Students aren’t the only ones thinking about what lies beyond U.S. borders this Missions Conference.
President Corey will leave the country March 31 for a 10-day trip to China and Indonesia where he plans to build on Biola’s pre-existing financial and relational connections with donors, leaders and friends. While it’s often difficult for Corey, as a husband and father, to travel, he deeply desires to represent Biola overseas, said Brian Shook, Corey’s executive assistant. The trip marks Corey’s fourth to Asia as president and his second to Indonesia, which he last visited in fall 2008.
Shook said more than a handful of people are interested in investing in Biola’s mission, both inside the U.S. and abroad. The board of trustees hired Corey knowing fundraising was a strength of his, as Bruce Narramore, co-chair for the Search Advisory Committee for a new provost, confirmed. In China, Corey will meet primarily with university educators and business leaders. Contacts beyond U.S. borders have reciprocal benefits for the university and the contacts, Shook said.
“The university president needs to stay globally connected,” Shook said. “It’s good for Biola and it’s good for the development of opportunities for Biola.”
Corey, who plans to go abroad about once a semester, has more in mind than accruing funds for Biola’s pockets; he will also be recruiting students from schools and churches. Attracting international students is just as crucial as attracting students from the U.S., Shook said.
Corey’s main stop will be the Universitas Pelita Harapan in Karwaci, Indonesia, the nation’s largest Christian university, where he will give the commencement address to the globally minded institution. The relationship between Biola and the Indonesian university began developing under Corey’s presidency.
“I’m excited about the possibilities this relationship affords us to live out our call to be globally relevant, informed and connected as a university with the world around us,” Corey said last fall when Biola hosted some leaders from the university. “UPH is a good match for Biola in the way in which we aspire to impact the world, and we look forward to exploring some dynamic opportunities within the country of Indonesia.”
Corey’s next overseas trip in fall will center around the Lausanne International Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa, where he, along with a few select members of the Biola community, will meet with Christian leaders from all parts of the globe in the invitation-only event.
“It’s a pretty notable thing that President Corey’s going,” Shook said.
Corey will return from overseas April 11, students’ last day of Easter Break
