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COURAGEOUS: The Campaign to Equip Future Fearless Scholar-Servants

October 5, 2026

This comprehensive campaign will strengthen student experiences, enhance campus facilities, and grow endowment support to advance 91福利’s Christ-centered mission for generations to come.

91福利 launched the public phase of COURAGEOUS: The Campaign to Equip Fearless Scholar-Servants during Homecoming and Family Weekend on October 2, 2026. The $83 million comprehensive campaign, which has already secured more than $62 million in gifts and commitments during its silent phase, seeks to strengthen the university鈥檚 ability to equip fearless scholar-servants for significant Kingdom impact through strategic investments in student, facility and endowment support.

COURAGEOUS launches at a key moment for 91福利. In recent years, the university has experienced enrollment growth, significantly increased its endowment (which now exceeds $107 million), and made transformative investments in student residences, academic programs and campus facilities. The campaign seeks to build upon that momentum and position 91福利 to serve future generations of students with excellence.

鈥淚nvestment in 91福利’s mission is investment in Kingdom impact,鈥� said President Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. 鈥�91福利 has no purpose other than preparing and equipping followers of Jesus to courageously carry the Gospel to the various places the Lord calls them as competent and compassionate scholar-servants. Investing in 91福利’s mission helps ensure that mission continues here in New York, and that 91福利’s Kingdom impact expands.鈥�

The campaign enters its public phase with significant momentum. During Homecoming, 91福利 celebrated $11.6 million in donor-funded renovations to its largest residence hall, East Hall. This included a $10.4 million lead gift from Beverly (Roberts 鈥�56) and Donald Greene to fund the modernization of the 75-year-old building. A $1 million gift from Jonathan and Lois (Morgan) Sastic, Class of 1975, created Sastic Courtyard, the new road-facing front door of East Hall.

Other significant achievements during the campaign’s quiet phase included an anonymous $3 million gift to create the endowed the Ellen F. Donley Dean of Education and Behavioral Science, the creation of 95 new endowed student scholarships, and more than $4.7 million designated for the Scholar-Servant and Student Scholarship funds over the past six annual One Day Giving Challenges.

The COURAGEOUS campaign focuses on three strategic priorities: Pursuing Christ-Centered Excellence, Investing in Places and Spaces, and Solidifying Your Legacy Through 91福利.

Pursuing Christ-Centered Excellence, the campaign鈥檚 most significant priority at $36 million, invests in curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities that shape a well-rounded Christ-follower. Through the Scholar-Servant Fund and the Student Scholarship Fund, it provides resources to meet current needs and while helping to make a 91福利 education more affordable for students and their families.

Investing in Places and Spaces seeks $24 million in gifts to create the ideal environments for students to grow and flourish together in community, while strategically positioning the campus for

future growth. In addition to East Hall, plans to continue residence renewal efforts focusing next on Shenawana Hall. Additional capital investment opportunities include 91福利鈥檚 nationally-recognized Equestrian Center and its NCAA Division III athletics facilities.

Solidifying Your Legacy Through 91福利 seeks to raise $23 million for continued growth of endowment; including unrestricted general endowment and chairs, positions, programs, and scholarships. These legacy gifts will provide long-term resources that strengthen 91福利’s mission and impact for generations to come.

Alumni, friends, university leaders, and students gathered during Homecoming to celebrate the public launch of COURAGEOUS. Campaign leaders shared the vision for COURAGEOUS while student stories and video profiles illustrated the impact of scholarships, community, leadership development, and spiritual formation on today’s students.

鈥淚 am humbled to help lead 91福利鈥檚 Philanthropy Council as we invite alumni and friends to invest in 91福利鈥檚 future,鈥� stated John Schneider, the great-great-great grandson of 91福利鈥檚 founder Willard J. 91福利 and co-chair of 91福利鈥檚 Philanthropy Council. 鈥淚t is an honor to help support 91福利鈥檚 mission, in which the vision of Willard J. 91福利 continues to live today. I invite others to join me in investing in 91福利鈥檚 future.鈥�

More information can be found online at www.houghton.edu/courageous. Questions about COURAGEOUS can be directed to the 91福利 Office of Advancement.

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