In recent months the alumni team has multiplied our “typical” crazy travel schedules with Campaign National Tour events and summer Backyard Biola meetings across the country. I hope you were able to join us when we came to your town with news of all the great things happening at Biola. It is always an amazing experience to travel and meet our alumni, parents and students, and hear how God is using your training, skills and abilities in so many ways and places around this world. I love my job and the great work of our Biola family!

This year’s travels were especially sweet as so many of you came out to see us and joined with us in celebrating the accomplishments and future potential of Biola University. As we have shared in the regional events, our students and faculty are continuing to benefit from new facilities and exciting enhancements to academics — whether through Biola’s new academic centers, new and expanded scholarships, or the new Alton and Lydia Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health. Thank you for your help in making Biola one of the premier Christian universities in the country.

The 16 regional events we have completed for the Campaign National Tour have also helped set the stage for future events and activities in all of the locations we have visited — places like Phoenix, New York, Seattle, Portland, Denver and more. Our volunteer committees of alumni, parents and friends have been the key to the great attendance and financial support that has come into the campaign from our friends around the world. Thank you to all of the great regional volunteers who have put in countless hours to connect and invite their friends to attend these exciting and informative events.

I also want to thank all of you who supported us in the efforts to amend California Senate Bill 1146, which posed a significant threat to the religious liberties of Biola and other faith-based universities across the state. Your prayers, letters, emails and involvement on social media made such a huge difference in this process with the California Legislature to amend SB 1146. Thank you from all of us here who are passionate about Christian higher education.

The legislation was a great reminder for all of us about the importance of remaining engaged in the legislative conversations that are happening in our culture. Alumni from Biola and the many other great Christian colleges and universities are truly making a difference in our culture that oftentimes goes unnoticed by many in our communities, but would be dramatically missed if removed. With that in mind, we hope you will join with other Biola alumni, friends and family in holding up Biola, our leadership and the leadership of Christian colleges across the country in your prayers and financial support.

We would not be able to do what we do in preparing the next generation without you. Thanks for all you do to make this work and ministry possible — for together we are Alumni for Life!