Today begins Black History Month and I encourage us to engage with the many resources available. As we enter this new month, let us commit to learning the rich history of our African American brothers and sisters as we deepen our understanding and enrich our walk together.

2020 has been a year like no other, not just for Eastern but for the entire world. Here are just a few of the significant moments that the Eastern University community experienced in 2020.

Eastern University was recently ranked one of the top 25 Best Online Christian Graduate Schools by Online Christian Colleges for 2020. The ranking considers accredited institutions’ online master’s programs, as well as the number of programs available, faculty to student ratio, and students enrolled.

Sitting on a deflated air mattress in his LA studio apartment, Steve Epting ’15 stared at the words on his vision board. His goals and dreams seemed so close, and yet so far away. A vocal performance major and Chicago native, Steve was handed his diploma and ready to take on the world.

Bright studio lights. Microphones in place. A rush of adrenaline. The students behind the camera cue those in front – 3, 2, 1. And we’re live! — with the initial phase of Esperanza College’s new Television Studio Production Lab, completed this summer.

Change comes in a variety of shapes and sizes throughout our lives. At times, change is anticipated and welcomed. Other times, it’s jarring, whisking us away into a current of unknowns. Change forces the mind to reset its perspective and learn to adapt to a new reality.

This fall, Eastern launched a brand new addition to our athletic offerings: Esports. If you’re wondering “What in the world is that?,” this article is for you. Why Esports? While Esports is technically short for “electronic sports,” it’s much more than that.

“His brushstrokes are broader, His framework is wider, I may see in part, But you see the whole.” These lyrics come from a series of original songs penned by a group of six talented artists in Eastern University’s Chapel Worship Team. Over the period of several months, the team collaborated on writing and recording these pieces in a recording studio.

For our Eastern community, most of 2020 has been a whirlwind of continual reset: leaving campus in the middle of the Spring semester, adjusting to virtual teaching and learning, then returning to campus and establishing a new sense of “normal”.

This Father’s Day, we’re highlighting a father-son pair of Eastern alums and the impact they’ve made on both their families and the world around them.