President’s Report.
FISCAL YEAR 2025 (JULY 1, 2024 – JUNE 30, 2025)
Office of Development
Two words characterize the landscape of higher education at the moment: uncertainty and instability. Volatility in funding, the advent of the demographic cliff and sharp decline in enrollment, campus protests, government intervention, and the disruptor of AI in cheating scandals and the viability of certain occupations all have made universities quite unsteady. Even the largest institutions have frozen budgets, and numerous schools have engaged in systematic layoffs, merged with other institutions, and even shut down. In fact, the statistical average a couple of years ago was that one institution of higher learning closed down every week. What has fueled all of this and what the turmoil has exposed is the lack of any true cause in education. From Capitol Hill to the living room of many homes, people wonder if higher education has any purpose or meaningful outcome. Such skepticism is the fuel that drives the uncertainty and instability that higher education currently faces.
But The Master’s University has a very different story than what is going on around us in higher education. The Lord has worked powerfully. While higher education is wrecked by unsteadiness, The Master’s University has increased enrollment by 40%, grown the endowment over $100 million, and expanded real estate holdings. Several years in a row, it has claimed a spot in the top 10 of the Wall Street Journal rankings for career preparation and students’ best choice.
The reason for all this blessing cannot be clever marketing or incisive strategy. All other schools have expended exorbitant resources to develop such plans only to find themselves in a precarious position. The One who has determined TMU’s current blessing is the Lord, and as always, He honors His Word. I believe God is blessing our institution because it is trustworthy. Families know our school stands unashamed on the authority of God’s Word. We are not swayed by trends, fads, or worldly philosophies. We subject all our campus — from the classroom to the dorm room — to the lordship of Christ. Those are not just words. They are the convictions of every employee of this institution, and such conviction produces a sweetness of love for each other, a love for the truth, and a love for the God of the truth that unites hearts, compels wisdom, and drives outstanding work in all of life and vocation. That is true, effective, and everlasting purpose. WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS THE FRUIT OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US, PARTICULARLY OUR CHANCELLOR,
JOHN F. MACARTHUR, WHOM THE LORD RECENTLY CALLED HOME. THE SUCCESS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING, FROM OUR CAMPUS CULTURE TO OUTCOMES, IS A VINDICATION OF HIS RELENTLESS FAITHFULNESS TO CHRIST AND SCRIPTURE. EVEN MORE, THIS MOMENT IS A TESTIMONY TO THE ABSOLUTE SUFFICIENCY AND SUPREMACY OF SCRIPTURE.
As we look toward the future, I have been asked what lies ahead and the answer is the same as always: faithfulness. If the Lord sends us more students (as He is), then our job is to be faithful to each of them as we were in the past, especially as the demand for those who know and live the truth is greater than ever in the church and the workforce. If hard times come, we are building the resources so that we can defend the mission of Christ and Scripture and remain faithful so that the work of the church, being the pillar and grounds of the truth, is upheld worldwide from generation to generation. No matter what, we are pressing on to be faithful.
We are in a new era where eternal convictions and a noble ministry have been passed down to us by a stalwart of the faith. I am convinced that in this season we must double down on what our institution has stood for for nearly a century. The need for upholding the truth remains as high as ever, and as I survey the landscape of higher education, the training for that purpose is falling ever more on our shoulders. Our job then, in the providence of God, is to do all we can to uphold the legacy of Christ and Scripture for the sake of the church until our Master returns.
PRESIDENT, THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY
01 The Portion of Growth.
HISTORICAL ENROLLMENT GROWTH
The Master’s University has a residential undergraduate enrollment of more than 1,200 STUDENTS and a total enrollment exceeding 2,200
TRADITIONAL UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT THE PAST 10 YEARS
42% 90% 1,229 Increase in school enrollment since 2019 Retention Rate Undergraduate On-Campus Enrollment
32 40 112 Countries Represented by the Student Body States Represented by the Student Body International Students 48-52% Male-Female Ratio for Traditional Undergraduate Students
WHY ARE STUDENTS CHOOSING TMU?
92% of incoming students selected either “Doctrinal Stance,” “Spiritual Growth and Development,” or “General Academic Excellence” as their top reason for attending TMU.
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT
02 Programs The Propellers of Growth.
The Master’s University has prayerfully expanded its ACADEMIC PROGRAMS to meet growing market needs, allowing more students to receive a thoroughly biblical education while strengthening long-term sustainability. This growth has required additional MISSION-FIT FACULTY , and TMU has been blessed to recruit professors deeply devoted to Christ and student discipleship. SCHOLARSHIPS help attract students from diverse backgrounds, while the University’s emphasis on on-campus living fosters intentional spiritual growth. Strategic PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS have further enhanced academic and residential life — all made possible through generous donor support. WHILE WE TRUST THE LORD TO BRING THE STUDENTS HE DESIRES AT TMU, THESE ARE THE KEY PROPELLERS OF GROWTH AT THE MASTER’S UNIVERSITY.
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Number of New Programs or Emphases Added the Past 5 Years
360
Number of Students Represented in New Programs
150+
Total Degrees and Program Options
12:1
Student-Teacher Class Ratio in Upper Division Courses
RECENTLY ADDED OR UPDATED DEGREES & PROGRAMS
Artificial Intelligence
Agricultural Business
Cinema & Digital Arts
Classical Liberal Arts
Computer Engineering
Computer Systems
Criminal Justice
Electrical Engineering
Entrepreneurial Studies
Environmental Science
Financial Planning Minor
Geology
Information Systems
Interdisciplinary Studies
Marketing Media
Mechanical Engineering
Pre-Dentistry
Sport Management
Master of Education in Teaching
D.Min. in Biblical Counseling
People
Since 2021, TMU has made it a priority to invest in its most valuable asset — our beloved faculty — through multiple cost-of-living adjustments, pay increases, and faculty bonuses.
THE LYDIA ENDOWMENT
The Lydia Endowment is used to support, retain, and recruit faculty at The Master’s University. As we seek to honor the Lord by offering an education that equips students for a lifetime of service to Christ, it is critical that we provide resources to support and enhance the faculty at TMU.
MORE THAN 550 GIFTS, TOTALING OVER $930,000, HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR FACULTY THROUGH THE LYDIA ENDOWED FUND.
ENDOWMENT GROWTH
FACULTY STORIES FACULTY VIDEOS
DR. GRANT HORNER
Christian Education in the 21st Century
DR. TAI-DANAE BRADLEY
Featured in Prestigious Science Publication
DR. JOEY KIM
Equipping STEM Students to Shine for Christ
FACULTY Q&A s
DR. JOHN BECK
Q&A with Dr. John Beck, Business & Communication Dean
TRICIA HULET
Q&A with Tricia Hulet, Director of Theatre Arts
DAVID LARSEN
Q&A with David Larsen, Kinesiology Department Chair
DR. ABNER CHOU Not Exhaustive But Comprehensive: How Scripture Frames Everything
DR. MATTHEW MCLAIN You and the Zoo: Humans, Animals & the Image of God
DR. GREG GIFFORD The Heart of a Bible Professor at TMU
Scholarships $22M
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TMU has 42 scholarship funds impacting students.
Students received a total of $22,725,000 in institutional aid during the 2024-25 academic year NOT INCLUDING EXTERNAL AID.
96%
During the 2024–25 academic year, 96% of students received financial aid, benefiting over 1,200 students
$4M
Students received $4,025,000 in donor-funded scholarship aid during the 2024-25 academic year.
A STUDENT THANK YOU
$24M
TMU anticipates awarding $24 million during the 2025-26 academic year.
We hope you are encouraged by a short video featuring Lauren Dougherty, a current student and a recipient of The Master’s Global Scholarship.
Knowing that someone is paying for me to attend college and learn is such a motivation for me to excel. Somebody — without even knowing me — has chosen to help me pursue my education. It challenges me and shapes how I think about my future and how I can serve the next generation. I hope you realize the impact you have on us. Thank you so much for your legacy and your testimony.” “
LAUREN DOUGHERTY
Housing
STUDENT IMPACT THROUGH HOUSING EXPANSION
Additional student housing allows more than 200 STUDENTS to benefit from residential education.
45% of housing acquisition costs were covered by donor support.
Donors have invested $24.4 MILLION to acquire real estate assets for student housing.
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR GENEROSITY
Fiscal Year 2025 Giving
$30,640,191 Total Amount Donated FY25
3,895 Number of Gifts
1, 2024 - JUNE 30, 2025 5-YEAR GIVING COMPARISON ENDOWMENT GROWTH
155 Recurring Donors 216 Chancellor’s Circle Members 231 New Donors
STRATEGIC GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
APPRECIATED STOCK
Donating appreciated stocks, mutual funds, or securities to The Master’s University offers significant benefits. You can enjoy an income tax deduction, avoid capital gains tax, maximize your gift’s impact, retain your cash, and increase your charitable deduction — all while seeing the results of your generosity now.
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The Power of Growth.
CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES
Charitable gift annuities are a great option for donors who are 60 years or older and who are seeking to make a gift while securing a dependable, lifetime income stream unaffected by market fluctuations.
IRA ROLLOVERS
An IRA charitable rollover allows donors aged 70½ or older to make tax-free gifts to the University from their Individual Retirement Accounts. For those 73 or older, these gifts can also satisfy required minimum distributions (RMDs). Since IRA assets are heavily taxed, this taxfree option is especially advantageous.
Mark Tatlock
Joshua Rogers
Nicole Nitake
CALIFORNIA Reaching the Nations
CALIFORNIA A Career in Pharmacy
ARIZONA Representing Christ as a Superior Court Judge
Since its founding in 1927, more than 20,000 MEN AND WOMEN have graduated from TMU. TODAY, ALUMNI ARE ACTIVELY SERVING IN MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. Each life equipped at The Master’s University extends the impact of the gospel and biblical truth to the ends of the earth.
Gospel Progress in Italy
Need
Am I Called to Missions?
UGANDA
Matt Nardone
Jordan Standridge
M.S.
Eric Zeller
Tim Cantrell
Sean Ransom
Shannon & Danielle Hurley
SOUTH AFRICA Serving the Lord in South Africa
FLORIDA A Familiar Church in an Unfamiliar City
PHILIPPINES A Hub of Global Ministry
ITALY
MIDDLE EAST The Middle East’s Greatest
ARABIAN PENINSULA Bridging the Gulf
