The university officially concluded its year-long celebration of 100 years of teaching students in a Christian atmosphere and entered its second century of existence.

After attending the Second Century Convocation on Monday and listening to the speakers reflect on where the university has come since 1906 and where it will go, we too want to envision where the university might go in its next 100 years.

We want the university to continue to teach students to be missional and to think outside of the ACU bubble. The university has many organizations that do this by showing students that outside Abilene is a huge world in need of Christian leaders from all fields of study.

A few organizations that do this include World Wide Witness, International Justice Mission and Spring Break Campaigns.

We also want the university to continue offering both diverse and high-quality courses in all fields of study. These courses range from unique exercise science courses like pickle ball to political science courses that look at terrorism studies.

Students also have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in their field of study. A few options include working at the university’s radio station, television station or the newspaper. Other majors offer courses that give students experience through classes like the marketing class that develops and sells a product to the student body.

ACU should continue to add courses that challenge the student body’s thinking, as well as update current courses relevant to students today.

Finally, we think the university should continue to adapt to future generations. The university had done a good job of keeping an open mind during this past century, and we hope it will continue to look forward in its thinking.

The university should not change the foundation it was built on nor the values and morals that have shaped it into the Christian institution it is today. Instead, the university should be mindful that as the world changes, so do the people that populate it.

As we begin ACU’s next 100 years, may the university continue to nurture, love and mold the future generations, as it has to the thousands of alumni who have passed through its doors this century.