History

From its beginnings as the Christian College Consortium, the evolution of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities centers in its quest to advance the cause for Christ-centered higher education and help institutions transform the lives of students. Below are highlights from the associations history in the purview of each president.

Presidential milestones

2006-2012: Paul R. Corts, President

Since his inception as president, Paul Corts has accomplished several key initiatives. These include:
  • Completed a listening tour to determine how key constituents view the Council's mission and services
  • Conducted regional Main Thing symposiums to facilitate institutions discussions and evaluations regarding maintaining the integrity of each schools commitment to be Christ-centered.
  • Formed the International Commission on Higher Education
  • Launch of the Washington Journalism Center, a BestSemester student program in the fall of 2006

 

1994-2006: Robert C. Andringa, President

For nine years prior to Bob Andringas presidency with the CCCU, he was a consultant specializing in services to nonprofit corporation boards and chief executives. His clients now include over 250 boards and CEOs of international, national and other organizations. Andringa has served on several governing boards and numerous national advisory groups. In 1992, Bob was a founder of CEO Dialogues, Inc., on whose board he serves as president. From 2001 to 2005, he chaired the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity for the U.S. Department of Education. He also served on the board of the American Council of Education.
 
Other previous roles include Committee on Education and Labor staff in the U.S. House of Representatives; manager for Congressman Albert H. Quies gubernational campaign (Minnesota); Director for Policy Research in the Governors Office for Quie; and executive director of the Education Commission of the States.
 
Andringa received a Ph.D. from Michigan State University, conferred with three honorary degrees and is the author of the best-selling Nonprofit Broad Answer Book and Presidential Transitions in Private Colleges.
 
Highlights during his leadership with the CCCU included:
  • Restructuring the CCCU staff, strengthening the governing board, appointing numerous senior advisors and fellows and establishing several ongoing advisory groups
  • A new emphasis on government relations and partnerships with other national higher education associations
  • Coalition received two grants from the U.S. government (FIPSE), totaling $480,000 for long-term assessment project
  • Association changed its name to the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
  • The launch of five student programs: Programmes in Oxford (The Scholars Semester in Oxford and the Oxford Summer Programme); China Studies Program; Contemporary Music Center; Australia Studies Center; and Uganda Studies Program.
  • CCCU grew to 105 members and 71 affiliates in 24 nations
  • Several new programs were launched, including the Affirming Strengths program with the Gallup Organization, the Faithful Change project with seven campuses and the Oxford Seminars on Science and Christianity with a John Templeton Foundation grant
  • The W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded the CCCU a grant of $199,000 to fund initiatives for leadership, diversity and service learning for women leaders
  • The multi-year Quality/Retention project launched with 85 campuses
  • RenewedMinds, an imprint series with Baker Academic Books, Advancing Christian Higher Education, Petersons Choosing a Christian College and the Research on Christian Higher Education series were published

 

1988-1994: Myron Augsburger, President

Myron Augsburger was a well-known figure in both the Evangelical world and Christian higher education. The Mennonite preacher, educator and theologian earned two bachelors degrees from Eastern Mennonite College, a Master of Divinity degree from Goshen Biblical Seminary and Master of Theology and Doctor of Theology degrees from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA.
 
He served from 1965-1980 as president and professor of theology at Eastern Mennonite College and Seminary. During his period of leadership at the Harrisonburg, Va., institution, he participated in the founding of both the Christian College Consortium in 1971 and the Coalition in 1976. In 1981, he became the first pastor of Washington Community Fellowship, a new multi-denominational church in Capitol Hill that soon attracted American Studies Program staff and developed a ministry to ASP students and alumni.
 
In addition to his pastoral duties, he conducted evangelistic campaigns with Inter-Church Crusades and sat on the Coalitions board of reference. Since Augsburger assumed the Coalition presidency in a half-time capacity, he remained for a while on the church staff as Minister of the Word.
 
Highlights during his leadership with the Coalition include:
  • Senator Mark Hatfield and Ken Wessner of ServiceMaster chaired the National Capital Campaign
  • Coalition sponsored Through the Eyes of Faith books/conferences in psychology, biology, literature, business, history, sociology and music.
  • The Coalition received a three-year, $510,000 Lilly grant for Increasing Fund-raising effectiveness project
  • Coalition launched the five-pronged Russian Initiative with 18 member colleges as partners
  • A focus on racial/ethnic diversity, shown innumerous projects and conferences
  • Los Angeles Film Studies Center opened in January 1991
  • A new partnership was announced with the Centre of Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Oxford to promote the summer program to all U.S. campuses
  • Additional student programs were initiated in Egypt (1993) and Russia (1994)

 

1977-1988: John Dellenback, President

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale, John Dellenback later received his law degree from the University of Michigan. He attained the rank of lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, practiced as an attorney, pursued business interests and taught business law at Oregon State University.
 
In 1961, Dellenback stepped into state politics as a Republican delegate to the Oregon legislature. He then served Oregons fourth congressional district for four terms (1967-75) in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was a member of the Education and Labor Committee. After losing a reelection bid in 1974, when Richard Nixons Watergate problems hurt many GOP candidates, Dellenback accepted an appointment from President Gerald Ford in 1975 to direct the Peace Corps. His tenure at the Peace Corps ended early in 1977 with the accession of Democrat Jimmy Carter to the White House. Several months later, Dellenback emerged as the leading prospect for the Consortium/Coalition presidency and served in that role from 1977-1988.
 
Highlights during his leadership include:
  • Coalition set a goal of involving a critical mass of Christ-centered colleges; grew to 77 member institutions by Dellenbacks departure in spring of 1988.
  • 1982 edition of Eerdmans Guide to Christian Colleges was released; Coalition saw distribution/sale of 125,000 copies of six subsequent guides by Eerdmans
  • Ongoing series of faculty development conferences launched with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant in 1983
  • Latin American Studies Program was founded in 1986
  • National Marketing Initiative began in 1986 with major research, new image
  • HarperCollins contract initiated in 1986 for a supplemental textbook series
  • Board approved $2 million campaign for American Studies Program and national headquarter buildings

 

1975-1977: Founders and Gordon Werkema, President

Gordon Werkema was the Consortiums first full-time employee. Prior to this, he served as the assistant executive director of the Council for the Advancement of Small Colleges (CASC) in Washington, D.C. Before working with CASC, he was president of Trinity Christian College (IL).
 
In his three years as president of the Christian College Consortium, Werkema conceived and instituted several Consortium projects, including a marketing action program, a legal advisory network, faculty exchanges between member institutions, the Christian College News Service and the Christian University Press. The latter was a cooperative venture between the Consortium and the William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company to encourage excellence in Christian scholarship. Werkemas greatest contributions involved his leadership in two virtually simultaneous initiatives, the American Studies Program and the Christian College Coalition.
 
After attending Calvin College (MI) for three years, Werkema had earned his bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees at the University of Denver.
 
Gordon Werkema served as president of both Consortium and the Christian College Coalition until October 1977.