February 2026

February 6, 2026

Dear Huntington University Community,

As February settles in with biting winds, snow-covered paths, and record-cold mornings here in Indiana, we are reminded that “for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” This winter has certainly made its presence known across our campus. Yet even in the starkness of the season, we are reminded that God’s sovereignty is constant, His faithfulness unwavering, and His goodness evident in every season we walk through together.

Kristin and I were grateful to spend time recently on our Arizona campus, where the desert sun and warmer days provided a vivid reminder of how different the seasons can look across Huntington’s locations. Whether surrounded by snow or sunshine, we are thankful to witness the same spirit of community, purpose, and Christ-centered mission shared by faculty, staff, and students in both places.

We continue to be deeply grateful for the warmth of this community amid the cold days. From the daily rhythm of campus life to the ways you faithfully serve our students, your dedication is a steady encouragement. There is much to be thankful for as we watch God’s work continue at Huntington, even in the quiet, frozen months of the year.

I am writing to provide you with an update regarding recent Board of Trustees conversations, enrollment, giving, and other campus news.

Highlights from the Huntington University January Board Meeting

The Board of Trustees and the Strategic Leadership Team gathered from January 15-16 on the Huntington University Arizona campus. This year marks a decade in the desert, and we celebrated the work and impact of Huntington University’s Arizona campus. Our time there included an alumni reception of over 40 alumni, including Lisette Perez, the first student to attend HU Arizona.

The Board was pleased to welcome three new Board members: Nick Stanley, who serves as the chair of the Huntington University Foundation, Mark Ralph, who serves as the president of the alumni board, and Ken Meyer, who serves as a pastor in the United Brethren church. The Board appointed Nick Stanley to the Advancement Committee, while Mark Ralph and Ken Meyer will both be serving on the Student Life Committee. Herb Schumm was appointed to serve as vice chair of the Advancement Committee.

The Board of Trustees approved the following faculty promotions as recommended from the Academic Programs Committee:

• Dr. Heidi Carpenter be promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of occupational therapy
• Dr. Jill Linder be promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of occupational therapy
• Dr. Kristen Council be promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of nursing
• Dr. Michelle Caulk be promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of mental health counseling
• Dr. Tina Sauber be promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of OTD
• Dr. Collin Hobbs be promoted from associate professor to full professor of biology

The Board of Trustees approved the Academic Programs Committee’s recommendation to grant Dr. Mike Rowley, associate professor of communications, sabbatical leave for fall of 2026.

I was pleased to be joined by the Strategic Leadership Team. During our retreat, we reviewed the University’s strategic plan, Forever Foresters. This session, led by Dr. Luke Fetters, highlighted several areas of success as well as areas where we are currently working to achieve goals. Wayne Moore, vice president for finance and operations, presented a financial literacy session to the Board that included a deeper dive into our financial plans as well as an overview of the financial landscape in higher education.

The Board was encouraged to learn about the good work of Forester Film and Forester Farms. In addition, Dr. Fetters presented an overview of the new core and the revised Honors Program, both of which will launch in fall of 2026.

Bishop Todd Fetters of the United Brethren Church presented an overview of the historical and current partnership between the Church and Huntington University, highlighting key areas of collaboration. The Board shared feedback and insights on opportunities to strengthen and expand these connections.

Brand Identity Study

During the retreat, I shared with the Board that Huntington University, in partnership with Brand Innovation Group of Fort Wayne, will conduct a brand identity study. The intent of this study is to take steps to intentionally focus on clarifying HU’s mission, vision, core values, and brand attributes. Brand Innovation Group has a long history with HU, first assisting with the name change from College to University in 2005. Their mission statement is “Love God. Love People. Love Branding.” Their client list includes organizations such as Focus on the Family, Trane, Water Furnace, Aunt Millie’s, LPL Financial, and Dallas Theological Seminary.

As I shared with the Board, this study is not a total rebrand project with a new logo. It also isn’t an extra budget expense. We were able to reallocate existing resources to facilitate the brand study. The focus is on clarifying who we are and making certain that our stakeholders are clear about what makes HU unique, different, and compelling.

The most recent brand study was conducted in 2004, prior to the name change from College to University. While the DNA of HU has remained largely unchanged, we have grown in our programming, locations, and modalities (for example, DMA, nursing, agriculture, OTD, HU Arizona, ABSN, etc.). A change in institutional leadership coupled with an increase in regional and national competition make this study not only timely and long overdue, but also strategic.

The Board of Trustees were the first group to offer feedback in this process, followed by the President’s Advisory Council on Excellence. Moving forward, we will be engaging groups of alumni, parents, students, and local community leaders. Data will be gathered through a mixed methodology and will include both quantitative and qualitative data. This project will be completed in April of 2026 in time for a presentation to the Board of Trustees and the campus community.

Relaunching of the President’s Advisory Council on Excellence (PACE)

PACE exists to advise the Huntington University president on strategic, operational, and future-oriented initiatives, offering expertise to advance excellence, innovation, growth, and mission fulfillment. PACE is not part of the governance decision making process, yet historically the Huntington University president has relied on PACE’s insights to help shape the future of the University, support student success, and strengthen our mission and visibility. PACE members are experienced leaders representing diverse backgrounds and business sectors and they are all committed to the University’s Christ-centered mission. PACE currently has 22 members (7 new members and 15 returners — with 9 being alumni). I am excited to work with PACE and to learn from their diverse experiences and to be introduced to their personal and professional networks. For a listing of the PACE members, please review the PACE webpage.  

Admissions and Enrollment Updates

Spring 2026 is off to an encouraging start for enrollment. Earlier this month, we welcomed our newest students to the Huntington campus through our January orientation program — a weekend designed to help them feel at home, make early connections, attend a meet and greet with me, attend a basketball game, and provided a great kick-start to begin their semester with confidence and support.

I am pleased to share strong new‑student enrollment results for spring 2026. At our Huntington campus, we welcome 22 new students:

• 5 first-time freshmen
• 13 transfer students
• 4 high school dual‑enrollment students

Our Arizona location continues to see steady growth, adding 10 new students, including 2 first-time freshmen and 8 dual‑enrollment students.

Online, grad, and adult undergrad enrollment highlights include:

• 2 new undergraduate online students
• 16 new ABSN students
• 14 new Bridge OTD students
• 9 new students across our remaining graduate programs

Altogether, Huntington University welcomes 73 new students this spring, bringing the total spring 2026 enrollment to 1,613.

I am excited to share that our next big on-campus admissions event, Huntington Scholars Day, on Friday, February 13, 2026, has reached full capacity. We will host 70 prospective students, including parents, bringing us to approximately 181 guests for a day focused on academic excellence, community connection, and an introduction to our Honors Program — an event through which many students may receive invitations to participate.

Advancement Updates

Giving Overview 
As of January 28, total giving stands at $2,876,201 toward our $3 million fiscal year goal (June 1 – May 31). I am encouraged by the continued generosity of our donors and the strong momentum across all areas of advancement.

Major and Planned Giving 
As the University continues to experience growth within the Office of Advancement, the team is engaging donors in a broader range of giving methods than ever before — a critical step during this unprecedented intergenerational transfer of wealth as baby boomers pass assets to their heirs. With the addition of $1.4 million in new planned gifts this fiscal year, HU’s deferred gift expectancies now exceed $32 million.

Forester Fund 
At the heart of Huntington University’s mission lies the Forester Fund, a vital resource dedicated to “Building a Forest of Foresters.” This fund ensures that a Christ-centered education remains accessible and affordable for every student who calls our campus home.

To date, we have raised $290,465 of our $650,000 goal — approximately 45%.

A highlight of these efforts includes Giving Tuesday, held on December 2, 2025. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and world. HU raised $14,000 in a single day, an increase of 380% in money raised and an increase of 580% in donors over 2024. Given this success, we are already strategizing ways to expand our reach for future Giving Tuesday campaigns.

I am pleased to announce Huntington University’s 24 Hours of Giving, scheduled from noon on April 15 to noon on April 16, 2026. This is the single most important fundraising event for the Forester Fund. I am thrilled to announce I will be interviewing Jason Braun, the founder of DADCAMP and a 1995 HU alum, at this year’s scholarship dinner on April 15. I am hoping that many of you will be able to attend this event as we raise funds to assist our students.

Alumni Engagement 
Huntington University alumni continue to leave an extraordinary mark on the world. As we look ahead in 2026, we are more committed than ever to fostering those lifelong connections that define the Forester family.

Recent highlight: On January 16, our Arizona campus served as a vibrant hub for the Forester spirit at our Arizona alumni gathering. We were thrilled to host over 40 alumni at the gathering! The event provided a unique opportunity for alumni to meet our new president. It was an honor to be introduced to the Forester community in Arizona! Attendees also were able to engage directly with the Board of Trustees, who were on-site for their winter meetings.

Save the Date: Upcoming Gatherings
We’re bringing the HU spirit to a city near you! Join us for fellowship and updates from campus at our next stops:

February 7, 2026: Tampa, Florida

March 28, 2026: Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

October 2-3, 2026: Homecoming — Huntington, Indiana

(*Additional cities to be announced!*) 

We are launching several new efforts to strengthen alumni engagement, beginning with a comprehensive Alumni Engagement Survey developed in partnership with our marketing students. If you are an alum, you will receive this survey near the end of the spring semester, and I encourage you to participate. The Office of Alumni Relations is also deepening connections between alumni and current students. This year, the focus includes building a network of alumni willing to mentor, speak, and share their experience with students as they prepare for life after Huntington. More than 75 alumni have already expressed interest in participating. As alumni engagement increasingly moves to digital platforms, I encourage you to update your contact information at huntington.edu/Alumni-Office to ensure you receive university news, opportunities, and updates and to also follow the HU alum pages on the various social media platforms. 

Grants & Foundation Relations 
The Office of Advancement coordinates the writing, reporting, and record keeping process of grants submitted for Huntington University. 

Grants awarded recently:

• December 2025, $125,000 from Lilly Endowment for AI in Education planning grant
• December 2025, $25,000 from the City of Huntington for cross country course repairs
• January 2026, $3,375 from Indiana Youth Shooting Sports Foundation for the student trap and skeet club

Good News About Huntington

Here are some of the recent achievements and good news stories of members of the Huntington community. For more details, visit the Huntington University news page or Facebook page.

• At the October Higher Education Leadership Team (HELT) meeting, Associate Campus Pastor Karyn Kamphausen and I shared the great news of 40 student decisions to accept Jesus’ offer of salvation during the first half of the fall semester and the growing need for Bibles as requested by some of these students and others. These requests included international students asking for a physical copy of the Bible in their native languages. Members of the HELT were so moved that they thought the broader United Brethren family would want to know about it. Two HELT members combined to put up $2,500 as a matching challenge through the end of Thanksgiving weekend. That goal was quickly exceeded by the end of October and ultimately brought in a total of $10,000 including the matching funds. The donations came from pastors, denominational leadership team members, and local churches.
• Huntington University unveiled a fully revised academic experience for all undergraduate students. What is commonly referred to as the “core curriculum” or “general core” at colleges and universities has a fresh design at Huntington called Forester Foundations. Forester Foundations continues Huntington University's historic mission: to educate and equip men and women to impact the world for Christ through scholarship and service. While the structure has evolved, the foundation remains the same — distinctively Christian, intentionally integrative, and grounded in the liberal arts. Through Forester Foundations, students are not only prepared for their careers but also called to live lives of purpose, creativity, discovery, and flourishing.
• Huntington University entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Perspectives USA to serve as the primary credit-granting institution for the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement courses offered in over 100 churches nationwide each year. The Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course surveys the biblical, historical, cultural, and strategic aspects of the global advance of the world Christian movement. Students can take Perspectives USA courses for undergraduate or graduate credit.
• Over Christmas Break, the first part of renovations on the Baker-Roush atrium were completed, including a new TV lounge and painting.
• Huntington University was awarded a $125,000 planning grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to explore opportunities for how HU can best utilize artificial intelligence (AI) in the future. The funds are enabling the University to consider the challenges and opportunities related to AI, plan initiatives to address those challenges and opportunities, and prepare a proposal for an implementation grant opportunity Lilly Endowment is making available. The planning grant’s funding will span the calendar year of 2026. The University received the planning grant through Lilly Endowment’s Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education initiative, which aims to support Indiana colleges and universities in their ongoing efforts to address the implications of a rapidly evolving technology in their institutions and the lives of their students. 
• With funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. through the Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana grant, the Department of Education is creating a literacy lodge on the first floor of Loew-Brenn Hall. The renovated space will serve as a primary classroom for the department’s literacy courses, feature a resource library, house tutoring services for area K-12 students, and offer literacy education for local homeschool students.
• The Center for Spiritual Formation completed the fourth year of the Spiritual Life Survey among students. Students are reporting growing spiritual vitality over the four-year period and greater satisfaction with the role of the University in their identity formation. Students are reporting increased scriptural engagement. One of the highest-rated items was that the University “…has teachers and faculty that model and consistently reinforce how to grow spiritually.”
• Destiny Copeland-Rolle and Kristen Council were selected for the sixth cohort of the Independent Colleges of Indiana’s Leadership Academy. HU was one of eight schools with two representatives in the cohort of 29 people. According to the ICI, the year-long program is designed to support the leadership development of faculty and staff from Indiana’s private, nonprofit college campuses. Throughout the program, participants gain a deeper understanding of their institutions as integrated systems and explore higher education within the broader state and federal policy context. Leadership Academy graduates are trained to view their college through multiple lenses (academic, financial, community involvement, and others) and to develop the leadership competencies needed for their institution and their own professional success. 
• HU student Michal Staff presented about the findings from research conducted in the Ware Greenhouse about how drought affects the survival and performance of the Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive species gaining national attention across the Eastern United States. Staff partnered with Ellie Joll, a PhD student in Purdue University’s College of Agriculture - Forestry and Natural Resources program, to conduct the study.

Athletics Updates

Below are highlights of recent success and accomplishments of Huntington student-athletes and the Division of Athletics. For more details and to view schedules to come cheer on the Foresters at future athletic events, visit HUAthletics.com. Updates are as of February 1.

Women’s Volleyball
The Huntington women’s volleyball team put together an unforgettable season, making its return to the NAIA National Championships for the first time in 32 years and finishing with a 25-10 record, the program’s most wins since the 2007-2008 season. The Foresters earned their spot at the final site in Sioux City, Iowa, with a thrilling reverse sweep of Viterbo in the opening round, advancing as one of just 16 teams still standing. Senior Layla Meyer capped a historic career by totaling 1,225 digs — third most in program history — while earning Crossroads League Libero of the Year and AVCA All-Region honors. HU’s success was further highlighted by a strong showing in league accolades, with Haley Kruse (First Team), Leah Carter (Second Team), Maggie Hollon (All-Freshman Team and Second Team), and Lauren Ross (Honorable Mention) all recognized for their standout seasons.

Men’s Basketball
Heading into February, the #RV Huntington men’s basketball team is rolling with momentum, owning a 17-5 overall record and an 8-4 mark in Crossroads League play, good for a tie for fourth in the standings. The Foresters are coming off their biggest win of the season after knocking off No. 1 and previously undefeated Grace College, 72-65, in an overtime thriller on January 31. Coach Jared Jauch’s squad features a balanced offensive attack led by senior Kaden Johnson, who is averaging a double-double at 16.2 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, while Miles Good (15.0 points per game) and Jackson Paul (13.6 points per game) also provide consistent double-figure scoring to round out a dangerous HU lineup.

Women’s Basketball
With the season winding down, the #RV Huntington women’s basketball team continues to impress with a 16-6 overall record and an 8-4 mark in Crossroads League play, sitting fourth in the league standings. The Foresters are coming off a memorable 18th annual Pink Out, highlighted by a dominant 21-point win over Grace that featured major milestones, as Liv Raby eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her career and Kyndra Sheets set a new single-game program record with 16 assists. Coach Darby Maggard’s group boasts a balanced offensive attack led by Annaka Nelson at 13.2 points per game, with Raby (12.9) and Addie Shank (11.2) also scoring in double figures to keep defenses on their heels.

Bowling
The Huntington bowling program has been competitive since opening its season in October, having competed in eight tournaments overall, including three Tier 1 events and three Crossroads League tournaments. The Forester men recorded their best finish at the Raider Classic, placing eighth out of 21 teams, highlighted by David McLaughlin’s 15th-place individual finish among 206 bowlers. In Crossroads League action, HU most recently placed third to go along with a pair of fourth-place finishes, with Michael Lichtenberg headlining the second league tournament by claiming the individual title with a 239.7 average and earning Crossroads League Men’s Bowler of the Week honors. On the women’s side, the Foresters enjoyed their strongest outing at the second CL tournament, finishing second out of eight teams with a 4,656 pin total, led by Aurora Yantz’s third-place individual finish and 192.7 average, while also adding third- and fifth-place finishes in the other league events.

Indoor Track and Field
Heading into the final stretch of the indoor season, the No. 6-ranked Huntington men’s indoor track and field team continues to make history with the highest indoor national ranking in program history, while the women’s squad is also making a strong national push. With two regular-season meets remaining, the Foresters have qualified six men’s events for the NAIA National Championships, led by a sprint-heavy group featuring Jan Busam in the 200 meters, 400 meters (with Noah Wellington), and 600 meters (with Jayden Williams), along with national berths in the 4x400 relay, distance medley relay, and the high jump by Kharrington Terry. On the women’s side, Olivia Howell has already punched her ticket to nationals in the 800 meters, and following a breakout performance on January 30, the HU women currently sit seventh nationally in the distance medley relay.

Men’s Volleyball
Huntington University was pleased to announce the addition of men’s volleyball to HU’s varsity athletics lineup on January 26. The program will begin competing at the NAIA level in the 2026-2027 academic year. HU’s men’s volleyball club team was started in the 2024-2025 academic year with the intention of transitioning to varsity status within two years. A national search for a full-time head coach for the program is underway.