An Eye on the Future
A vision of faithful stewardship drives Asbury into the spring
Equine studies major Rebecca Hedman ’24 benefited from equine-based therapy in some of the darkest times of her life. And now, her Asbury University story of growth and healing — like so many others — is one of transformation that was made possible by the generosity of others.
A lot of my experience at Asbury has been restorative work in my identity, my walk with the Lord, and in my community, I’ve walked out restored, made new, and forgiven. I remember before coming to Asbury, I had seen the world and was disappointed. Now, I have seen Jesus, and he has changed everything.
Upon graduation, Hedman plans to attend Asbury Theological Seminary and then pursue a career in the growing field of equine therapy so she can use horses in therapy to bring hope and healing to others.
Hedman’s experience is reflective of Asbury’s mission, which is accomplished by thoughtful and diligent fiduciary responsibility that prioritizes faithful stewardship of every dollar that is earned, gifted, and expensed by Asbury. The focus is always first and foremost on the formative student experience.
“Asbury is not simply a non-profit educational entity or a degree-granting institution,” said President Dr. Kevin Brown. “Asbury is a broad community of women and men who, though diverse in background, share in a life- altering, transformative experience of intellectual growth, character formation, and being tightly woven into the communal fabric of brothers and sisters in Christ. Asbury is characterized by its people, and its people are characterized by a thick sense of Christian community.”
With this mission at the forefront, Asbury’s leadership has thoughtfully stewarded its funds in a way that honors Christ, helping lead to the University endowment almost doubling in the last decade, reaching approximately $74 million. More than two-thirds of the funds are directed to student scholarships, continuing the efforts to make Asbury as affordable as possible.
Stewardship (expense controls and operational efficiencies) is part of Brown’s three-year Strategic Focus, announced at the end of 2023. The plan’s other facets are Sustainable Growth (revenue generation) and Cultural Climate (trust, communication, and missional buy-in). The vision requires clearly articulated budget measurements, accountability, effective communication, budgeting priorities that best fulfill Asbury’s mission, and operational efficiencies that release staff and faculty to focus on activities core to the mission. The stewardship of time is as important as the stewardship of funds.
New Outdoor Venue to be Named in Honor of President Emerita Dr. Sandra Gray
President Emerita Dr. Sandra Gray has remained actively involved in support of Asbury since her leadership tenure from 2007 to 2019 during which Asbury experienced transformative growth still being realized today. The school went from a college to a university, launched a record-breaking fundraising campaign, made critical leadership hires, achieved enrollment records, opened the state-of-the-art Miller Center for Communication Arts, and so much more. (See the Spring 2019 issue of the Ambassador to read more.)
And this spring, the Board of Trustees announced by unanimous vote that the new Outdoor Venue will be named in honor of Dr. Sandra Gray. The venue’s mission is to open Asbury to the community in a larger way.
“It is fitting that a president who had such a sense of hospitality and love for our students and the Asbury family is honored in this way,” said Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Strategic Partnerships Dr. Mark Troyer. “Her desire to expand Asbury’s reach and impact makes this an easy decision to connect her tenure with a venue that will welcome more students, families and friends to Asbury University for decades to come.”
Construction on Phase I of the project is complete and includes a collegiate competition track, field events area, turf soccer field, lights, fencing, storage building, and the beginning of stadium seating. The second and final phase of the project begins this spring and will be complete by summer 2025. It will include two buildings, landscaping, expanded parking and access areas, and additional media and technology including a video scoreboard. The buildings will provide meeting space, public restrooms, locker rooms, a training room, and referee and coach spaces.
The Advancement team is working on raising the final $3 million to complete the project, which will total more than $12 million and Troyer invites alumni and friends to honor the former president by joining in the final phase of fundraising for the important project. “We are all the recipients of Dr. Gray’s legacy of effective leadership and service. I feel as though we are harvesting seeds she faithfully planted years ago. Dr. Gray has been an effective, influential, and transformative leader without compromising character. I do not know of a higher compliment,” Troyer said.
Visit the Outdoor Venue page to donate to the project.
Other Upcoming Projects
- This summer, the renovated choral room will be dedicated as the Donaldson Choral Room, made possible through the giving of Asbury alums who sang under the leadership of Don Donaldson, long time music faculty and Choir director.
- The 2023 Reunion Gift project provided funds for a renovation of Glide-Crawford Parlor area and it is our hope to dedicate that during this summer’s reunion.
Spaces in Trustees residence hall will also get a face lift. - Asbury continues to raise funds for the endowment of the Set Apart Retreats that have had a significant impact on the spiritual temperature of the campus.
- We are excited about stewarding more endowed scholarships available to students than any time in our history and continuing to work with families who want to establish named scholarships to honor loved ones and bless Asbury students in the future.
Keeping Costs Low for Students
The ongoing work of stewardship also translates to Asbury maintaining one of the state’s lowest room and board rates, helping make an excellent academic experience. In fall of 2023, Asbury welcomed its second largest incoming class in history and 100 percent of those students received financial aid, as well as added scholarships and grants.
“I think it is important to talk about our definition of being ‘student centric’,” noted Brown. “Specifically, being student centric means ‘organizing strategies, resources, and decisions in a manner that prioritizes the student’s intellectual, communal, moral, and spiritual good — their preparation, maturation, opportunities, and well-being.’”
Senior Charlie Cox ’24 explains how financial donations funded the continuation of his business administration degree.
“In between my sophomore and junior year, my parents died in a car accident,” he explained. “It was solely through the help of financial donors that has allowed me to continue to come to Asbury. I think of Paul when he has a thorn in his flesh and cries out to the Lord to heal it. God says, ‘my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ When I look at my time at Asbury, I see individuals strengthening me in my weakness, and that’s a gift from God.”
As Brown said, with each project, program, initiative, or donation, the faithful drivers behind formation and stewardship are the people. Engaging a mindset of service and humility, we thank the Lord for a generous community of those involved with the stewardship focus of Asbury thus far.
“Giving to Asbury and funding our scholarships is a ‘living vote’ for the next generation of Asburians who are going to serve the professions, institutions, and the Church in faithful neighbor-serving, God-honoring ways,” Brown said. “I am more confident in the coming generation than ever.”
Scholarship, Friends, and Faith: Why Camps Matter
“Before college, I had the privilege of attending a few Asbury camps, including ImpactU to learn filmmaking and SUMMIT to learn about Biblical worldview and apologetics! Both challenged and shaped me in every way. They are the reason I met my freshman-year roommate and lifelong friend.
“These camps provide potential scholarship opportunities and cultivate spaces to dive into deep relationships, wrestle with new ideas, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Even more than that, they provide opportunities for your faith to become your own. I still work as a counselor every summer to be around this next generation of leaders!”
Riley McChord ’26
Communications & Business
Learn more and register before spots fill up!