Hope for the World: 2025

We hold a unique and enviable position in higher education. Our dual commitment to exceptional academics and vibrant Christian formation guides our direction, shapes our priorities, and creates the learning and living community that is Hope College.

While we have a long-standing history of excellence in these areas and so many others, we must constantly seek ways to respond to the changes in higher education, our nation and the church. Hope is not immune to these influences, and this plan represents our thoughtful and aspirational consideration of the challenges and opportunities that face Hope in the future.

Six strategic goals reflect the primary areas of challenge and opportunity for Hope. They reflect the primary areas of challenge and opportunity for Hope identified through significant analysis involving faculty, staff, student, alumni, parent and trustee input.

The full strategic plan is available only to the campus community.

Goal 1: Academics

Hope College will engage every student in a holistically formative education, distinguished by its combination of academic rigor, intimate learning environment, and experiential relevance, developed and delivered by nationally recognized teacher-scholars.

Objective 1

Every student’s academic program will include rigorous, relevant, customized, faculty-supervised experiences (on or off campus) that link intellectual skills and habits developed through the liberal arts with vocational aspirations.

Objective 2

Students will experience excellent and cohesive advising and other academic enrichment opportunities.

Objective 3

Teaching, learning and scholarship will be characterized by convergent approaches that span multiple perspectives and disciplinary boundaries.

Objective 4

Faculty and staff will be developed and properly resourced to pursue excellence in their work and service to our students. (Also appears as Goal 6, Objective 3.)

Objective 5

Every student will have the opportunity to encounter and critically explore the intellectual content of the historic Christian faith. (Also appears as Goal 2, Objective 3.)

Learn more about goal one 

Goal 2: Christian Formation

Hope College will be an ecumenical Christian community, welcoming students, faculty and staff into a vibrant experience of faith formation and intellectual engagement with the historic Christian faith.

Objective 1

Christian formation and outreach will serve a campus community that increasingly reflects the diversity of Christ’s global body.

Objective 2

Students, faculty, and staff will be provided opportunities, support and resources to reflect purposefully and discourse charitably about the Christian faith.

Objective 3

Every student will have the opportunity to encounter and critically explore the intellectual content of the historic Christian faith. (Also appears as Goal 1, Objective 5.)

Learn more about goal two 

Goal 3: Global Engagement

Hope College will equip every student to lead and serve in a global society by orienting all areas of the college toward greater global engagement.

Objective 1

Students, faculty and staff will engage in enriching, cross-cultural encounters that promote global understanding and develop cultural proficiency.

Objective 2

The advancement of cross-cultural learning and global engagement will be the shared responsibility of all divisions and departments.

Objective 3

Curricular and co-curricular learning opportunities that advance cross-cultural and global learning outcomes will be part of every student's Hope College experience.

Learn more about goal three 

Goal 4: Community

Hope College will be a community unified by its inspiring mission, strengthened by its diversity, and committed to the flourishing of every individual as one created and loved by God.

Objective 1

Faculty, staff, students and trustees will be a living/learning community characterized by respectful understanding of commonalities and differences informed by our Christian mission.

Objective 2

Recruitment, retention and vendor strategies will employ best practices in developing a diverse and inclusive community.

Objective 3

Assess, address and promote a campus culture where each person can flourish.

Learn more about goal four 

Goal 5: Reputation and Influence

Hope College will grow in national and international stature as a respected leader in higher education with a reputation for excellence.

 Objective 1

Hope's reputation, relationships and influence with vital stakeholders will grow through the effective communication of our differentiating strengths and achievements.

Objective 2

Longer Term. Hope College will promote each programmatic element of its mission in ways that enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation of Hope as a premier liberal arts college and leader in Christ-centered higher education.

Objective 3

The College will engage its alumni and parents worldwide in partnerships to advance the value of a Hope education and build a network of lifelong relationships supporting students and graduates.

Learn more about goal five 

Goal 6: Value

Hope College will be the best value among leading liberal arts colleges by providing an unsurpassed educational experience through faithful stewardship and development of resources.

Objective 1

The College will strengthen its competitive position by defining appropriate comparison groups and implementing strategies to achieve its desired standing in each.

Objective 2

The College will plan enrollment to the number of students that can be supported by staffing and infrastructure to achieve desired student outcomes.

Objective 3

Faculty and staff will be developed and properly resourced to pursue excellence in their work and service to our students. (Also appears as Goal 1, Objective 4.)

Objective 4

Resource levels will grow to support this strategic plan while maintaining our diligent stewardship and ensuring that expense growth will not outpace revenue growth.  

Objective 5

Resource allocation and prioritization decisions will support this strategic plan while retaining flexibility and nimbleness to respond to opportunities and challenges.

Learn more about goal six 

Each goal is supported by objectives and measured by key performance indicators (KPIs). The goals work collectively, not in isolation, and some share objectives and KPIs. This approach reflects the collaborative spirit that is part of Hope’s culture and is distinctively different that of many other colleges and universities.

Track the progress in the dashboard The Hope College Board of Trustees unanimously approved the strategic plan on April 30, 2015.