost three years ago, in August of 2012, that Dr. Ann McPherren and Jeff Berggren made the first trip out to Peoria on behalf of HU. Over that time, our relationships with the city have deepened and we have created connections with potential partners to assist us with a successful new campus location in Arizona.

We have also narrowed down our initial academic offerings to digital media arts, which immediately fills unmet demand in higher education in the state of Arizona. HU digital media arts will build on a strong training program within the Peoria Unified School District that will have over 1400 high school students involved in digital media this coming fall. This partnership creates a pipeline for students to study media from high school to college to a robust job market, all within the same community.

A school of DMA will establish HU as one of two universities (along with Trine) in a rapidly growing city (quickly approaching the size of Fort Wayne) that is part of the fifth largest metro area in the country (soon to be the fourth largest, trailing only New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago). They are very interested in other HU academic programs coming to Peoria as additional partnership opportunities present themselves.

There remain several key steps before we can officially commit to the Peoria expansion. HU has already been working on a number of these next steps necessary for our campus launch. The Economic Development Agreement was certainly a critical step.

Peoria will be a great city to serve as we extend our mission to impact our world for Christ 2,000 miles to the Southwest.

17 Jun Join Huntington University on a Trip to the Holy Land

Middle East expert Dr. Mark Fairchild, Professor of Bible at Huntington University, will lead this unique trip through Israel and Turkey. He will be accompanied by HU President Sherilyn Emberton and Vince Haupert, vice president for advancement.

Date: October 27 – November 7, 2015.

Registrations are needed by July 1, and space is limited. If you’re interested in taking part in this tour, reserve your spot now.

“I have had the pleasure of being in Israel in the last few years and loved my time there,” Emberton said. “I look forward to traveling with such a wonderful leader and teacher as Dr. Fairchild.”

The tour will take place from October 27 to November 7. During that time, participants will visit multiple sites throughout the Holy Land, including Ephesus, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, and Jerusalem.

Fairchild, who discovered the oldest known synagogue, has explored many sites in Turkey and will serve as the trip guide.

“When people visit the Holy Lands (Israel and Turkey), we begin to understand how life was really lived back then,” says Fairchild. “There are hundreds of insights that people gain from a trip to the Holy Lands with the result that we deepen our appreciation for the forefathers of our faith and we deepen our commitment to our Lord. I almost never see students or adults return from a trip like this without experiencing a profound change in their lives.”

The trip is $3,990 per person, including international airfare (leaving from Chicago) and hotel stay.

21 May July 20 – Aug 7: Certification for Teaching English

Did you know there are more people learning English as a new language than there are people who speak English as their first language?

For many churches, teaching English to internationals is an exploding ministry opportunity. Many Christians want training to provide this English teaching, but don’t know where to turn.

Huntington University’s Institute for TESOL Studies is a place to turn. Specifically, July 20 – August 7, 2015.

You can earn certification to teach English as a foreign language in just three weeks, beginning on July 20. Join HU for this affordable and convenient intensive course on TESOL methodology, training, and practice.

For more details, contact Shoshannah McKinney by email or by calling 260-359-4296.

20 Apr HU’s Commencement Speaker: Ray Hilbert

Ray Hilbert

Ray Hilbert, CEO of Truth@Work, will be the keynote speaker at Huntington University’s 117th Commencement on Saturday, May 16. That day, the university will award master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees to 285 graduates.

Huntington will honor graduates in the fieldhouse of the Merillat Complex at 2:30 p.m. The graduate hooding ceremony will take place at College Park Church at 10:15 a.m.

Ray Hilbert is the CEO and co-founder of Truth@Work, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., which he co-founded in 1998. Through its monthly roundtable groups, Truth@Work equips Christian business owners and leaders in building their organizations on proven biblical principles, while integrating their faith into their daily operations.

Truth@Work is one of America’s fastest growing marketplace ministries, with nearly 700 participating members in 25 chapters across the country.

As CEO of Truth@Work, Hilbert has coached more than 500 business owners/executives in a wide variety of industries (both public and private companies). His faith-based approach covers such areas as hiring, firing, marketing, personal integrity, and organizational development.

His 20007 book “The Janitor – How an Unexpected Friendship Transformed a CEO and his company,” has been published in six languages, and is an international bestseller with more than 1 million copies sold worldwide. The book features the story of a young CEO mentored by a wise old janitor who teaches the struggling young business executive the true definition of success and business.

Previously, Hilbert was a regional director for Promise Keepers, where he facilitated large conferences and developed training programs for churches and other ministries. He has co-founded an inner-city church and food pantry and worked with some of America’s top corporations in sales and marketing.

Hilbert holds degrees from Anderson and Taylor universities. While in college, he played for the traveling Athletes-in-Action baseball team.