Office of Intercultural Engagement
The Office of Intercultural Engagement (OIE) at Spring Arbor University is dedicated to fostering a Christ-centered community that reflects the depth and breadth of God's creation. We believe that every individual is uniquely made in the image of God, and we strive to honor this divine creativity by promoting an environment where all students and community members can flourish.
The goal of OIE is to collaborate with students, faculty, staff, and external partners to:
- Celebrate God's Creation: Embrace and appreciate the variety of cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives within our community, recognizing them as expressions of God's manifold wisdom.
- Promote Unity in Christ: Encourage a spirit of unity and love among all members of the university, understanding that our shared faith in Christ transcends all differences.
- Support Holistic Development: Provide programs and initiatives that nurture spiritual, academic, and personal growth, enabling individuals to fulfill their God-given potential.
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Build Bridges Across Cultures: Foster meaningful relationships that promote understanding and empathy across cultural boundaries through active listening, thoughtful feedback, and storytelling. These interactions create opportunities for shared learning and mutual transformation.
Why Intercultural Engagement Matters
At Spring Arbor University, we’re a community of learners committed to reflecting the richness of God’s Kingdom in our students, faculty, staff, trustees, and friends. Valuing the dignity of every person has been part of our story since the very beginning, rooted in the heritage of our founding denomination, the Free Methodist Church. Creating a warm, welcoming place for all who join us is one way we live out those values today.
We know that bringing together people with different life experiences, backgrounds, and cultures can be challenging at times, but we embrace that challenge wholeheartedly, because we believe it’s the example that Jesus has shown us. Jesus Christ is the lens through which we teach and learn, and He calls us to move beyond simply “tolerating” each other to genuine love and care. In that kind of community, we can all grow and be transformed together.
Having people from many walks of life in our classrooms and on our campus fits right in with our liberal arts tradition. It sparks healthy conversations and creates space to share cultural, social, economic, and even political perspectives. These conversations help us see the world more clearly and understand each other more deeply.
We also know that preparing students for life in today’s world means giving them more than just book knowledge. Real preparation happens when they can build authentic relationships with people whose experiences are different from their own - listening to stories, asking questions, and learning side-by-side. That’s why we emphasize bridge building, open-hearted listening, and meaningful storytelling.
We will continue to look for ways to invite and welcome people with a variety of backgrounds into our community. We’ll weave these perspectives into our curriculum and daily life. And we’ll strive, always, to be a place where love and respect aren’t just talked about, they’re lived out.