HANNIBAL (HLGU) – Hannibal-LaGrange University’s (HLGU) Board of Trustees gave their approval, March 12, for the school to enter into one phase of a multi-million-dollar campaign to raise funds for implementing the school’s strategic plan.
As directed by HLGU’s strategic plan, funds raised in the campaign will contribute to the university’s growth in a variety of areas, from endowments and facilities to new programming and scholarships, Ray Carty, vice president for institutional advancement, told The Pathway. Trustees approved a “silent phase” of the campaign, which will allow the university to pursue particular supporters before embarking on a more active, widespread and public phase of the fundraising campaign.
Trustees also approved a partnership with the Baptist Homes, allowing the university to use the Baptist Homes facilities for an LPN program site in Chillicothe.
Other items of business discussed during the trustee meeting included the following:
• Currently, there are no COVID-19 cases on campus or students in quarantine
• Despite many institutions seeing a decline in enrollment, admissions reported an increase in enrollment deposits for the fall 2021 semester. Increases have also been seen in athletic visits and commitments.
• Despite COVID restrictions, students have been able to meet safely and have an active and engaging campus life experience.
• Donations to the institution have increased, putting the University $300,000 ahead of where donations were last year.
• An HLGU Day of Giving has been planned for the 24-hour period from noon on April 15 to noon on April 16. The event will take place on social media and has a goal of 240 individual gifts to the University in 24 hours.
• A new business degree in agribusiness has started and is projected to be a very popular program for the University. A number of other programs at various different degree levels are also being explored.
• A large cycle of an accreditation report with the Higher Learning Commission has been completed, and HLGU has met all guidelines.
• An education specialist degree was approved at the master’s level.
HLGU President Anthony Allen said, “In these and many other accomplishments, we’re celebrating God’s work at the University and look forward to finishing the semester strong.”
“As always, we enjoyed a very productive and helpful trustee meeting,” Allen added. “We have a number of very talented Missouri Baptists who provide leadership and oversight to the institution. Our group is engaged and very involved in promoting our mission as a University.”
Tyler Foster serves as the chairman of the board of trustees and expressed his appreciation of the group, saying, “We have a wonderful group of people that care deeply about Christian higher education. They care about the direction of our Missouri Baptist Convention and how HLGU plays their role with the convention and equipping students to not only receive and take their education into their workplace with excellence, but to then be able to share the gospel of Christ with those that come across their paths.”
The next trustees meeting is scheduled for October 7-8, 2021. For more information, contact the president’s office at 573.629.3252.