The Greater Fayetteville Chamber hosted their monthly Chairwoman's Coffee Club this morning, featuring Methodist University President Dr. Stanley T. Wearden as the guest speaker. 

As president, Wearden is working toward the goals of improving student success, retention, and graduation; building a robust online presence; better serving active duty military, military families, and veterans; creating strong transfer partnerships with community colleges; increasing Methodist University's endowment to help make education more affordable for students, and making sure Methodist University delivers fully on the promise of its mission statement.

"We have a powerful mission statement at Methodist, and it's the only one I've ever seen in higher education that contains the word 'love,'" he said. "All universities have the mission to prepare students to be career-ready, and we certainly do, but we want to make sure to take it further than that. We want to make sure we also prepare students for engaged citizenship and genuine moral agency."

Methodist University is Cumberland County's only independent four-year institution of higher education.

Ninety-seven percent of the students at Methodist University receive scholarships, and the residential undergraduate students receive an average of more than $30,000 in aid. 

Following graduation, nearly 60 percent of alumni stay in the county to contribute to the workforce and economy. Methodist University's estimated annual demand-side economic impact in Cumberland County is about $88.5 million.

"Higher education must do its part," stated Wearden. "Education is about getting students to see other perspectives."

The mission for Methodist University is to teach students to think about their civic and moral duties, as well as examine their spirituality and think deeply about what they believe. 

"Community supporters more than 60 years ago had the desire to build a private, liberal arts-based college right here in Cumberland County," Wearden explained. "MU, in turn, has produced graduates that have and are thriving in this community professionally, and also through charity and service."