MBU's Strategic Plan

As a distinctively Christ-centered community, MBU will provide transformative student experiences for a diverse student body that integrates unwavering Christian commitment, academic excellence and co-curricular engagement that is a model within higher education. MBU is dedicated to purposeful and exceptional student internships, mentorships and providing experiential learning to help students determine and pursue God’s calling on their lives.

Create Inspiring Learning Environments

• Establish robust living and learning environments that inspire, enlighten and empower students to be their best.
• Create a physical environment that is aesthetically pleasing, well maintained and positions MBU as one of the most attractive campuses in the Midwest.
• Promote a Christ-centered campus climate where all members are respected, supported and valued.

Retain More Students

• Cultivate a vibrant student experience that enhances a sense of community and affinity for the University resulting in increased retention, persistence and graduation rates.

Remove Roadblocks to Student Retention

• Invest in digital processes that streamline student services, including business office, financial services and enrollment functions.
• Enhance support systems and structures that respond to the students’ emerging intellectual, spiritual, physical and social needs.

Integrate Calling & Vocation Across the Curriculum

• Initiate academic and co-curricular programs aimed at more fully developing learning outcomes that introduce students to a Christian liberal arts education.
• Develop and expand exceptional student internship, mentorship and experiential learning to help students determine and pursue God’s calling on their lives.
• Establish a teaching and learning center that emphasizes Faith and Learning Integration that supports faculty and staff as they teach, advise and inspire students.

Through a variety of strategic initiatives—including church and organizational partnerships, heightened brand awareness, alumni engagement, fund development and outcomes data—we will emerge at the forefront of Christian Higher Education in the Midwest. This will result in an increasing number of Christian scholars affecting positive world change.

Grow Enrollment

• Develop and execute a strategic enrollment plan that significantly grows undergraduate main campus, graduate and online enrollment over the next five years.
• Create and implement an exceptional visitor/guest experience that derives from a culture of Christ-like hospitality encompassing all areas of the University.
• Establish and cultivate mutually beneficial partnerships with the church, corporations and organizations to develop enrollment pipelines while proactively addressing community and marketplace needs

Expand Giving

• Plan for a comprehensive fundraising campaign that increases endowment and annual giving, funds capital improvements and promotes planned giving among alumni and others.
• Engage and connect alumni to the University by developing programs and initiatives that build lifelong connections and increases philanthropic support.

Gather & Leverage Outcomes Data

• Conduct market research and expand a dashboard of key performance indicators that assess institutional health and promotes insightful decision-making.
• Gather and communicate alumni achievements and leverage employment data to highlight the return on investment.

Clarify Identity & Story

• Expand strategic thought leadership, to position MBU as a leading voice of Christian higher education in the Midwest.
• Invest additional resources aimed at branding and marketing initiatives to enhance the University’s reputation and visibility among constituents and throughout the region.

To fulfill its mission and achieve its vision, MBU will advance a financial model that is flexible, resilient and that promotes ongoing financial strength, stewardship, and viability for the future. The University will focus its attention on strategically important programs and activities that complement the mission of MBU, improve financial margins and implements technology that reduces operating costs and improves student services.

Invest in Comprehensive Student Success

• Reimagine scholarship modeling and tuition cost structure to provide students greater accessibility and affordability while meeting University revenue goals.

Increased Net Revenue

• Conduct a comprehensive financial audit of the regional learning centers, academic and athletic programs to ensure optimal fiscal stewardship.
• Improve University financial planning and analysis to secure long-term fiscal discipline and sustainability.

Optimize Program & Experience Mix

• Identify and launch new academic programs and co-curricular offerings that meet the demands of the marketplace and complement MBU’s mission.
• Utilize innovative technology to enhance student experiences and foster best business practices across the Institution.

Build & Enhance Strategic Partnerships

• Expand and strengthen a broad range of strategic partnerships with educational and healthcare organizations, corporations, churches, philanthropic foundations and key vendors.

MBU’s culture of care, belonging and community is an expression of the University’s Christian identity. Accordingly, MBU will promote an entrepreneurial environment that leverages human talent and diversity to achieve success as well as implement initiatives that provide opportunities for team members career growth, advancement and that effectively utilizes human resources to support University operations and promotes flourishing employees.

Build Leadership Capacity

• Promote an entrepreneurial culture among our faculty, staff and administrators that leverages human talent and diversity to achieve our desired success.
• Implement initiatives for supporting, training and developing current employees providing opportunities for career growth and advancement.

Attract & Retain Great Team Members

• Conduct a comprehensive review of MBU’s compensation structure that re-envisions employee salary and benefits.
• Allocate additional resources for faculty and staff professional development that aligns with the strategic plan.
• Reimagine, redesign and develop innovative faculty and staff workspaces and remote work arrangements designed to maximize employee productivity and serve students well.

Promote a Culture of Care, Belonging & Community

• Expand faculty and staff camaraderie and service opportunities as well as express employee appreciation.
• Promote and expand a culture of trust and transparency through open communication and collaborative decision-making.

Train & Deploy Human Resources Effectively

• Establish a Human Resources Department to centralize policies, procedures, employee training and operations.