At the heart of a Grace College education are academically challenging courses that are specifically designed to foster a thirst for character, competence and service within the hearts and minds of our students. Every residential student at Grace completes a series of general education courses (we call it the Grace Core) and thus enjoys a common experience that stretches across all disciplines. Explicitly taught from a liberal arts approach, these courses are driven by the mission and evangelical heritage of the college and have been created around four key human relationships: with God, with others, with self and with the world, which includes both culture and the environment.
We believe that worshiping God, growing as individuals, relating with others and serving in our world are the keys to unlocking an academic experience that strengthens character, sharpens competence and prepares for service. We also believe an education that emphasizes the integration of faith and learning lays the foundation for and is in perfect concert with our mission. At Grace, we are committed to a life of worship and spiritual growth and actively look for reflective and practical ways the Christian faith intersects with the disciplines we teach in the classroom.
The integration of faith and learning is based on the shared understanding that the extent to which we do our work consciously as Christians, our professional lives become an offering of worship to God and our faith gives greater significance to the questions we struggle with in our work and in our lives. In other words, we are whole individuals and recognize the deficiency of a compartmentalized life. Based on this foundation, our faith informs our work and makes it distinctive.
In March 2017, a new strategic plan was approved by the Grace College & Seminary board of trustees to fulfill the vision of Grace: to be an exemplary, Christ-centered educational community characterized by innovation, affordability and real-world preparation. Grace’s new strategic plan includes four priorities:
The ASPIRE Campaign, a $37 million comprehensive campaign, was publicly launched in March 2017 to fund these four priorities. The ASPIRE Campaign will enable Grace College to refine its methods to effectively prepare students to serve in our ever-changing world. The campaign includes several new academic programs, facility enhancements and investments in the student experience. To learn more, visit