Renewed Conviction: Five Signs Higher Education is Shifting in 2025
Despite a year marked by campus unrest and ideological divides,a university president argues that 2025 revealed not just challenges,but also a growing conviction for positive change within higher education.
It would be easy to feel discouraged as 2025 draws to a close. From disruptions on college campuses to increasingly polarized viewpoints at prestigious universities, the year presented ample reason for concern. Yet,beneath the surface of conflict,I observed something else: a burgeoning conviction. This was a year where students found their voices,parents became more engaged,Christian leaders remained steadfast,and across the nation,signs of renewal began to emerge – not universally,not flawlessly,but undeniably.
Reflecting on the year, I beleive five key moments signal a meaningful shift already underway.
Students and States Champion Fairness in Women’s Sports
2025 saw meaningful momentum in protecting women’s athletics from what proponents describe as ideological overreach. States enacted legislation aimed at maintaining fair competition, and student-athletes spoke out with clarity and conviction. For the first time in recent years, public opinion began to shift. As one advocate stated, “Biology is not bigotry.Truth matters.” This year, more students began articulating this sentiment publicly.
Free Speech Gains Ground on Campus
Free speech experienced a resurgence in 2025. From student groups gaining official recognition to legal victories across the country,the message was clear: viewpoint discrimination will not be tolerated. For too long, Christian and conservative students were pressured to remain silent. This year,many chose to speak boldly and with grace,and the courts increasingly supported their right to do so.
Elite College Credibility Crisis Opens new Opportunities
Scandals at top-tier institutions,such as Harvard,extended beyond headlines,exposing a deeper crisis of trust and leadership. As families observed these schools struggle, many began exploring option institutions prioritizing wisdom, integrity, and holistic formation. This shift is significant, potentially signaling the end of an era defined by blind prestige and the dawn of a new era focused on purpose-driven education.
parents Reclaim Their Role in Education
Across the country, parents stepped up with renewed focus and determination. Whether voicing concerns at school board meetings or reevaluating college choices, families pushed back against ideological extremes. they are asking more insightful questions, seeking schools aligned with their values, and taking greater ownership of their children’s academic progress.
Cracking Public Trust: A Foundation for Renewal
public trust in higher education reached historic lows this year. While seemingly negative, this decline reveals a hopeful undercurrent. People aren’t abandoning education; they are rejecting broken systems. they are seeking models that prioritize truth, character, and community over bureaucracy and activism, creating space for bold, mission-driven universities to lead.
As president of Southeastern University, I witnessed these changes firsthand. We continue to collaborate with churches, families, and communities to offer a model of higher education that is accessible, formative, and grounded in biblical truth.Our students are not being trained to simply navigate the world, but to lead within it.
Looking ahead to 2026, we must build on this momentum. This is not a time for retreat, but for renewal.For parents, this means prioritizing schools that value character over rankings. For students, it means pursuing truth over popularity. And for colleges,it means refusing to sacrifice moral clarity for cultural acceptance.
most importantly, we must lead with hope, not fear. Fear focuses on what is broken, while hope envisions what can be restored.Fear withdraws from the moment; hope embraces it. As Christian leaders, our role isn’t to mirror the culture’s anxiety, but to model resilience, faith, and joy. Our campuses should be places where truth is not only protected but proclaimed, where students are not merely prepared for careers, but called to lives of meaning, service, and leadership. That is the future we are building, and this year proved we are not alone.
As we celebrate Christmas and look toward the new year, let us remember that light shines brightest in darkness. Let us build institutions that reflect this truth – places where courage is cultivated, faith is lived out, and hope is not merely a feeling, but the very foundation.
