The Friday, May 8, ceremony at 7 p.m. will award 52 doctoral and 261 master’s degrees. On Saturday, May 9, 650 bachelor’s degrees will be presented in two ceremonies – 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.��

The 10 a.m. ceremony includes bachelor’s degree candidates from��

• College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• College of Biblical Studies
• College of Health and Human Services
• College of Learning and Development
• Onstead College of Science and Engineering��

The 2 p.m. ceremony includes bachelor’s degree candidates from

• College of Business Administration
• College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
• College of Leadership and Professional Studies��

Dr. Wes Crawford (’02 M.Div.), vice provost, will give the charge to the graduate class at the Friday ceremony. Kevin Washington (’11 M.A.), associate athletics director and athletics chaplain at Baylor University, will give the charge to the undergraduate class at both ceremonies on Saturday. Washington played football at Notre Dame and ACU, earning bachelor’s degrees in sociology and film and television and master’s degrees in communication and biblical counseling.

All three ceremonies will be livestreamed; visit acu.edu/commencement for more information.����

Honorary Doctorate

At the Saturday morning ceremony, ACU will award an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Barbara (Bell ’50) Packer. Alongside her late husband and former ACU board chair, H. Lynn Packer (’50), she played an integral role in advancing the mission of ACU through investment and support of initiatives that shaped the university’s spiritual and academic identity. The Packer family’s impact is reflected in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, the Robert S. and Katherine Bell Chapel on the Hill, two endowed chairs in the College of Biblical Studies and the Packer Scholars program.

Outlive Your Life Award

In both Saturday ceremonies, Dr. Perry Reeves (’65) will be awarded the Dale and Rita Brown Outlive Your Life Award. A longtime member of ACU’s chemistry faculty, Reeves’ love of teaching and research made him an inspiration and mentor to generations of future scientists, science teachers and medical professionals. The Outlive Your Life Award is named for its first recipients, Dale and Rita Brown, and for the book by ACU alumnus Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference. The award recognizes all types of servant leadership exhibited by friends or alumni of the university.

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These moments define the first-year experience at ACU, where relationship-building is as essential as class attendance.��

This intentional community-building begins on move-in day, when students are immediately welcomed into the ACU family. Faculty, staff and upperclassmen unload cars and carry belongings up stairs, creating an atmosphere of celebration rather than drudgery.��

After a goodbye blessing with families, Wildcat Week officially begins. Students are immediately welcomed into one of ACU’s most meaningful traditions, the Candlelight Devo, which will bookend their university journey.��

“Wildcat week serves as the foundation of the student experience,” says PJ Martinez, dean of student engagement. “It equips first-year students through them learning the ACU traditions, experiencing Abilene, a place they’ll call home for the next 4-5 years, and meeting people who are on a journey similar to theirs.”��

Throughout the week, students participate in concerts, service projects, communal worship and creative activities. Martinez points to ACU Fest as a highlight, where students connect with local churches, non-profits and businesses, as well as more than 75 student organizations.

“A sense of joy” permeates the event, Martinez says, as incoming students meet alumni and begin to understand the strength of the ACU community.��

All of these activities are intentional, “designed to create a sense of belonging from the very beginning of a student’s college experience,” says Lillie Goode, Student Director of Wildcat Week for 2026.��

“By the end of the week, it is our hope that ACU starts to feel like home because of the relationships, traditions, and shared experiences new students develop during those first few days on campus.”

That community doesn’t end when classes begin. Students stay with their Wildcat Week groups throughout the first semester in Cornerstone, a foundational course that shapes the rest of their ACU experience. Led by faculty from across disciplines, the class invites students to explore the purpose of a liberal arts education.

Additionally, Cornerstone faculty involve students in community-building activities, such as service projects, shared meals and class outings to ACU events. Each class has a dedicated peer mentor, an upperclassman who guides students through their first semester.��

For Merit Gamertsfelder, a business management major and Cornerstone peer leader, the transition from Wildcat Week to Cornerstone is critical in building community: “Cornerstone helps freshmen get connected with others right off the bat. Wildcat Week plays a big part of this too, establishing friendships first and then growing into them in the classroom.”

Seeing the same small group several times a week in the classroom and beyond helps students build confidence, Gamertsfelder says. “At first everyone is shy and timid, but by the end they have all become comfortable and have let their inner selves shine.”

Together, Wildcat Week and Cornerstone propel students through their first year with a foundation of belonging. As Martinez puts it, “Once Wildcat Week is done, the growth and the enjoyment doesn’t end – it’s only beginning!”

– Kayla Hewitt

May 1, 2026

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For Kyla Karleskint, associate director of career development at ACU, witnessing students’ progression is the most rewarding part of the job.��

“I love watching the students throughout their career journey,” she says, “seeing them come in as freshmen and work on their first-year items and then seeing them walk into the career fair with their suits on and engage with those employers and then watching that translate into full-time work.”

Holistic Career Development

Everyone on campus has a role to play in helping students achieve their career goals. Offices like and the partner with “career champions” in academic departments to provide skill- and character-building experiences.��

Custom departmental roadmaps guide students through career development activities, such as internships and research, throughout their degree plan.��

In first-semester Cornerstone classes, students explore the idea of calling and vocation from the perspectives of different disciplines. They discover their unique combination of interests and skills with the guidance of faculty and peer mentors.��

Through departmental service-learning projects, students directly practice career-essential skills. Agricultural and environmental sciences majors build vertical gardens in Nicaragua. Business majors partner with students in Ghana to explore community-enhancing start-ups.��

Students even have the ability to combine Study Abroad and an internship in the international nonprofit sector through ACU’s program in Leipzig, Germany.��

By applying classroom knowledge to real-world problems and engaging in collaborative, intercultural projects, students develop the 21st-century skills employers are looking for.��

Outcomes Focused

The Career Development office helps students synthesize and reflect on their experiences and provides guidance on communicating the skills they’ve developed to future employers.��

Karleskint and her team confidently connect students with an enthusiastic network of Wildcat alumni and other industry contacts through career fairs, internships and a custom employer directory.

To ensure that tangible outcomes remain a focus, the career development team administers the NACE First Destination Survey each year. In 2025, 92% of ACU undergraduate students were employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months.��

With all of this intentional preparation, it’s no wonder that Karleskint’s parting advice to graduating students is full of encouragement: “You have everything within you to do it. You are prepared. Go in peace and confidence.”

– Kayla Hewitt

April 20, 2025

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More than 140 students from �鶹��ýӳ�� and other nearby schools presented a variety of research findings and creative projects April 7 at ACU’s 18th annual Undergraduate Research, Creativity and Innovation Festival.

A related event – the Excellence in Oratory Forum – took place the night before the festival, showcasing students’ public speaking skills. A segment of the forum featured performances of scriptural passages and powerful speeches delivered by the likes of John F. Kennedy, Frederick Douglass, Barbara Jordan, Gabriela Mistral and C.S. Lewis.

At the festival, undergraduate students from ACU – as well as McMurry University and Abilene High School – shared the results of their research and projects. Attendees were able to observe findings and creative works across a spectrum of disciplines, including biology, engineering, physics, history, literary criticism, rhetorical criticism, biochemistry, biblical studies, missiology and marketing.

“This diversity reflects ACU’s commitment to helping train students to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul and strength,” said Dr. Randall Fowler, director of undergraduate research, creativity and innovation. “This festival showcases the best and breadth of ACU, and I applaud our students’ hard work and dedication to their scholarly craft.”

The event concluded with a dinner and presentation of awards for top scholars, Faculty Mentors of the Year, and outstanding presentations, posters and speeches.

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Tim Holt, Young Alumnus of the Year

This award recognizes professional achievement and/or distinguished service to �鶹��ýӳ��. To be eligible, a recipient must not be over 40 years of age at the time of selection.

Tim Holt (’15) produces videos that bring smiles to the faces of millions of viewers around the world, and he’s grateful his faith can play a starring role in his life’s calling.

The son of two ACU alumni, Holt arrived in Abilene and quickly showcased the skills that would eventually put his work on display to millions. He participated in the Los Angeles Film Studies Center and won multiple awards in ACU’s annual FilmFest competition, including best picture and best director during his senior year.�� He earned a bachelor’s degree in digital entertainment technology with a minor in digital media in 2015 and began working for the sports and comedy group just months after graduation.

Dude Perfect, which rose to prominence in part thanks to viral videos of increasingly elaborate trick shots and world-record attempts, now boasts more than 61 million YouTube subscribers who tune in to enjoy the content Holt helps film and edit. Regardless of their soaring popularity, members of the group maintain that their purpose is “about giving back, spreading joy, and glorifying Jesus Christ.” For Holt, this integration of faith and work is part of why he calls this opportunity the privilege of a lifetime. “I am really blessed because we are all actively striving to live out our faith,” he said.

Holt continues to give back to his alma mater, serving as a FilmFest judge and sharing his faith and experiences with students as a Chapel speaker and Young Alumni Forum panelist. He and his wife, D’Ann, have a five-year-old daughter, Everly, and live in Prosper, Texas.

John Warner, M.D., Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

This award honors timely recognition of lifetime achievement that brings honor to the university through personal and professional excellence and service to the university, church or community.

Throughout his career as a cardiologist and a leader of renowned institutions that train doctors, John Warner, M.D. (’87), has made a real difference in the world of medicine that will be felt for generations to come.

Warner arrived at ACU as an accomplished distance runner, and he lettered in track and field for the Wildcats as part of several NCAA Division II national championship teams. After graduating from ACU with a Bachelor of Science in biology, he attended Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology at Duke University Medical Center. Warner eventually returned to UT Southwestern in Dallas, where he served as a cardiologist and an institutional leader for 20 years, helping oversee planning and construction of the William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital. He eventually became executive vice president for health affairs and CEO of the UT Southwestern Health System.

��In 2023, Warner became CEO of and executive vice president at Ohio State. In this role, he leads an expansive organization encompassing six hospitals, a network of outpatient care and research facilities, and the College of Medicine. Under his leadership, the medical center is completing $3 billion in capital projects to advance its mission to improve health in Ohio and across the world through innovations and transformation in research, education, patient care and community engagement.

Warner served as president of the American Heart Association from 2017-18 and has been on its board of directors since 2014.�� He is married to fellow ACU alum, Lisa (Fielder ’89). They have two grown children and live in New Albany, Ohio.

– Wendy Kilmer and Jonathan Smith

March 31, 2026

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The Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy at �鶹��ýӳ�� announced the launch of the inaugural ACU Founder Awards, a new annual tradition recognizing exceptional alumni founders and alumni-led businesses. are now open.

“The ACU Founder Awards will spotlight the fastest-growing businesses, as well as emerging companies and founders from among ACU alumni,” said Dr. Jim Litton, director of the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy. “This initiative reflects our commitment to celebrating and strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit across the ACU community.”

The inaugural awards celebration will take place during ACU Homecoming in October 2026. The program is presented by Leadwell Advisory Partners and reviewed by Condley and Company, LLP, whose sponsorships help ensure a rigorous and credible selection process for this new flagship initiative.

“The Founder Awards are designed to elevate the stories of ACU founders who are excelling in the marketplace while reflecting the values-centered leadership that defines our university,” said Madison Hall, director of the ACU Entrepreneur Network within the Griggs Center.

The awards are designed to recognize founders across multiple industries and growth stages, from emerging ventures to established enterprises, highlighting innovation, sustained growth, leadership excellence, community impact and marketplace influence.

Nominees must be ACU alumni who are founders or executive leaders of businesses. Alumni, peers, employees and community members are invited to submit nominations. Selected nominees will be invited to complete a formal application beginning in mid-April. All applications will undergo a structured review process led by industry professionals and financial reviewers to ensure consistency, integrity and excellence in selection.

The Founder Awards are part of the broader vision of the ACU Entrepreneur Network – a growing ecosystem of alumni founders, operators, mentors, and investors connected through the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy.

“We anticipate that the ACU Founder Awards will be a cornerstone event within the university’s alumni and entrepreneurship programming, positioning ACU alongside leading institutions that formally recognize founder excellence,” said Mike Willoughby, dean of the College of Business Administration.��

About the Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy
The at �鶹��ýӳ�� exists to connect, equip and inspire students along their entrepreneurial journey. Through strong academic foundations and immersive, real-world experiences, the center fosters innovative leaders who create value in the marketplace and meaningful impact in their communities.

– Wendy Kilmer
Feb. 18, 2025

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When Langley Smith boarded her flight to Uruguay to study abroad, she expected a semester of travel and new scenery. What she didn’t anticipate was how deeply the experience would reshape her sense of identity, community and calling.

Smith’s first study abroad experience was to ACU’s hub location in Montevideo, Uruguay, in Fall 2023. Later, she interned in Leipzig, Germany, with Leipzig Notenspur, a public-history organization dedicated to preserving the city’s musical heritage. Her research focused on how music helped two Jewish girls survive forced labor during the Holocaust.

The academic learning was only part of the experience for Smith, a senior from Murrieta, California, with a double major in political science and history.

“I believe there are many different purposes of education,” she says, ranging from acquiring hard skills and field knowledge to “learning how to present oneself, navigating independence, and developing our emotional boundaries and moral beliefs, all while introducing us to a diverse set of ideas and individuals.”

Smith found her study abroad experience was a catalyst for all of those aspects of her education, she says. Her time in Montevideo challenged assumptions and expanded her cultural understanding. Leipzig strengthened her research abilities and gave her professional experience in an international workplace.��

“To put it simply, studying abroad made my education bigger than simply my classes or extracurricular activities,” she says. “It’s a cringy statement, but I really do feel like the world is my classroom now.”

A competitive edge

Smith, a Rhodes Scholar finalist for 2026, believes her global experiences elevated her application for the prestigious award. “Studying abroad provided the opportunities to practice cross-cultural and interdisciplinary communication,” she says. “Studying abroad also developed my global perspective. I believe that this global perspective also contributed to my application and ultimate selection as a finalist.”

And as a bonus, she adds, “I made lifelong friends and had life-changing experiences all before I turned 21.”

Smith’s reflection echoes a pattern ACU sees year after year – students discovering not just new places, but new parts of themselves. It’s a defining strength of ACU’s student experience, and one the university has been nationally recognized for once again in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report �����԰쾱�Բ���.��

ACU earned honors in four categories that spotlight programs proven to enhance the student experience: Learning Communities (#11), Service Learning (#11 and highest-ranked in Texas), First-Year Experiences (#13) and Study Abroad (#36).

A broader worldview��

“Study Abroad is widely recognized by educational researchers as one of the ‘highest impact practices’ a student can engage in as a college student,” says Dr. Mark Barneche, director of ACU’s program. “When students step onto ACU’s global campuses in Leipzig, Oxford or Valencia, or when they attend one of our other international programs around the world, they’re invited to engage their faith, intellect and curiosity in new and meaningful ways.”

Barneche stresses that immersion changes how students learn and who they become.��

“Learning in another culture strengthens independence and resilience, deepens relationships with faculty and peers, and helps students connect their academic work with the realities of an interconnected world,” he says.

“Because high-impact practices are proven to strengthen engagement and personal growth, ACU students often return from Study Abroad with a clearer sense of calling, renewed confidence, and a broadened understanding of how their education can serve God and neighbor across cultures,” he notes. “It’s not just a semester or short-term program away from home – it’s a formative experience that shapes students for life.”

For Smith, the practical and the personal came together across two continents. Her semester in Montevideo offered community and language practice; the Leipzig internship provided workplace experience and specialized archival research tied to her double majors in political science and history.

The support before, during and after the experience “really makes it feel like there’s a slice of the Abilene campus abroad,” she says.

The ACU difference

Barneche echoes the importance of that support. “What truly sets ACU’s Study Abroad program apart is the level of care, intentionality and community woven into every part of the experience,” he says.

Because ACU owns its global properties and employs its own faculty abroad, he explains, “we have an unusually high degree of control over the environment in which students live and learn.”

Each location is directed by ACU alumni who were once Study Abroad students themselves. Faculty-in-residence accompany students overseas, living, learning, worshiping and traveling alongside them.

“Each site becomes a vibrant living-learning community marked by strong relationships, shared experiences and a genuine sense of belonging,” Barneche says. “We find this chapter abroad becomes a defining part of a student’s ACU story.”

A program built on purpose

At many universities, studying abroad is a luxury. At ACU, it is a deeply integrated educational strategy, one that shapes students academically, spiritually and personally.

The program’s national recognition aligns with measurable outcomes: 46% of ACU’s university scholars last year were Study Abroad alumni and��applications for 2025, released in November, reached 302, an increase of 60 over the previous year.

Students also participate in spiritual formation overseas, including baptisms, small groups, and communal worship. Earlier this year, two students were baptized at Cenchrae, a sacred site visited during the Leipzig program.

The recognition by U.S. News and World Report affirms what he sees every day, Barneche says – that the depth of care, creativity and excellence poured into ACU’s global education programs is genuinely making a difference in students’ lives.

“For our team, this ranking isn’t just a badge of honor – it’s external confirmation that the intentional work of resourcing and improving our global campuses, investing in spiritual and academic formation, and creating a transformative community abroad is being noticed beyond our own walls,” he notes. “It validates the long hours, the behind-the-scenes work, the cross-cultural partnerships, and the commitment to delivering a high-impact educational experience shaped by ACU’s mission. Most of all, it encourages us to keep innovating and expanding the opportunities our students have to engage the world with curiosity, courage, and Christian purpose.”

For students like Langley Smith, the journey has been both academic and deeply personal.

And for ACU, that journey is exactly the point.

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When senior Abigail Countess arrived on the �鶹��ýӳ�� campus four years ago, she didn’t yet know where to find her classrooms or how to navigate college life. But she did know one thing: she wanted community.

She found it in the Honors College, surrounded by classmates who shared her curiosity, drive and faith — and that sense of connection, she says, made all the difference.

“Being in the Honors College gave me an immediate sense of community because it made campus seem much smaller and more personal,” Countess said. “From the beginning, I felt welcomed and supported, and that helped me adjust to college life so much more easily.”

Stories like Countess’s are part of the reason ACU was once again recognized among the nation’s best universities for programs that help students succeed.

In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings released this fall, ACU earned national distinction in four categories — No. 11 in Learning Communities, No. 11 in Service Learning, No. 13 in First-Year Experiences and No. 36 in Study Abroad.

It marks the seventh consecutive year ACU has been honored in the U.S. News list of “Programs That Enhance Student Experience,” which highlights colleges and universities that foster engagement beyond the classroom.

“A national research university that is intentional about spiritual formation, impactful co-curricular experiences and forming lifelong relationships is unique in the higher education marketplace,” notes Dr. Phil Schubert, ACU president. “We’re thrilled when others recognize the value of what we see happening every day here at ACU.”

A culture of connection

For ACU, “learning communities” are a core part of the university’s approach to education. In these programs, students live and learn together through shared coursework, residence hall life and faculty mentorship.

The concept has been woven into the fabric of ACU’s mission: to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. One of the most visible examples is the Honors College Living Learning Communities, launched in 2023.

Honors freshmen participate in the Living Learning Community housed in Wessel, ACU’s newest residence hall, said Dr. Trey Shirley, associate dean of the Honors College and associate professor of art and design.

“Through this experience, students live together, learn together in Honors courses such as Cornerstone, and grow together through shared experiences that extend beyond the classroom,” he said.

The success of that first-year community was immediate. “In our first year of our Freshman Living Learning Community, we really didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “At our first event, and multiple subsequent events, we noticed that we were getting 100% attendance rates. The students were present and engaged, and anxious to join in all of the activities we planned.”

And when students prepared to leave at the end of the year, many expressed sadness at losing daily contact with friends they had come to see as family, he said. That feedback prompted the creation of a sophomore Living Learning Community in Barret Hall the following year.

Faculty in residence and mentorship in action

One of the defining features of ACU’s learning communities is the close relationship between students and faculty who mentor, model faith and participate with students in daily campus life.

In the Honors College, that relationship extends into residence life through a faculty-in-residence program, where professors live alongside students in Wessel Hall. It’s part of a broader philosophy of holistic learning that blends academic rigor, personal growth and spiritual formation.

“Faculty also supervise undergraduate research projects, from nuclear engineering to fine arts performances to high-level biblical scholarship,” Shirley said. “They mentor students applying for national scholarships, guide them through research, and even travel with them to present at conferences.”

Beyond the classroom, faculty help students discern their calling. “In our college we have a mantra that we use as a guiding light to keep us on the right path,” Shirley said. “It is a quote from the 20th-century Christian essayist Frederick Buechner. Buechner writes, ‘The place God calls you to is the place where your deep passion and the world’s deep hunger meet.’

“Working with high-achieving students, we know that they bring many talents to the table.�� But this quote reminds us that our talents are not to be hoarded for ourselves, but are intended to be shared with the world.�� So our goal is to partner with our students, to help them find the intersection between that which brings them deep gladness and the world’s deep need,” he said.

A student perspective on community

Countess, a senior kinesiology pre-occupational therapy major, says that sense of shared purpose and mentorship defines her Honors College experience.

“I loved my Honors Cornerstone class,” she said. “That’s where I made some of my very first college friends, and many of those friendships have lasted all four years. It felt like a space where everyone wanted to grow and learn together.”

She credits the smaller class sizes and collaborative learning environment with helping her find her voice as a student and as a leader.

“Within the Honors College, everyone is motivated and genuinely wants to learn – not just to get a grade, but to understand how what we study connects to the world,” she said. “The professors also take a more personal approach and get to know you as a person.”

Through her Honors contracts, Countess has worked one-on-one with professors on specialized projects that align with her interests. Those experiences, she said, have given her confidence and a deeper sense of ownership in her education.

“Being part of the Honors College has inspired me to work harder and strive for excellence,” she said. “It’s taught me balance – how to handle challenging academics while still building relationships and enjoying college life.”

Learning that extends beyond the classroom

In addition to the residential communities, ACU’s Honors College fosters connection through an Honors Commons – a shared space for study sessions, tutoring, Chapel services and social gatherings. The Honors Student Council organizes a variety of events including formals, service projects and field trips.

Shirley says those activities help students integrate “faith, scholarship, and service” into their ACU experience — a reflection of the university’s broader commitment to spiritual formation and leadership.

“The Honors College offers many opportunities for students to engage in ACU’s mission from the start of their freshman year through graduation,” Shirley said. “Through our four Honors tracks — Design Thinking and Innovation, Global Service and Leadership, Social and Environmental Justice, and Research and Scholarship — students learn what it means to be a person of faith seeking to do God’s work in the world.”

As for Countess, she’ll soon leave campus with a degree and a clear sense of direction. But what she’ll remember most, she said, are the people — the friends who became family and the professors who saw her potential before she did.

“The Honors College isn’t just about academics,” she said. “It’s about being part of a supportive, encouraging community. That’s what makes ACU feel like home.”

– Robin Saylor

Nov. 10, 2025

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Service learning – a hallmark of the �鶹��ýӳ�� experience – is one of the many reasons U.S. News & World Report has again recognized ACU among the nation’s best in its 2026 rankings.

For the seventh consecutive year, ACU earned top marks in the “Programs That Enhance Student Experience” category, including ranking #11 in the nation in service learning.

But service learning at ACU is more than just a ranking – it’s a hands-on way for students to transform classroom knowledge into real-world impact.

Last year, 178 students, along with nearly 30 faculty, staff and alumni, participated in service learning projects across 20 countries, from Japan to Nicaragua. This year, students continue their outreach in places like Brazil, Peru and Denver, Colorado.

With majors ranging from finance to nursing, students apply their skills in meaningful ways, offering expertise, gaining cross-cultural experience and deepening their faith. For some, it’s their first time traveling abroad, stepping into new cultures and environments. Others serve locally, addressing challenges in their own communities.

For several years, students in ACU’s speech-language pathology program have traveled to Uganda to work with Hope Speaks, providing evaluations and speech therapy. They were joined this year by students from the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition who were working on producing a locally sourced food thickener.

“There’s a dire need for speech therapists in Uganda,” said Anna Kate Bradford, one of the students who went on this trip. “Hope Speaks did 90 evaluations in a year, and we surpassed that in a week and a half. Imagine the help they would have if they had more SLPs here. You see drastic changes just by being seen once – in one 30-minute time of reading a book to them, playing with a ball, hearing their laughter. It helps give kids their voice back and that’s what’s amazing.”

ACU students have made a difference in communities worldwide, including:

Rwanda –�� The Department of Engineering and Physics worked with ACU alumnus Serge Gasore to survey the campus of Rwanda Children in preparation for a future erosion control project. Communication sciences and disorders students also joined to offer speech pathology services to children in the community.

Brazil – Social Work students traveled to Itu, Brazil, to work with ACU alumni Mark and Ali Kaiser on their local initiatives to partner with those who are underserved in their community.��

Uganda – Students from the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition partnered with Hope Speaks to continue their work on producing a locally sourced food thickener, while students in the speech-language pathology program continued to offer services to local families.

Poland – Lynay students and faculty have hosted sports and VBS-style activities for Ukrainian refugee children. Read about one of their trips.

Ghana – Students from the College of Business Administration worked alongside students at Heritage Christian College and Ateiku Christian Ministries to explore entrepreneurial startups that might benefit the students and their communities.��

Nicaragua – Students from agricultural and environmental sciences developed vertical gardens for local communities.

Guatemala, Peru, and Denver, Colorado – Nursing and pre-health teams worked alongside healthcare providers to provide support and deliver care.

Throughout these experiences, students from the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication served as embedded reporters, creating documentaries to show the impact.

“The bravery of these students reminds us all that we are called to live out God’s Kingdom in ever-diverse contexts,” said Dr. Zane McGee, director of the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service. And the integration of faith, learning and service is what defines ACU’s approach to education.

Kari David, who along with her husband co-founded Uganda’s Hope Speaks, talks about the impact ACU students have made.

“We’ve really seen how providing services and building that relationship with families opens the door for a conversation about the Gospel,” she said. “And there’s really no better way to show the Gospel to them than through loving their kids, especially in a culture where everyone else has pushed them away.”

– Robin Saylor

Oct. 16, 2025

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For the seventh consecutive year, the student experience at �鶹��ýӳ�� is one of the nation’s best, according to the 2026

According to U.S. News & World Report’s methodology, the are a��national benchmark of “outstanding examples��of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success.” In the 2026 report, U.S. News recognized ACU in four categories – and in the top 15 nationally in three of them. The university has been recognized in multiple categories each year since the benchmark’s debut in 2020.

• #11 in Service Learning [highest-ranked Texas university]
• #11 in Learning Communities
• #13 in First-Year Experiences
• #36 in Study Abroad

One of the pillars of is to “provide a vibrant student experience that strengthens ACU’s commitment to spiritual formation and leverages ACU’s national leadership in student success.”

The rankings come on the heels of an eighth consecutive year of record enrollment, with the university topping 7,000 for the first time. In the spring, ACU was designated as a Research 2 university by the Carnegie Institute for Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education – a milestone that reflects the university’s intentional commitment to research growth and academic excellence.

“A national research university that is intentional about spiritual formation, impactful co-curricular experiences and forming lifelong relationships is unique in the higher education marketplace, and we’re thrilled when others recognize the value of what we see happening every day here at ACU,” said Dr. Phil Schubert, ACU president.

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