GLENDORA, Calif.–America’s Christian Credit Union (ACCU) funded a $100,000 “seed” grant given to the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities to underwrite research on the economic impact that Christian colleges and universities have in the United States.
Earlier in December, the full research results were revealed at a private event on the campus of Azusa Pacific University’s campus.
After a year of research, the study discovered the national impact of Christian higher education institutions affiliated with the CCCU, totaling $60 billion annually (or $166 million a day) contributed to the U.S. economy. Byproducts of the CCCU included those relating to the collective economic, societal, and community impact, the credit union reported. The CCCU is graduating students who are interested in bettering the world through human services at nearly three times the rate of traditional four-year institutions. And with a call to be good neighbors in the cities the universities reside, the CCCU proudly announced its annual contribution of 5.4 million hours of community service offered by current students.
“If we want to be effective communicators of the full value of Christian higher education, we must know the vital statistics of how and why Christian colleges impact their locality, their state, and the nation,” said CCCU President Shirley V. Hoogstra. “We are grateful for the leaders at ACCU, who recognize both the value of Christian colleges and universities and the need for this research.”
When announcing the results of the research grant, ACCU President/CEO Mendel L. Thompson said, “At ACCU, we strive to play a constructive role in mission-aligned outreach and expanding the Kingdom. We recognize and support the very significant role that God-honoring institutions like Azusa Pacific University play.”