02/05/2008
Whitworth and Crichton Receive CCCU Racial Harmony Award

Act Six partners Whitworth University and Crichton College were recently selected to receive the 2008 Robert and Susan Andringa Award for Advancing Racial Harmony. The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities presented the award to Whitworth President Bill Robinson and Crichton President Larry Lloyd during the Feb. 2 Presidents Conference in Washington, D.C. The award celebrates the achievements of CCCU campuses in making progress in the areas of diversity, racial harmony and reconciliation.

Whitworth University

As a Christian institution, Whitworth University takes seriously Christ's example of loving across racial, ethic, gender, socio-economic and religious differences. The institution is committed to creating an environment that welcomes people from diverse backgrounds, acknowledges that we all have things to learn from each other, and graduates students who communicate effectively across cultures.

One example of Whitworth's campus-wide commitment to diversity and racial harmony is the Act Six Leadership and Scholarship Initiative. This unique partnership between Whitworth University and the Northwest Leadership Foundation encourages urban leadership development, college access and retention. Act Six has brought five cadres of emerging student leaders to Whitworth from urban Tacoma and Seattle. All 11 members of the first cadre, and one from the second, graduated last May; and 37 of the 39 scholars originally selected for cadres 2-5 remain enrolled at Whitworth – far exceeding national averages for retention and graduation rates.

Based on the success of Act Six at Whitworth, the program has been expanded to Crichton College, George Fox University and Pacific Lutheran University, and is in planning stages at several other institutions.

"First, we applaud the CCCU for honoring racial and ethnic diversity efforts in Christian higher education," says Whitworth President Bill Robinson. "Second, I can scarcely think of an award that would be more gratifying to Whitworth. This recognition acknowledges the vision, hard work and the courage of many people who have contributed to the success of Act Six – not the least of whom are the Act Six scholars themselves, who serve as agents of enlightenment and reconciliation every day on our campus.  Finally, we long for the day when Christ’s justice rules every Christian college campus.  At Whitworth, we know we fall far short of this hope, but we celebrate all acts of loving across racial, ethnic, gender, socio-economic and religious differences.” 

Crichton College

Crichton College is located in the heart of Memphis and is uniquely positioned, both geographically and demographically, to reach out to the city. Crichton’s faculty, staff and student body intentionally mirror the diversity of Memphis, while promoting the love of Jesus Christ within the Crichton community and throughout the entire Memphis community. Crichton is dedicated to a rich and diverse campus as an extension of the urban community in which it lives.

Crichton’s recruiting staff focuses their efforts on a diverse group of schools, ranging from inner city public schools, to suburban public schools, to elite private schools. Upon matriculation, academic coaches provide Crichton’s incoming students, particularly first-generation students, with the support, mentoring and assistance needed to ensure their success in college.

In 2005, Crichton College initiated the John Perkins Lectureship Series on Christian Community Development, an annual lecture series that not only educates the Memphis community about Christian community development in the inner city, but also inspires and challenges students, faculty and staff and the greater Memphis community to tackle the issues of dignity, power, education, health, housing and employment in an urban context.

Crichton College President Larry Lloyd says, “To be honored in this way humbles us at Crichton College, but also is a testimony to what can be done when a college or church or corporation is intentional about racial reconciliation; about loving one’s neighbor.  We are very serious about this at Crichton, and it’s often messy and uncomfortable. But we don’t sweep it under the rug. We believe that we have to be intentional, that we have to confront the evils of racism and give it no quarter. Jesus' great prayer for His church is that we would be one as He and the Father are one. The challenge to that oneness is not just loving people who are like us. No, the real test of Jesus prayer is oneness with those who are different."

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities is a higher education association of 182 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 105 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 77 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Council's mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.

For more information, read the full press release on the CCCU website.

See all Act Six news »