By Alexandria Swanger, communications assistant, Office of University Communications

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - “One thing I appreciate about Dr. Carter is that he's not normal. Not many people set a goal of $61.1 million and accomplish it,” said Eric Gilbert, pastor of 3trees Church at Campbellsville University's 39th Annual President's Club Dinner.

Gilbert recently addressed over 421 attendees at the dinner, the largest body of members in its history.

Referencing 1 Peter 5:8, Gilbert said, “Thank you Dr. Carter for being a lion chaser. Thank you donors for being a lion chaser.” He said he was glad that the university was expanding her reach into various areas around the United States and into the lives of those students who attend the university.

Gilbert praised the efforts of Dr. Michael V. Carter, president, and the university for their persistence and for being “more bold with the gospel than most churches.”

The President's Club Dinner is an opportunity for donors, and those who gave at least $1,000 or more the previous year, to be updated with the university's progress and future objectives.

Carter thanked those in attendance for their generosity. Carter said the university had met her seven-year campaign goal four months ahead of time and that $3.7 million of it had been raised the previous year through the President's Club alone.

In addition to meeting the campaign goal, the university has exponentially grown in size; now operating regional centers in six different Kentucky locations: Harrodsburg, Louisville, Somerset, Liberty and Hodgenville; in addition to instructional sites in California, Illinois, Florida and Canada. The overall fall enrollment totaled 13,011 students, a 55.4 percent increase over the previous fall semester.

Carter said throughout this journey and while taking in the scope of these accomplishments, he is reminded of a passage from the book “Miracle In The Mountains” by Lonnie and Belinda Riley, “When God begins a ministry, He maintains it. When He expands it, He takes care of it; In ways that only He can. What a relief.”

Carter said, “I think that tells much of the story of what's happening at Campbellsville University.”

There were 68 new members inducted into to the President's Club this year.

Campbellsville University is a widely-acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 10,000 students offering more than 90 programs of study including Ph.D., master, baccalaureate, associate, pre-professional and certification programs. The university has off-campus centers in Kentucky cities Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset, Hodgenville and Liberty with Kentucky instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Summersville, and nationally in Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay, Jacksonville, Fla. and Chicago. The university also has a full complement of online programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.