By Shane Mountjoy, Ph.D
What are university students of tomorrow defined by? What are the high school students of today drawn to? What sort of guiding beliefs, standards, norms, morals, and principles are most ‘in demand’ in a world demanding so much of the upcoming generations? The year 2020 saw enormous turmoil that changed our world. Today’s students have been deeply influenced by a world-wide pandemic and the societal response to it, the aftereffects which include increased levels of loneliness and mental health concerns in teenagers. Universities of tomorrow must find ways to effectively bridge the ever-widening gap between declining academic and social preparedness for college with the increasing demands of society and the professional workplace. This is a difficult task requiring a holistic approach that seeks to nurture not just the mind, but the body, and spirit as well.
The traditional college age of 18-24 is recognized as being formative in the maturation process of teenagers entering adulthood. Indeed, it would be difficult to overstate the influence this period has on their future. Many today, including college-aged adults, desire to make a difference, wanting their lives to have meaning. Such aspirations may be realized in career paths that did not exist even twenty years ago such as YouTubers, social influencers, and podcasters. Others manage to monetize their influence through various social media platforms, self-publishing, and blogs. These attempts to make a mark on our world often reflect an innate human desire to make a difference, to live a life of meaning and purpose. An authentically genuine Christian university intentionally shapes student formation by helping alter the direction of a student’s life by informing, guiding, and challenging student assumptions and decisions related to their habits and attitudes**. LeTourneau University believes humans flourish when they live and grow in community and exercise free will in a God-honoring way**. Such efforts occur in a foundational stage of development, a time when choices can and do shape the trajectory of one’s life.
Created to Create Community
Living and growing in community matters because we were made in the image of God and that reality has implications. God exists in a triune community with the Son and Holy Spirit. Since God exists in community and we bear His image, we can know we are designed to live in community. In Romans, Paul describes the people of God as a body, emphasizing the point that “each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5). That is, the church is a community and needs part of the body or each member. It is evident human flourishing does not take place within a vacuum, but within community. God made us to bear His image, an image that includes living and growing together in community – a flourishing life.
Another attribute of human flourishing is the ability to exercise our free will. From the dawn of creation, one of the distinguishing characteristics of humans is the ability to choose, differentiating us from animals driven by instinct. Adam and Eve exercised this free will, resulting in all their descendants living in a fallen world and in need of redemption. God is omnipotent and could use that unlimited power to force our obedience, but instead He calls us into relationship and to follow in His ways. The sad reality is mankind has chosen poorly for much of human history and often give lip service to one thing while pursuing something else. God spoke of this through the prophet Isaiah, saying, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13). Even after confessing Jesus as Lord, each disciple is faced with the choice of whether to continue giving their life in pursuit of God. Choices mean saying yes to one thing and no to another. Such choices exact a cost and Jesus describes it as taking up our cross and dying to ourselves. In fact, it is a daily choice which is one reason why a Christian higher education experience is perhaps more relevant and valuable today than ever before.
Cultivating a Distinctive Ethos
Recognizing the role of living in community and exercising free will in human flourishing, universities have a responsibility to cultivate an environment in which students are equipped to flourish. Any college education includes experiences that are somewhat intangible, experiences that are shaped by the campus ethos. Much like the tip of an iceberg rising from the ocean, there is much more beneath the surface that speaks into and shapes what is visible. Every individual, family, community, or organization has an ethos and those unseen elements that shape what is seen. Significantly, the ethos of a university includes the values and principles that guide decision-makers, help realize the institutional mission, and exerts a strong influence on the student experience. Institutional ethos includes both the visible and invisible spirit comprised of the guiding beliefs, standards, norms, morals, and principles of that institution.
LeTourneau University recognizes the need to deliberately craft an ethos, choosing to be distinctively Christian. Its ethos is clearly seen in its identity as THE Christian Polytechnic University and in its practices and aspirations. The institutional mission is to be “a comprehensive institution of Christian higher education where educators engage learners to nurture Christian virtue, to develop competency and ingenuity in their professional fields, to integrate faith and work, and to serve the local and global community.” Its ethos aims to cultivate human flourishing.
In its vision statement, LeTourneau expresses the goal of “Claiming every workplace in every nation as our mission field” producing graduates who “are professionals of ingenuity and Christ-like character who see life's work as a holy calling with eternal impact.” LeTourneau is non-denominational, preserves Chapel requirements for students, features robust student ministries, has a well-established tradition of Spring Break missions, and maintains a commitment to preserving its Christian distinctiveness through rigorous faculty hiring practices which include adherence to a community standard, sharing one’s testimony, and a sample teaching presentation. When evaluating candidates, a campus mantra “you lose your mission one faculty hire at a time” serves as a reminder that each member of the campus community is important and effects the collective aspirations. This committed focus does not end with hiring. Faculty are commissioned annually, expected to include a devotional in each class period, and receive training in faith and learning integration.
Attending a residential university allows students to experience one of the characteristics of being made in the image of God: they live together in community. This community life at LeTourneau includes living in residence halls, eating together in campus dining, attending weekly Chapel, and interacting daily with peers, staff, and faculty. These shared experiences constitute a holistic approach to formation to intentionally influence a student’s direction in life. This is by no means a novel approach to student formation. Ancient Greeks utilized their “philosophy schools” to form students and shape their thinking about what it meant to live a good life, with the philosopher and his pupils living and learning together. LeTourneau seeks to train students for the life found in faithful discipleship by designing an intentional community.
The Wisdom Quotient
What is it then that constitutes a healthy community, especially a college community? There are many possible approaches to this and a lesser-known incident captures one important perspective: President James Garfield, attending an alumni dinner at his alma mater in 1871 purportedly paid homage to his favorite professor by describing his concept of the ideal university as “Mark Hopkins on one end of a log and a student on the other.” Such a view illustrates the simplicity, importance, and lasting impact of the teacher-student relationship in the student formation process. The role of an educator is not just a ‘sage on the stage’ but includes relational qualities, involving many hours invested outside the classroom. A rich and effective college education is founded upon a student-teacher relationship that encompasses the shared academic discipline, but also other interests and aspects of being human. LeTourneau intentionally cultivates strong mentoring relationships, integrating faith and learning to create a vibrant and holistic ethos.
These efforts are undertaken to arm graduates with knowledge and wisdom, grounded in community relationships and experiences in preparation for a God-honoring life. To flourish, we must exercise free will wisely, and wisdom comes from but one source: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10). Jesus concludes his Sermon on the Mount by describing two ways to live our lives, illustrated in the wise and foolish builders. Either we listen to His words and follow in His ways, or we ignore Him (Matthew 7:24-27). Each of us must either choose a path of foolishness or wisdom.
Navigating a Changing Landscape
While the college years are formative, an education is often deemed expensive. Teens and their families may wonder if a Christian university education is worth the cost. This is understandable since there are many factors arguing against a college education, including the potential return on investment and an ever-changing economy. These are significant factors, but none rightly consider the intangibles of a Christian university experience. In past decades, the Christian atmosphere was often the chief selling point. The campus environment provided a safe place for believing students to attend, date and marry, and grow in their faith while earning their degrees. Today’s students are entering an altogether different world than their parents. Pluralism dominates the public square, faithful adherence to religious practices is declining, crime is increasing, and there is a general sense of foreboding. We live in a technological age, or rather an advanced technological and digital age in which traditional norms, certainty of truth, and common understanding of morality are no longer easily discerned. Artificial Intelligence, medical advancements, and the ability to surveil either digitally or through cameras virtually every activity of every person within a society raises difficult and complex questions. In many respects, we are facing life in a world that often more closely resembles science fiction than reality. Fortunately, an effective and vibrant counter-cultural community already exists to mitigate and counteract the negative effects of the larger community (society): the Christian college. Colleges of the future must prepare students to thrive in this rapidly changing environment by equipping them to solve problems that have not yet surfaced in careers that do not currently exist. This kind of preparedness will not be accomplished through conventional degree programs alone. Rather, institutions of higher education must draw from the strengths of tradition while keeping a finger on the pulse of society and a perceptive eye to the future to detect coming needs. In this rapidly changing landscape, the demand is particularly pronounced for polytechnic Christian universities to play a vital role. The need has never been greater for such institutions to produce graduates who not only understand that their identity is rooted in the image of God but are also equipped to navigate the complexities of a technologically advancing world. Graduates should be prepared to thrive in careers that are constantly evolving and solving problems that may not have even surfaced yet. By combining the strength of institutional foundations with a forward-looking approach, Christian polytechnic higher education is positioned to address the specific challenges of our time, preparing students to discern the will of God while contributing meaningfully to both their professions and communities.
Called to Guide
LeTourneau University is uniquely qualified to nurture such graduates. It is a Christian educational community training students through shared community experiences and a strong ethos to lead flourishing lives that reflect the wisdom and glory of God. It is also unique within higher education due to its establishment by its devout founder as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) institution. No other college or university can claim both Christian and STEM since its beginnings. Thus, its unique organizational saga and emphasis on finding one’s vocational calling positions the campus community to wrestle with the important questions of human existence and flourishing in meaningful ways. The LeTourneau University identity speaks to its purpose: it is a non-denominational Christian polytechnic university equipping its students to identify and pursue their vocational calling. In short, to promote human flourishing.
