A Commitment To Student Learning

As a University student in the '60's and '70's (yes, I'm dating myself) I had a very different learning experience than students have today. From the beginning of the idea of a University in the 12th century, it was very much a professor-centered system. Fortunate young scholars were given the opportunity to spend personal time with a professor/master and to glean the golden nuggets that fell from his lips. The system was designed to advance the cause of professors while allowing scholars the possibility of learning something, if they proved to be worthy.

In the last several years the focus has moved from learning at the feet of a professor to a commitment to student learning as the first principle of higher education. Universities exist to foster student achievement, to facilitate student learning, to do whatever is necessary to prepare young scholars to be successful, productive members of society. Universities exist to serve students. Any evaluation of a University must, therefore, focus on whether or not student learning has been the goal and the outcome of every aspect of the institution, every step along the way.

In fact, the most recent language used by State and the US Departments of Education, as well as accrediting agencies, refers to "student consumers." That does not mean that, "the student is always right," but it does mean that if an institution promises to deliver a certain educational "product," they must be able to demonstrate that they have succeeded in doing so. It also means that post-secondary schools are to focus on student learning outcomes that directly contribute to the success of that student's life.

This value and this goal is certainly true for Beacon University. Beacon is all about our students. Our passion is to serve students so well, they can go from here and make a signficant difference in the world. It is certainly true that our able faculty are primarily motivated by a love for Beacon students and a desire to see them thrive in all of life.

And it's not just academic affairs. The support administration and staff of Beacon are also committed to serving students, to making students a success. Faculty and staff alike are accountable to how well they serve students, and to how effectively they achieve student learning in every class, in every aspect of the institution. We do what we do for our students - and we love it!

The Integration of Faith and Learning

One of the core operative principles of a Christian liberal arts university is the integration of faith and learning.

"Liberal Arts" often refers to specific areas of study, e.g., social sciences, natural sciences, fine arts, literature, and the humanities. "Liberal Arts" also refers to a certain philosophy of education. One university describes a liberal arts education this way:
1. An institutional ethos and tradition which places a greater value on developing a set of intellectual arts, than professional or vocational skills.
2. Curricular and environmental structures that work in combination to create coherence and integrity in students' intellectual experiences.
3. An institutional ethos and tradition which places a strong value on student-student and student-faculty interactions both in and out of the classroom.

The question is: How can an institution of higher learning be consistently both Christian and liberal arts? The answer: A consistent and thorough integration of faith and learning is required at every point. This integration is required in the philosophy and content approach of both faculty and students. Every course must be seen through the grid of Scripture and a biblical worldview.

A Christian liberal arts university is not just a place where classes are opened in prayer and Scripture is occasionally quoted. Nor is it a place where Christian dogma is the primary content of every class. A Christian liberal arts university is a place where teachers and students have learned to see all of life from a biblical perspective. Because they have learned to think "Christianly," they are able to see all subject matter clearly and adequately. They are also in an excellent position to appropriate values and priorities from their study.

My favorite example of the integration of faith and learning comes from the Bible book of Daniel. The young Jewish prince Daniel was taken captive to Babylon and enrolled in their educational program. The Babylonian emperor (Nebuchadnezzar) even changed his name from Daniel (God Is Judge) to Belteshazzar (Bel Is Protector) to try to change his very identity. Instead, Daniel resisted Babylonian assimilation and maintained his identity and integrity. Did that hurt his performance at the Babylonian University? Not only did it not hinder his learning, "The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel" (1:19). In fact, "In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all" (1:20). Daniel was more excellent in every way than his fellow students.

Beacon University is committed to the development of a consistent and thorough-going integration of faith and learning in every teacher, every student, every program, and every course. As a result, we expect that our students will be more excellent than their counterparts in their chosen professional field.