News Articles

Oakwood President Appointed as Member of the Executive Committee of the American Council on Education Inaugural Commission on Faith-based Universities

June 5, 2024 | Huntsville, Ala. | Oakwood University Newsroom

Close-up of black man in a suit speaking to an unseen crowd — *Leslie Pollard, Oakwood University president, to Join American Council on Education. Pictured here at the NAD's 2023 Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Conference. Photo: Ron Pollard, ronpollard.com*

On May 16, 2024, Oakwood University president Leslie Pollard was officially invited by Clark Gilbert, commissioner of the Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and co-chair of the American Council on Education’s (ACE) inaugural Commission on Faith-based Universities, to join the inaugural executive committee for this newly formed advocacy organization.

Pollard joins a distinguished group of university presidents in assisting ACE and the U.S. Department of Education in understanding and advancing institutions with a faith-based mission. Inaugural members of the executive committee include Robin Baker, president, George Fox University; Ari Berman, president and rosh yeshiva, Yeshiva University; Rochelle L. Ford, president, Dillard University; Jim Gash, president and chief executive officer, Pepperdine University; John I. Jenkins, president, University of Notre Dame; Peter K. Kilpatrick, president, The Catholic University of America; D. Michael Lindsay, president, Taylor University; Candice McQueen, president, Lipscomb University; C. Shane Reese, president, Brigham Young University; Philip G. Ryken, president, Wheaton College; Beck A. Taylor, president and professor of economics, Samford University; and Dwaun J. Warmack, president, Claflin University.

This service appointment comes as Pollard winds down his 2022-2024 term as chair of the Board of Presidents of the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (AAICU), led by Paul Hankins, president. This group, based in Montgomery, Alabama, works to partner with the Alabama Legislature on behalf of the 25 independent colleges and universities in the state of Alabama.

Pollard commented, “With the rapid upheaval in the higher education industry post-COVID-19, it is crucial for Adventist higher education in general, and Oakwood University in particular, to have a strong and impactful voice in influencing national policy on post-secondary education for institutions of faith. As higher education’s only Seventh-day Adventist historically black institution (HBCU), Oakwood brings a unique perspective to this important conversation — much of which depends on continued access to federal funding for institutions of faith. We seek your prayers for the work of this national commission.”

The first meeting of the Commission on Faith-based Universities just took place on the morning of June 4, with an afternoon press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Oakwood University, located in Huntsville, Alabama, is a historically black Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher learning that provides quality education with an emphasis on undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate student development, service, and lifelong learning. Learn more about Oakwood University at www.oakwood.edu.

50 Ministerial Spouses Unite for Community Service, Fellowship, and Training During the 2024 NAD Year-End Meeting

Community service, fellowship, and training sessions made up the spouses’ meetings during this year’s NAD Year-End Meetings, with roughly 50 spouses of conference leaders in attendance.

Report on 2024 Consolidated Enrollment

The Association of Adventist Colleges and Universities (AACU), comprised of the presidents and other top leaders from 13 Adventist colleges and universities in North America, has determined that the latest consolidated fall enrollment numbers for all 13 institutions totals 20,828 students. This increase of 256 students from the previous year marks the second consecutive year of total growth.

Charting a New Path: 2024 Administrators’ Conference Unites Leaders to Shape the Future of the Church in North America

It’s been 10 years since conference and union presidents, executive secretaries, and treasurers gathered in one room to brainstorm how best to carry out the church’s mission in North America. A long-awaited follow-up, the 2024 administrators’ conference hosted more than 200 conference and union officers at the NAD’s headquarters on Oct. 30-31.

In the Middle of It: A Thanksgiving Reflection

It’s easy to express gratitude when the outcome is favorable, when the struggle has passed, and when we can see the fruit of our perseverance. But what if we could learn to give thanks not just at the end of the journey but “in the middle of it”? What if we could cultivate the kind of gratitude that doesn’t wait for the resolution, but chooses to acknowledge God’s faithfulness even while the outcome is still unknown?

Promoting Healthy Minds at Southern Adventist University

Experts across America have gathered statistics that point to a mental health crisis for college students. Anxiety concerns have risen from 56 percent in 2013 to 65 percent in 2023, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. The center also found that the number of students seeking help has steadily increased from 2009 until the pandemic. In response to the crisis, Southern Adventist University is working to ensure that students have access to various high-quality mental health resources.