Joseph Hopkins was in what he called his “dream job” as dean of the School of Arts at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., when he was told about an opening for the presidency at Campbellsville University.
At first, the opening wasn’t on Hopkins’ radar, but as he talked with a search agent about the job and the university, Hopkins said, “God began to work in my heart as I heard how CU was living out its bold mission.”
Nearly a year later, Hopkins was officially inaugurated as the 12th president of the Central Kentucky school Sept. 16.
Joseph Hopkins delivers his inaugural address at Campbellsville University.
“Most of you here today have seen and heard the sacred work of Campbellsville University,” Hopkins said. “To be a part of this university family is nothing less than an honor, and to be trusted with any level of leadership is a holy mantle.”
The theme for Hopkins’ inauguration was “Legacy of Hope,” a legacy that began “with a group of faithful saints in 1906,” he said. That legacy “has continued to this moment, and we stand at a new threshold of promise and hope.”
Hopkins said his mother and grandmother would sing with him at the piano during his childhood. It was in that time that he heard of God’s plan for his life. “Through the faithful teaching of my parents, I heard and received God’s incredible gift of salvation,” he said.
That foundation of faith in Jesus Christ and his word guides both him and the university, Hopkins said. “It is the tradition of this university in times of crisis and possibility to lean on God’s wisdom rather than our own.”
At various times in its history, when Campbellsville University has faced financial challenges and other difficulties, “devoted leaders, faculty, students and supporters saw us through those challenges,” Hopkins said. “It is a legacy of foundation rooted in prayer, sacrifice and steadfast faithfulness.”
Those challenges are not all in the distant past, he explained. When Kenneth Winters became president of the then-small Campbellsville College in the summer of 1988, retention was an acute problem.
“With purpose, faith and ingenuity, initiatives were created toward recruiting, retention, strategic planning and master campus planning,” Hopkins said. “Significant improvements were made to buildings, freshman retention rose as high as 93%, and record enrollments were achieved.”
Joseph Hopkins, left, and his wife, Suzanne Hopkins, arrive at an inaugural dinner the night before his inauguration as 12th president of Campbellsville University. (Campbellsville University Photo by Bienvenu “Moe” Mugisha)
Since then, the historically Baptist university has established regional educational centers across the commonwealth and the nation. Another center will soon open in Canada. With an enrollment of nearly 12,000 students, the university offers 100 programs of study including doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s, associate and certification programs
Yet, Campbellsville University is built upon abiding relationships that span generations, Hopkins said. “As we walk through this place, remember these challenges and remind one another of the incredible stories of accomplishment as a team. Our lives become woven together, we lean upon one another, and we are shaped and deepened by the blessings God provides.”
Hopkins pledged that Campbellsville University will be built upon “the perfect, trustworthy and true word of God.” He said the school will reach toward “every deserving student with exceptional education as we prepare them to become salt and light for Christ.”
Even as old buildings are renovated and new ones erected, the university’s most important work will be in the “building of an army of ambassadors who will carry the love of Christ, the fragrance of Christ and the hope of Christ as salt and light to a world in need,” he said.
Gerard Flanagan is a news writer and photographer in the office of university communications at Campbellsville University.
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