A Dependable Treasure
Words: Dr. Kirk Farney M.A. ’98 | Vice President of Advancement, Vocation, and Alumni Engagement
Photo by Mike Hudson
In 1524, Martin Luther sent an open letter to the cities of Germany urging citizens to devote greater resources to Christian schools. “You . . . cannot prepare a more dependable treasure for your children,” he appealed, “than an education in the liberal arts.” Such preparation made its recipients “fit for everything” that their callings might eventually demand. Luther concluded by observing that a community’s “best and highest welfare, safety, and strength consist in its having many able, learned, wise, honorable, and cultivated citizens”—outcomes produced and enhanced by Christian liberal arts education. I suspect that if the Professor of Wittenberg were to review Wheaton’s mission statement, when he read that our enterprise means to “educate the whole person to build the church and benefit society worldwide,” he would voice an enthusiastic “Ja, that’s what I’m talking about!”
Like Luther, we are fully dedicated to this mission. And also, like Luther, we appeal for our “citizens” to provide resources to assure excellence in this timely undertaking. That is why I am excited to share a perspective on our Faithfully Forward capital campaign. This campaign, with a goal of $275 million, is designed to improve the Wheaton experience for our students for generations to come, through enhanced programs, upgraded facilities, and increased scholarships. Our objective is to prepare the College for the future while remaining firmly tethered to the theological and academic commitments that go back to our founding.
Wheaton College has what I believe is a divinely appointed purpose for existing and offers a unique value proposition for our students and prospective students, all centered on the integration of faith and learning with scriptural fidelity and academic excellence. That value proposition is recognized by many potential students, but the fact remains that we operate in an educational environment that is more competitive than ever, as colleges and universities seek to fill their classrooms from a shrinking pool of college-bound students. A key outcome of a successful Faithfully Forward campaign will be our ability to attract more outstanding students, assuring that our hallways and seminar rooms, dorms and locker rooms, recital halls and chapels are filled with gifted students, developing leaders, and faithful Christ-followers.
A new, state-of-the-art Library facility will serve as the academic hub of our campus, facilitating rigorous exploration and research, featuring contemplative study spaces and collaborative project rooms, with ample print and digital resources. (Did you know that Wheaton students use library resources at one of the highest levels within national liberal arts colleges?)
A substantially increased endowed Scholarship pool will make a Wheaton College education financially viable for qualified students and help us attract highly sought-after, academically gifted students. Research clearly shows that scholarships are one of the highest-ranking decision factors for prospective students and their families, all across the spectrum of financial need. This is because scholarships ease the financial burden of a quality Christian education and demonstrate a college’s desire to attract the potential recipient student.
Upgraded Athletics facilities will assure separate locker rooms for every male and female varsity team, expand workout and treatment spaces, and broaden athletic opportunities for all students. These facilities will not only help our athletes compete at a higher level, but they will also help the College compete more effectively for talented student athletes.
Faithfully Forward by the Numbers
As of November 5, 2025
Internships provide students with vital experiential opportunities for vocational discernment, workplace engagement, and door-opening relationships with potential employers. Yet many meaningful internships are not compensated or pay modest wages. Many students need to earn money during summers and cannot afford to pursue this type of internship experience. By building our endowment for internships, we can assure that more students can gain these valuable experiences during a crucial period in their education, by providing them with supplemental funds during such immersive experiences.
Our Life With God Together enterprise bolsters resources and provides a framework for building scriptural knowledge, fostering spiritual growth, and enhancing service opportunities for students, staff, and faculty. We are committed to genuine discipleship within our campus community and wherever our graduates engage in the world.
Additional Faithfully Forward goals include Academic Success, which will provide upgraded, tailored services, such as writing assistance and testing accomodations, which will ensure that our students will flourish. The Graduate School Impact Fund will strengthen our highly respected academic offerings and build our global impact on the church and society. The Wheaton Fund, which is part of the College’s operating budget, will continue to keep the cost of a Wheaton education down for every one of our students. Finally, we are building a pipeline of Planned Gifts from loyal Wheaton supporters who wish to leave an enduring legacy. These future financial resources will assure that Wheaton will remain the academically rigorous Christian beacon it is within higher education, the church, and the communities we touch.
My friends, I invite you to consider supporting our Faithfully Forward campaign with your prayers and your resources. Help us further enhance the excellence of Wheaton College for our current students and the generations to come. Help us perpetuate the “dependable treasure” of a genuine Christian liberal arts education. Help us to produce what Luther called “many able, learned, wise, honorable, and cultivated citizens.” May God bless this worthy endeavor, For Christ and His kingdom.
Explore Faithfully Forward.
