The Power of Place in Student Formation
When graduates depart from Covenant College, they take with them meaningful friendships, transformative spiritual growth, and four years’ worth of memories. But among the most tangible is a diploma, a sheet of paper signifying years of rigorous, diligent, faithful intellectual formation.
Academic Instruction
The heart of Covenant’s liberal arts education takes place in the classroom, where rich discussions and lectures come to life. While high-quality teaching is possible anywhere, it is imperative to have spaces that match the quality and depth of the academic experience. As programs grow and instructional needs evolve, many of these spaces require renewal and expansion. Through The Partners Campaign, Covenant is investing in academic facilities that will sustain and strengthen this work for generations of students to come.
In our classroom spaces, students directly engage with academically enriching ideas, from running tests in a biology lab to asking probing questions during Doctrine II to collaborating on a group marketing project. The classroom is the starting point for further inquiry and exploration. Without these spaces, the college could not fulfill one of its most important functions–educating hearts and minds.
“Professors crafted challenging course materials, but also equipped me with connections and tools to be successful. I really appreciated the faculty and staff who truly cared about my personal, professional, and spiritual growth.”
Colby Pepper ’20
Business Development Manager, Sporting Kansas City
Discipleship
Academic study requires critical thinking skills when faced with challenging ethical questions, difficult history, and complex concepts. At Covenant, professors delight in engaging with their students and helping them navigate course material with both rigor and care. Students are not instructed how to think, but are guided in learning to think for themselves. This kind of discipleship grows out of the relationships professors build with students, made possible in part by a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Professors regularly invest in students beyond the classroom, welcoming them into their homes for meals, answering questions, and getting to know the minds they teach.
“I love teaching biology at Covenant. Whether it is advising students or teaching, it is such a blessing to share my wonder and awe at seeing God’s fingerprint on all of creation, including the unique gifts and talents of my students.”
Dr. Lynell Martinez
Assistant Professor of Biology
Career Prep
Along with academic instruction and discipleship, we recognize that academics serve a broader purpose. Students are encouraged to apply what they learn as they prepare for future careers. Exposure to new ideas sparks exploration, helping clarify interests and develop transferable skills. Professors mentor students through this process, cultivating each student’s gifts and passions. Through The Partners Campaign, these updated academic spaces are being designed to mirror professional environments, equipping students to practice collaboration, innovation and leadership as they prepare for what’s next.
In the business program, the need for improved spaces is clear. Dr. Scott Quatro, professor of management and department chair, emphasizes, “An apprenticeship-like approach is essential to our growing business major. For this, we need an enhanced and enlarged space to maximize student-faculty collaboration, foster corporate professionalism, fuel entrepreneurial ventures, and catalyze, energize, and challenge each other. Simply put, we need space where we can optimally ‘do business’ together!”
At Covenant, studies unite head knowledge with stewardship. President Voyles describes how the mission of Covenant is to send out students equipped to serve the church, engage thoughtfully with the world, and apply their skills for the benefit of others.
"I was never more academically challenged anywhere in all my medical career than I was at Covenant College. My professors were absolutely incredible; each and every one consistently displayed passion for their subject, dedication to the highest quality teaching, and a true commitment to the lives of their students. Covenant prepared me for medical school exceedingly well and also helped me grow in my relationship with God. Covenant helped provide me with tools for how to approach the ever-evolving challenges of life while constantly coming back to God's goodness, power, and ever-present hand in the world."
Tom Yates '13
Internal Medicine Physician, Lawndale Christian Health Center, Founding Core Faculty
Member, Lawndale Family Medicine Residency
Investing in Academic Spaces
Enhancing learning spaces to better support students is a key focus of the Partners Campaign. By developing spaces equipped with state-of-the art technology, we improve the caliber of student-faculty collaboration and professional-level experiences for our fastest-growing majors.
Dr. Richard Nelson, biology professor and department chair, explains, “A redesign of our lab spaces will allow for more collaboration, enabling the department to flourish in its mission and draw more students to join us in these Kingdom endeavors.”
By investing in these academic spaces, Covenant is equipping students with the skills, habits, and experiences they need to serve both the campus community and the broader world.