Imago Dei Task Force seeks to reflect the diversity of the Body of Christ.
Dear CCU Community:
Colorado Christian University is a community of Christian believers committed to academic excellence framed within a biblical worldview. In our mission to provide Christ-centered higher education transforming students to impact the world with grace and truth, it is our desire to build a University of students, faculty, and staff that is eventually as diverse as the Body of Christ. To help us better reflect the diversity of God's Kingdom, I am announcing the Imago Dei Task Force.
All people are made in the image and likeness of God – Imago Dei (Genesis 1:26-27, James 3:9), and the goal of this task force is to help us make CCU a university that mirrors our general population in the fusion of race, ethnicity, and biological gender.
We have already made strides in this area. As a whole, 60.2% of CCU's students are white, in contrast to our state in which 86.9% of the population is white. In addition, 17.5% of our students are Hispanic and 14.3% are African American, in contrast to college and university students in Colorado, which are 16.8% Hispanic and 6.2% African American.* To see current diversity numbers of all CCU students, please review the 2020 CCU President's Annual Report .
Along with this, we have introduced First Generation and Multicultural Student scholarships, which provide undergraduate minority students, whose parents did not attend college, the opportunity to complete a Christian college degree at CCU. Equally, our Student Life forums, campus speakers, and our Presidential Webinars on Race have continued this conversation within our community over the last three years. In spite of all this, we acknowledge that we have more work to do to ensure everyone at CCU has the same opportunities regardless of their biological gender, race, or ethnic background.
It is our fervent desire to walk in Jesus' footsteps and to cut through the racial and gender barriers that divide us here on earth. Ultimately, we seek to be more like Him.
Individuals from every nation, tongue, tribe, and people will be around the throne of God in heaven (Revelation 7:9), and likewise, all races, creeds, and colors are welcome at CCU. All are afforded equal opportunity to thrive, succeed, and grow more like Jesus with the goal to become World Changers.
As we move forward, if you are interested in being part of this Task Force, please contact Kerry Bleikamp in the Office of the President at kbleikamp@ccu.edu.
Yours in His Service,
Dr. Donald W. Sweeting
President
*Figures from the Almanac of the Chronicle of Higher Education