A Letter from Robin Baker
We live in a time of rapid and transformative change. All you have to do is read any news feed and you'll see multiple articles on all the challenges facing higher education – demographic change, escalating costs, and a declining value proposition. In the face of consistent headwinds, 17c黑料 continues to grow and thrive. I have been asked many times why. What makes us different?
We have strong academic programs, excellent staff and faculty, and a business strategy that matters in our marketplace, but we are not the only ones with these core competencies. When you depict higher education as a business, your work is about customers and value propositions. A colleague of mine, Mohan Nair, put it this way: "You sell them your value, and they pay a price for it. They get a benefit from taking the benefits minus the price they paid." In short, it's transactional.
While we have value propositions, our success is rooted in the fact that we are a unique transformational community. Our parents, students and donors choose to join a movement focused on preparing people to embrace and bring about God's Kingdom commitments in our world. They share our values and seek to transform themselves and others in an ever-expanding community. Our Be Known promise conveys to the marketplace that we want to know each story – your God-given gifts – and empower every person to fulfill God's calling on his or her life.
That is why relationships are at the center of this year's President's Report, themed "One Big Story." At a time when loneliness and anxiety are on the rise across university campuses, George Fox is bucking the trend. We model for our students the beauty of meaningful connection and strong community, and as a result, they are not only growing in their vocation and calling, but also in their character and sense of purpose.
Our "big story" this year is all about the work of the whole-person, Christ-centered formation that happens across all of our programs, and how you, our donors, make it possible. I trust you will be encouraged by what you read in this report. Beyond statistics and facts, you'll read stories of how your support is making a tangible difference in all spectrums of our campus life – in athletics, academics, service, spiritual formation, mentorship programs, and even in the lives of our employees. Thank you for supporting this transformative mission.
Robin Baker