As part of a growth campaign to increase enrollment, Houston Baptist University has changed its name to Houston Christian University (HCU).

The university’s president Robert B. Sloan made the announcement Wednesday afternoon during an open forum with faculty, staff, past and present trustees and students, according to a release from the university.

“We want to extend the influence of our mission while also appealing to as many students as possible,” Dr Sloan said.

According to the university, the renaming is part of a growth campaign to expand HCU’s residential campus to 4,200 students and the online campus to 5,800 students.

Dr Sloan added that the university had considered a name change several times over the last 16 years, but it was in the last two years that a university task force of trustees arrived at this new name.

On May 17, 2022, the Board of Trustees officially approved the name change.

Dr Sloan affirmed the university’s core convictions despite the name change, saying HCU’s historic Christian commitments have not and will not change.

“By changing to Houston Christian University, we are striving to be even clearer about our convictions. We are committed to Jesus Christ. We are committed to the Scriptures. We are committed to the Gospel and its power to draw all people to Christ. And we are committed to being ‘salt and light’ in the world,” Dr Sloan said.

HCU will also partner with Carnegie, a leading higher education marketing and enrollment strategy firm, “to take our brand of traditional Christian higher education to the next generation of students,” Dr Sloan said.

HCU was initially launched in 1960 as Houston Baptist College and was later renamed Houston Baptist University in 1973.

The recent name change marks the second time university leaders have changed the institution’s name. Originally launched in 1960 as Houston Baptist College by Dr Stewart Morris, Sr., the University was renamed to Houston Baptist University in 1973.

Dr Morris, one of the University’s “Founding Fathers” said, “I believe the name Houston Christian University is perfect. I am especially proud that the word Christian will be in the name since it truly represents who we are, a university where everyone is welcome.”

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