1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. You all hear me 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: talk about education on this podcast a lot, and generally 3 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: I'm focused on K through twelve, but I think it's 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: really important that we do not ignore a values based 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: education through college. Of course, let's be honest, values based 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: higher ed can be a challenge in today's political climate. 7 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: I mean, especially right now. We're currently seeing some of 8 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: our most coveted Ivy League universities embroiled in scandal after 9 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: congressional hearing where the university presidents essentially refuse to condemn genocide. 10 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 1: I mean, it seems impossible that that could have happened. 11 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: These universities are the cream of the crop. These are 12 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: what we consider the best of the best. We're talking Harvard, 13 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 1: you pen mit, but they don't condemn calls for genocide. Fortunately, 14 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: here in Michigan we have Cornerstone University, a values based 15 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: university with an amazing president who is joining me today. 16 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: But before we talk about your education, let's quickly talk 17 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: about your health, because you can't put a price on 18 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: your health. I personally stay energized and keep doing what 19 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: I love every day because I get the maximum servings 20 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: and nutrition of fruits and vegetables. I rely on Balance 21 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,839 Speaker 1: of Nature's Fruits and Veggies in a capsule to give 22 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 1: me the maximum nutrition of thirty one real whole fruits 23 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: and veggies. Every day. 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All right now, 39 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: I want to welcome in one of my favorite people, 40 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: doctor Jersad Moreno Rihano to the podcast. He is the 41 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 1: president of Cornerstone University and it's a Christian university based 42 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: right here in Michigan. Welcome to the podcast. 43 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 2: Dude, Thank you so much. It's great to have you 44 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 2: to be here with you, and it's glad to be 45 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: I'm glad to hear them one of your favorite people. 46 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 2: That's great. 47 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: Thank you you are because I'm hoping that you're going 48 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 1: to educate my kids one day. 49 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: Actually consider it done. We'll take care of it all right. 50 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: Well, I mean I'm serious because I'm watching this and 51 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: not that I had high hopes of like sending my 52 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: kids to some horribly expensive education at Harvard, where I 53 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: know they weren't going to be like really well loved anyway. 54 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: But you look at this, and that was sort of 55 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: something when I was I think that that was really 56 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: an achievement for any student who was able to get 57 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: into Harvard University. And people were like, Okay, this is 58 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: where I know if my child goes here, they're getting 59 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: top of the top education. And that was the goal. 60 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: But now I think that we're looking at not just 61 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,519 Speaker 1: a top education. We want our kids to come back 62 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: as the kids who we sent and that's something we've 63 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: been struggling with, isn't it? 64 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: Yes? Absolutely, But you know, just a few months back, 65 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 2: it was interesting enough Ross do that. He's an our 66 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: ed columnist in New York Times. They have a podcast 67 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 2: called Matter of Opinion, and they spoke about the obsession 68 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 2: we have with Ivy League schools. Why are we so 69 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 2: obsessed with them? And Ross made this incredibly important observation. 70 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 2: He said, you know, when I went to Harvard, great school, 71 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 2: but the thing they focused on most on was ambition, ambition, ambition, ambition, 72 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: not character, not morals, and not your soul. And he 73 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 2: ended by saying, I don't think Harvard was good for 74 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 2: my soul. 75 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: Wow, say idea, it's. 76 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 2: Such a and I used that observation actually to do 77 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 2: something here at Cornerstone. We met with all our faculty 78 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: and staff and spoke about that is the role of 79 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: a university to just educate the mind, which is also 80 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 2: to educate our souls. I sold formation, spiritual formation and moralformation, 81 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 2: and so many ways you can speak about this, but 82 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 2: I thought that raw saying that a product of Harvard 83 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 2: saying it wasn't good for me, It wasn't good for 84 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 2: my soul. In some ways, it's part of the most 85 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 2: powerful indictments on Ivy League schools and many universities today, 86 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 2: because I do think universities have neglected the kind of 87 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 2: soul formation, moralformation that we need in today's world, and frankly, 88 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 2: the democracy needs democracy that. 89 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: I would actually argue that they haven't neglected it, that 90 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: they've been trying to manipulate it to a certain end. 91 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: That's what I think we're seeing. That, to me, is 92 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: why we saw these university presidents struggle with this question. 93 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: I mean, when you're watching that, what is it like, 94 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: because obviously you're in the same position, But we are 95 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: sitting here not having been a university president. I'm watching this, 96 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: and I'm watching a very political answer, and in my opinion, 97 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: I don't expect my university president to be a politician, 98 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 1: but I see them all saying the same thing. It 99 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: depends on the context. And I'm sitting here thinking, this 100 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: is Harvard. There should be no university that understands what 101 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 1: the context of genocide means better, and yet they can't 102 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: condemn it. When did our university presidents become politicians? 103 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 2: Well, well, this all began, I think when Bill Clinton 104 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 2: was interviewed Aby the hol Monica Lewinsky situation, and if 105 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 2: you remember what he said, it all depends what is 106 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 2: right Meg. Years and years ago, we were already beginning 107 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,479 Speaker 2: to go down the road where words don't mean the 108 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 2: same thing we thought they meant, and we lost this 109 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 2: moral framework right somehow is we don't know what that 110 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 2: is now you see the same thing happening all of 111 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 2: a sudden. It's all about context, context, context, And look, 112 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 2: I've served as a university president. It's a beautiful job, 113 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 2: but it's also a hard job, and presidents under incredible 114 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 2: intense pressure from dozens of constituencies, pulling them apart in 115 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 2: every direction. Having said that, one of the most important 116 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: jobs of a university president is to cast a moral 117 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 2: vision for your university, a moral vision and a strong 118 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 2: moral framework that undergirds everything the institutions trying to accomplish. 119 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 2: And if a university president, under any situation as intense 120 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 2: as a congressional hearing may be, sits there and is 121 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 2: unable to deploy a moral framework rooted in a universal truth, goodness, 122 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 2: and beauty, then I'm not sure that one should serve 123 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 2: as a president. If you can't do that, it was 124 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 2: clear to me you have three presents who really were 125 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 2: not able to do it. 126 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: I mean, we see presidents at Christian universities in this 127 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: country where I've had folks that went there, people that 128 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: are alumni of that university, and they say, it's not 129 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: who It's not the same university that I went to. 130 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,559 Speaker 1: And these are Christian universities that are starting to bend 131 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: on certain things. Cornerstone, you came to Cornerstone a few 132 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: years ago and said we're not going to do that. 133 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: And you even saw some people in the university that went, wait, 134 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: what does that mean? And get a little nervous. Why 135 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: is it that we are getting nervous about holding to 136 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: our Christian values? 137 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 2: I think part of the reason is that we are 138 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 2: we become what are called democratic citizens first rather than 139 00:07:55,200 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 2: Christians first. Right, the democracy is supposed to uphold many 140 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 2: views of life. Right, but we know that Christianity is true. 141 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 2: So the question is can we advocate truth and what 142 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 2: is true in a democracy or do we advocate a 143 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 2: democracy first in Christianity second? That the real big tension. 144 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 2: So what you have is people who are individuals in 145 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 2: a democracy who say we can't say our way is 146 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 2: the only way to do that is undemocratic. 147 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: It's a democratic it interesting, right. 148 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 2: So we have to say all these ways are okay, 149 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 2: and we have to be inclusive of all these things. 150 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 2: And my truth is just my truth. I mean, think 151 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 2: about this the Harvard president. The most important stuff she 152 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 2: said was after the congressional interview or inquiry where she 153 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 2: said I did not speak and convey my truth her words, 154 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 2: quote unquote my truth. And it raises this issue, what 155 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 2: do you mean your truth. 156 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: Truth? 157 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 2: I think that's the challenge for some that even Christians. 158 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 2: We're in a democracy. Democracy is supposed to be tolerant 159 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 2: and we should put up with everything, and therefore we 160 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 2: can't say our is the only way. But that goes 161 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 2: completely against truth. Period. 162 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 163 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon podcast. How do you use your life 164 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: experiences to teach this because you've had a unique story. 165 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: You came here as a child from Columbia that this 166 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: is a really different government system than the United States. 167 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: So how have you as an immigrant coming here with 168 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:39,959 Speaker 1: nothing rising up in this country? And really what an 169 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: achievement to be able to impact the minds and hearts 170 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: of young people I mean that has to be to me. 171 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: I'm like, what a better honor to be able to 172 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: be in the position that you are in and be 173 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: so well loved at your university. But you have a 174 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: story that you can share that most people in America had, 175 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: Thank you, tutor. 176 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 2: What actually forty three years ago we came nine years old, 177 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 2: my parents immigrated. I always tell people they left everything behind. 178 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 2: My father and mother had two suitcases of Duffel back 179 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 2: in three hundred dollars, that's it, and no English language, 180 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,719 Speaker 2: no friends, no family. We landed in what I call 181 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 2: the Second Ellis Island, Miami, Florida, and then from there 182 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,719 Speaker 2: we made our way to Rochester, New York, and grew 183 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 2: up there in my teen years. And I will tell 184 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 2: you my father to this day will say to me 185 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 2: he did not finish Greade school. And he says, what 186 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 2: I knew, what I could give you was I could 187 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 2: get you to the land of opportunity. Once you got there, 188 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 2: it's up to you what you make of yourself his words. 189 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 2: So I thought I knew that sort of the legacy 190 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 2: my father gave me my mother, sort of the inheritance. Right, 191 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:53,839 Speaker 2: we'll get you there. Now you have to do the rest, 192 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 2: and as a child that always motivatingly insignificant ways, knowing 193 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:02,839 Speaker 2: that I haven't. I've come through the greatest country there 194 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 2: has ever been and probably will ever be, the United 195 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 2: States of America. I love this country dearly, and the 196 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 2: opportunities you have here, frankly are unheard of in many 197 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 2: other countries. And so it was that motivation of my 198 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 2: mom and my dad seeing how hard they were to 199 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 2: get us here our heart they have always worked, and 200 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: realizing I need to do something significant now. Number one. 201 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,319 Speaker 2: I think Number two is that you know, Aristyle of 202 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 2: the Philosopher would say that fire burns the same way 203 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 2: in Greece as it doesn't Persia. That observation that there's 204 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 2: truth in essence, regardless of context of culture, of time, 205 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 2: of geography. Truth is truth, and I remember hearing that 206 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 2: early in my life, and that had a significant impact 207 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,719 Speaker 2: on my life and my thinking that truth, beauty, and 208 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 2: goodness transcend culture and time and locality in geography. So 209 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 2: for me being in this country, education really is about 210 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,960 Speaker 2: leading people to what is true and what is good 211 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 2: and what is beautiful, the very words, taking someone out 212 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 2: of the darkness and leading them toward the light and 213 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 2: this is what education means. So for me, I've seen 214 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 2: the impact on a personal level of that in my 215 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:21,199 Speaker 2: life coming to this country, learning English, trying to figure 216 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 2: out American culture and history and Western civilization. I mean, 217 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 2: it took years for me to understand those things. But 218 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:33,319 Speaker 2: then realizing that Christianity it is the source of truth 219 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 2: because it's revealed to us from God through his son Jesus, 220 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 2: and through the Word and through the things he has created. 221 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 2: It's everywhere. It's everywhere, and only if we close our 222 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 2: eyes willfully, in our ears willfully do we not see it. 223 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 2: I think what's happening in the hire today right now, 224 00:12:53,679 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 2: everyone knows genocide is wrong, it's evil, it's corrupt. Whether 225 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 2: you're on the left or you're on the right, people 226 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 2: understand that. The moral outcry is, how is it possible 227 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 2: that some of the most educated people in the world 228 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 2: don't see that. They can't say it. They know it's wrong. 229 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 2: Why can't you say it? And I think that's such 230 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:23,959 Speaker 2: a significant problem that our educational systems of today are 231 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 2: not leading people to be able to conclusively affirm this 232 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 2: is true, this is right, and this is wrong. Instead, 233 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 2: they've complicated it so much or they want to complicate 234 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 2: and over complicate it because they're afraid or because a 235 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 2: constituency post them in a particular direction, and they lack 236 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 2: the moral fortitude to say no, it's wrong. Period. 237 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: How big of a threat is that to our country? 238 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:55,319 Speaker 2: It's a significant threat because what I think, the other 239 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 2: part of what you're asking toutoring discussing it's so important, 240 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 2: is that we having an educacial system that has not 241 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 2: cultivated moral courage. That's the other part, Right, there's a 242 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 2: lot of moral turpitude, I'll think, foolishness, but at the 243 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 2: same time, it's a significant lack of courage. I'm convinced 244 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 2: that these three presents, no genocide is wrong. I have 245 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: no doubt about that. 246 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, that's true. 247 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 2: Deep down inside of saying it, because they are afraid 248 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 2: of the thing to stand up to whatever the group 249 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 2: may be. So lack of moral courage is a significant, 250 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 2: significant problem in our country now because even if we 251 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 2: know what is wrong, but we're unwilling to defend it, right, 252 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: we've got a serious problem. So how do you think 253 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 2: is good? It's a real problem. So to your point, 254 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 2: it's a serious it's a dark time for our country 255 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 2: right now. Because of that lack of more courage. 256 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 1: So how do you recruit families into Cornerstone Because Cornerstone 257 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: is standing strong. That is intimidating to some, but it's 258 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: it's so desired by others. I think there's so many 259 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: parents out there that do not understand that there is 260 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: a place to turn. We just assume, Hey, I've got 261 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: to send my kid to the state university. I can't 262 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: afford a private university. I'm going to go to the 263 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: state university and I'm going to cross my fingers and 264 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: hope I get my kid back. But the chances are 265 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: I'm not going to And that is you and I 266 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: talked about this. That time of life is very critical. 267 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: You're finding your final development of your frontal lobe. All 268 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: of those decisions, all of those final formations of who 269 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: you are and what your character will be are happening 270 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: in those years that you are at university. And we're 271 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: sending our kids to a university that is filling them 272 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: with these thoughts and ideas, and it really is, it 273 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: really is on purpose because whether it is fear of 274 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: going against or just this idea of you have to 275 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: be accepting in this environment, in this democracy, you know, 276 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 1: we have to be able to look at both sides 277 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 1: of things. You're losing your values. How does a corner 278 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 1: stone come through and shine through to parents in that environment? 279 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 2: That's great question. Put. I remember several years ago reading 280 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 2: the account of the in this university will go nameless 281 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 2: for now, for particular university in North Carolina where the 282 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 2: entering freshman class, I think it was over a thousand 283 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 2: students came in and they brought a special speaker to 284 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 2: address all the new freshmen. And this person said this 285 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 2: to all the new freshmen, everything you've learned from your 286 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 2: parents up until now, we are going to undo while 287 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 2: you're here. 288 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: That just gave me chills, right, this was said. 289 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 2: So I remember reflecting on that and thinking, universities are 290 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 2: supposed to come alongside families and help family, not undermine 291 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 2: and destroy the family. Right. Universities are supposed to be 292 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:53,119 Speaker 2: partners with churches and families. We're different. Where a university 293 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 2: or institutions of higher education that means something. It's very 294 00:16:56,280 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 2: beautiful and special. But we should not be antagonists to families, 295 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 2: or antagonists to local communities, or antagonists to churches some whole, 296 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 2: assuming they we're in a higher plane a higher level 297 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 2: of intellectual achievement that we can look down upon parents 298 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 2: and families and tradition and destroy it. So one of 299 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 2: the first things I say to families, we have something 300 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 2: here we call the Golden Eagle Days. All the prospects 301 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 2: and families come to visit us, and one of the 302 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 2: first things I tell the parents is this, thank you 303 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:35,439 Speaker 2: for considering entrusting cornerstone with your son or daughter. I 304 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 2: speak to you first as a parent and as a president. 305 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 2: I have six children. I say to our parents, to 306 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 2: the parents to visit, and I know what this transition means. 307 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 2: It's a difficult one. So thank you for thinking of 308 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 2: us and in trust willing to entrust us. Second, please 309 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 2: know that if you do, that's a sacred trust for 310 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 2: us an as president and our team, we will honor 311 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 2: that and respect it. And we want to come alongside 312 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 2: you and help and bless and support your families. And 313 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 2: we mean that with all of our heart. So that 314 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:06,679 Speaker 2: to mean is one of the first things I do 315 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 2: is try to convey the trust factor, in the humility 316 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:12,719 Speaker 2: factor that we're going to respect and honor you and 317 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 2: all the investments you have made over eighteen nineteen years 318 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 2: of life, which is you know as a mom, they're significant. 319 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 2: That's a lot of common investment. 320 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: Well, and that is one thing that I have pointed 321 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: out on this podcast several times. We so often look 322 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 1: so critically at what will happen in K through twelve 323 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: and then forget we need to look at it for 324 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 1: the next four years. 325 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 2: Also, you're right, and you can't. And so i'd say 326 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 2: that to our parent parents. And number two, we've developed 327 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 2: something we call the Christian influencer model. You're at cornerstone. 328 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 2: Our mission is to educate and graduate influencers in the 329 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 2: world for Jesus Christ. We're an accredited university by the 330 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 2: High Learning Commission. We have seventy plus programs bachelor, masters, 331 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 2: and doctoral level programs, so we're a full fledged at 332 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 2: credited university. But I do share this with our parents 333 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 2: that our mission is critical to us. Our mission is 334 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 2: to educate Christian influencers, bold and influential Christian young men 335 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 2: and women to go out into the world wherever they go, 336 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 2: and to be excellent in what they do, but to 337 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 2: also influence the world for Jesus Christ in a very 338 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,440 Speaker 2: sophisticate and thoughtful way. And so we laid that out 339 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 2: for the families. Here's what this means for us, and 340 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,639 Speaker 2: we spend time with them, and I speak to all 341 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 2: the families first. I will share with you, Tutor, that 342 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 2: this year, we've had so many families come to us 343 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 2: and say, we have visited many Christian universities. You're the 344 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 2: first ones to ever talk to us this way and 345 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 2: share it with us. I've had parents, father say to me, 346 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,199 Speaker 2: I've gone to many Christian university. I will tell you you're 347 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:57,360 Speaker 2: the only one that has no anti Christian symbolism on campus. 348 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 2: Some of the Christian schools that we've got through the heaven. 349 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 2: That's what they've said to me. I said it to 350 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 2: you in humility, not bragging or boasting, Grateful that we're here, 351 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 2: grateful for our people, all we've gone through to come 352 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 2: to where we are grateful for our board of trustees 353 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 2: have supported and government institution. Well, but that just sobers 354 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 2: me up a little bit to realize that what an 355 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 2: opportune time we have, but also what an important time 356 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:25,719 Speaker 2: this is. Families are looking for an institution that is 357 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 2: committed to a Christian worldview and excellent and accessible, and 358 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 2: we believe we're doing that. But and we are that 359 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 2: we know that we are. But for me, more than 360 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 2: anything's to conveying the trust factor of the families. We're 361 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 2: here to support and to enhance and to bless number 362 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 2: one and two, to really prepare your sign our daughter 363 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:49,399 Speaker 2: for not just the market, but the culture. Not just 364 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 2: the market, but the culture. 365 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 366 00:20:53,600 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon Podcast. In this last political cycle, we've 367 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 1: talked about it quite a bit, those people that thought 368 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:08,400 Speaker 1: that we had this strong Christian pro life culture that 369 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: has not been impacted by the Christian community, that somehow 370 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 1: that has been lost. And honestly, it's the college students 371 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 1: that are the highest ones who vote against that. And 372 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: that's been a shock, I think to Republicans, like, how 373 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: how have we lost all these young people? They literally 374 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,239 Speaker 1: leave their parents' house and they become a voter. And 375 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:32,879 Speaker 1: in the state of Michigan that a law just passed, 376 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: a bill just passed that now you will be able 377 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: to pre register when you are sixteen and seventeen years 378 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: old to vote. So you know that that is because 379 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: the Left is going after those kids' hard. So the 380 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: people that want to change culture are very smart about 381 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: how they're changing culture, and you're one of the few 382 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: on our side who is saying, I want to preserve 383 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: the culture that we have. I want to make sure 384 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: that we continue with this scene, light and beauty and 385 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: all of the things that you talked about, and that 386 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 1: we honor that the biggest threat to our future is 387 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: in climate change, China or the national debt. It's the 388 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: tyrannical grip that a hopelessly corrupt higher education now has 389 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: on our national life. You've got both sides saying national 390 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: debt is a huge problem, but no one wants to 391 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:22,119 Speaker 1: touch big ED Higher EDED. And that to me is 392 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: shocking because as we're seeing this, I see very few politicians. 393 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 1: We're starting to see the Desantises of the world come 394 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: out and say, hey, I'm going to take on big 395 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 1: Higher ED. It used to be big ED, that was 396 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: K through twelve. Now it's big higher ED. But it 397 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,400 Speaker 1: hasn't been a big discussion. So from your life experience, 398 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit about how I mean saying 399 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: that that is the biggest threat to our national life. 400 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: That's a big statement. 401 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 2: Oh yeah that I wrote a piece in a Washington 402 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 2: Examiner several years ago called how to revive American higher education. 403 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 2: I follow that up with another article that I published. 404 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 2: I will tell you I received a life for those pieces. 405 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 2: There are a lot of people who came after me 406 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 2: for writing those pieces, but I really focused on what 407 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 2: I consider to be a significant issue that universities had 408 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 2: left behind the essence of why they exist, which is 409 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 2: not just a pursuit of truth, but the acquisition of 410 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 2: truth and the defense of truth. That's always been the 411 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 2: purpose of the universities to pursue the study, to pursue 412 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 2: to acquire, to defend what is true, what is beautiful, 413 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 2: what is good, and universities have lost that. And it's 414 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 2: a long story. That's several podcasts. I will tell you 415 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 2: a long history to why that's happened. But what we 416 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 2: have now are university is they are no longer pursuing them, 417 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 2: but are pursuing ideologies. And ideology is not true, it's 418 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 2: just a perspective lots of different ideologies, and university have 419 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 2: become ideological think tanks quite frankly, right. And when you 420 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 2: have that happening, you're educating the future leaders and citizens 421 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,679 Speaker 2: of your country, not with a view toward true, beauty 422 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:08,439 Speaker 2: and goodness, but toward a fractured view of reality, an 423 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 2: ideological one, a subjective one that's hard to defend except 424 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 2: through some kind of coersion or force. And that's what 425 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 2: you have now in the world where you see with 426 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:24,440 Speaker 2: all the protests in schools and canceling speakers, and that's 427 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,199 Speaker 2: the perspective. We can't argue for what is true. We 428 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 2: don't believe in it. As a matter of fact. We 429 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 2: have this ideological position that's the rooted in our background, race, 430 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 2: whatever you want to call it. And you have yours 431 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 2: and we have ours, and never shall both meet or converse. 432 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 2: So the best thing you have, they will argue is force, 433 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 2: will shut you down, will cancel you, will silence you, 434 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 2: will assassinate your character and your career until you are silenced. 435 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 2: And that's what I think many universities have done. They 436 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 2: have advocated that perspective. 437 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: You talking about this, it makes me think. Just a 438 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,360 Speaker 1: few days ago, I met a gentleman who was talking 439 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: about Harvard and said, my niece wanted to get into 440 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 1: Harvard so badly. And this is just kind of interesting 441 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:14,359 Speaker 1: to me because at the time listening to the story, 442 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: I thought, oh man, this is what we have to do. 443 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 1: But now I'm kind of in my mind going, why 444 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 1: are we coveting Harvard so much? The idea of having 445 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: a Harvard education was so important to this girl that 446 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 1: she was desperate, and she had great grades, great studies. 447 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: She entered as a trans man and became got into 448 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 1: trans studies. And so day one is a trans student 449 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: in a trans major. Who even knew that was a 450 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,439 Speaker 1: thing that you could major in transgenderism, but she's in 451 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 1: transgender classes. On day two, she goes back to being 452 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 1: a woman and goes into computer science because she figures 453 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: and this is an Asian student, but Asians have been 454 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: so discriminated against that they have and being able to 455 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: get into the higher ed and she goes back and there, 456 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 1: you know, at the time, he was like, this is 457 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 1: what we as Asian families are having to do. We're 458 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: having to game the system just to get into the universities. 459 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 1: And part of me was like, man, that's kind of 460 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,399 Speaker 1: smart to do. But then the now I'm thinking about this, 461 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: I'm like, why do we covet these universities so much? 462 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: That are actually if you have to pretend to be 463 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: a different gender and playing play a game like this 464 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 1: to get in, why is it that people are not 465 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: looking toward values based education. I think it's just starting 466 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 1: to turn for universities like Cornerstone, and that is a 467 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: time when we can be redirecting these folks and saying, look, 468 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: you're going to get a top of the line education 469 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: here as well. Your kids are going to come out 470 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 1: also wanting to do good for the world. It's not 471 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:59,679 Speaker 1: just we talk about godly things, but these kids have 472 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 1: to impact the world. We're living in the world, so 473 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: we need them to be good citizens in the world. 474 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 1: You are graduating good citizens in the world. There are 475 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: people who maybe are looking for that and not looking 476 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 1: for that Harvard name, but they're afraid that they can't 477 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: afford it. So what do you tell parents who are going, 478 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: you know, gosh, listening to the same Yeah, I'd love 479 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:20,879 Speaker 1: to send my kid to a university like that, but 480 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: I can't afford that. 481 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,439 Speaker 2: Great question, I mean, that's one of the key questions 482 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 2: in everyone's mind now, right the cost. The cost is 483 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 2: exorbitant for higher education. And we've taken a really hard 484 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 2: look at that, Carson Now, over the last two and 485 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:36,359 Speaker 2: a half years and even this year, we took a 486 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 2: hard look at how we operate the cost of doing business, 487 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 2: the cost of delivering a high quality, world class education, 488 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:48,640 Speaker 2: integrating our faith in all into our education. Our partrams 489 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:52,679 Speaker 2: are majors, and I gave our team a charge. I 490 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:57,199 Speaker 2: simply said this to them, please develop a revolutionary model 491 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 2: for how we price what we're doing. The revolutionary means 492 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 2: we need to ensure that any family who wants to 493 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 2: come here is able to come here, right if they 494 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,880 Speaker 2: meet our requirements and our entrant requirements and all those 495 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 2: things they really want to come here. How do we 496 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:17,919 Speaker 2: ensure that we're accessible, maintaining quality, right, not being mediocre, 497 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 2: maintaining mission, but how do we make it as accessible 498 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 2: and affordable and reachable to the average American Christian family 499 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 2: or anybody else who wants to come. And our team 500 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 2: took that on and a lot of good hard work, 501 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,399 Speaker 2: and the outcome was we announced a tuition reset of 502 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 2: twenty two percent. So we took our tuition down from 503 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 2: almost thirty thousand dollars a year down to twenty two thousand. 504 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 2: That significant reset, tutor, I will tell you, And initially 505 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 2: most of my teams didn't think it was possible. And 506 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 2: I would always say, look, well, there's a will as 507 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 2: a way, let's figure this out. And they did a 508 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 2: great team and they worked really hard on it over many, 509 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 2: many weeks and came to me and said, I think 510 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 2: we figured it out. And so that twenty two percent 511 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 2: we believe it is. It's a tremendously accessible, affordable, reachable 512 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 2: price tag for people to come and you marry that 513 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 2: with appropriate tuition for aid or other grants and so on. 514 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 2: It's very doable and very accessible to the average family, 515 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 2: quite frankly, and so we're very pleased we've announced it 516 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 2: for the fall of twenty twenty four and we are 517 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 2: the best value out there. I'm convinced of that. And 518 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: as I've shared with you and O this before, we 519 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 2: want to be the school of choice in Michigan, the 520 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 2: Christian school of choice here in Michigan and beyond. We 521 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 2: believe we can do that. But certainly one of the 522 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 2: ways is deliver on Michigan, maintain quality, but also ensure 523 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:42,160 Speaker 2: that we're serious about the price piece, that we're being 524 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 2: great stewards of resources, and that was really the big 525 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,000 Speaker 2: charge here. Can we steward our resource as well and 526 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 2: deliver a high quality education? And I'm grateful to be 527 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:54,719 Speaker 2: able to share with you and others that yes, we 528 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 2: can and we will continue to do it. 529 00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 1: That's awesome. So I have three and a half years 530 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 1: until my first one graduated. She's a freshman, so you 531 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: have to keep that down, Okay, all right, all right, 532 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: Well I honestly I this has gone so fast. There's 533 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 1: so many things that I want to talk to you about. 534 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: So I hope that you will come back. But before 535 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 1: I let you go, for because we have listeners all 536 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 1: across the country and many who are looking at universities 537 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 1: right now, So tell them where they find you. You 538 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: guys are in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, but tell 539 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: them how to look up the university. 540 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 2: Thank you. The best place is at our website www 541 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:37,840 Speaker 2: dot Cornerstone dot edu. There you'll have all the information 542 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 2: you need. Beautiful brand Rapids, West Michigan, a hidden treasure 543 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 2: here in West Michigan and at university of about two 544 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 2: thousand students, and we've watch some pretty aggressive growth goals 545 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 2: with also our seminary course and theological seminary. But again, 546 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 2: the place is www dot. 547 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: It is so beautiful. I was just there and going 548 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: through some of the unique class rooms where you can 549 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 1: teach in different ways I mean, you really are doing 550 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: cutting edge stuff at the same time graduating students that 551 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 1: are going to do great works in this world. And 552 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:14,360 Speaker 1: I think that's the important message here is that do 553 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 1: you want your child to come out and say, hey, 554 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: I've got a degree that you know most people are 555 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: going to go, wow, you're from that university where the 556 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 1: president says horrible things. Or do you want a kid 557 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 1: to come out of your kid to come out of 558 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: college and say, I've got a degree and a foundation 559 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: from life that is going to set me up to 560 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 1: do great things for other people and to impact this 561 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 1: world in a positive way. And that's what you're going 562 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 1: to get at Cornerstone. 563 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 2: That's right, Twitter, That's that's our focus. That's what we 564 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 2: get up to do every day. And my team will 565 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 2: tell you they get up and they're working hard to 566 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 2: enroll thousands of students. We have a very ambitious vision, 567 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 2: not because we are great, but because the mission we 568 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 2: would carry is so great and want everyone to be 569 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 2: here to be a student Carstone. 570 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: Doctor Moreno Rihanno, thank you so much for being here 571 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: with me today. He is the president of Cornerstone University. 572 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,000 Speaker 2: Check it out tutor, thank you so much great to 573 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 2: be here. 574 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: Thank you and thank you all for joining me on 575 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon Podcast. For this episode and others, go 576 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 1: to Tutor diisonpodcast dot com. You can subscribe right there, 577 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: or go to the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 578 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts and join us next time on 579 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon Podcast. Have a blessed day.