Hobby Lobby's Green Family Donates $20 Million to Highlands College

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hobby Lobby founder and CEO David Green and the Green family donated $20 million to Highlands College in Birmingham, Ala. that will fully fund the institution's first of two residence halls.

Highlands College is a Bible college founded in 2011. It prepares students who are led into full-time Christian ministry through a rigorous four-pillar program of academic instruction, hands-on training, character formation, and spiritual development. Its graduates serve and lead in churches and ministry organizations around the world.

"Our family sees this gift as an investment paying dividends as each graduate fulfills their calling," said Green. "Highlands College is like no other. It is a community of believers, leaders, and learners who develop the whole person in spirit, mind, and body."

The gift to Highlands College is among the most generous made by the Green family.

"We envision Highlands College as a world-class facility for training servant leaders of character and competence, and the gift invested by the Green family goes a long way toward fulfilling our vision," said Chris Hodges, chancellor of Highlands College. "We are so grateful for their confidence in our mission and the impact Highlands College can have in our world."

Legacy of Supporting Christian Ministries
The Green family has a long history of supporting Christian ministries. In his 2017 book, "Giving It All Away…and Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously," Green explained his views on wealth and resources. 

"A legacy of true value is a legacy made of more than money," wrote Green. "It's a legacy conceived in wisdom, nurtured by principle, and sustained by character." 

New Residence Hall
Highlands College officials will break ground for the residence hall later this month. Plans call for a five-floor facility with more than 68,000 square feet and 126 rooms for 252 students. Completion is expected in late 2022. Students will move in soon after.

"A residential campus is essential to realizing the holistic, academy-style education and training approach that sets us apart," said Mark Pettus, president of Highlands College. "The Green family is enabling us to activate and accelerate this key part of our vision."  

Realizing a Debt Free Vision for Highlands College
Because of the Green family gift, Highlands College will construct the residence hall debt-free.

Highlands is a private two-year institution that is scheduled to offer a four-year program within a few years. Its strategic plan calls for growth to 1,000 students by 2029 with a vision for all students to graduate debt-free.

A new 70-acre campus located in the Grandview area of Birmingham set to open later this year features a student center, 19 learning studios, eight hands-on ministry training labs, multiple collaborative areas, dining facilities, café, library, fitness and recreation facilities, a multi-purpose auditorium and the latest in audio-visual technology.

About Highlands College
Highlands College is a first-of-its-kind Biblical education institution that exists to develop leaders of competence, character, and spiritual maturity, holistically trained to lead lives of eternal impact by expanding the Kingdom of God. Its vision is a ministry academy model where students are educated, equipped, and empowered to reach people and graduate debt-free. Highlands College graduates are leading in churches in 35 states and 6 countries around the world.

Media Contact: 
Blaine Lindsey
(205) 731-7339
[email protected]

SOURCE Highlands College