A grand opening celebration of a new cutting-edge campus at Highlands College was held on Feb. 3.
The campus is located along the U.S. 280 corridor in the former HealthSouth headquarters, now Encompass Health. Highlands first acquired a portion of the property in 2016 as a new church campus and expanded to include central office space and the future home of Highlands College. The $50 million renovation to convert the former office building into an institution of higher learning began in 2020.
During the event, over 1,300 attendees including students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters, heard remarks from Chancellor ChrisHodges and President Mark Pettus, commemorating the College’s growth and global impact.
At Highlands College, students pursue a four-pillar program of academic instruction, hands-on ministry training, character formation, and spiritual development that advances their spirit, soul, and body.
The new campus, featuring 14 learning studios and training labs instead of traditional classrooms and auditoriums. The design was created to facilitate an innovative model of higher education. It also contains eight ministry training labs, each designed to train students for specific areas of ministry concentration such as worship leadership, student ministry and creative arts.
The educational spaces are joined by multiple collaborative areas, a multi-purpose auditorium, screen-free food hall, coffee shop, media center, and campus green to create a vibrant campus community.
“The greatest investment we can ever make is pouring into young leaders who in turn will impact thousands of people for the rest of their lives,” said Hodges. “Students learn and grow in world-class facilities where they are educated, equipped and empowered to make an eternal impact in a complex and changing world.”
The college’s first residence hall, made possible by a $20 million gift from Hobby Lobby’s Green family, is currently under construction on the 70-acre campus and is scheduled to open early next year.
Pettus said that leadership is influence underpinned with the character to overcome and is taught through experience and galvanized in challenge.
“That is the environment we’ve built on this campus,” said Pettus. “We believe that this is just the beginning of Highlands College’s transformative impact on biblical education and communities around the world.”
