Cornerstone University

Cornerstone University is an independent, non-denominational Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan, US.

Cornerstone University has undergraduate and graduate programs, two seminaries (Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and Asia Baptist Theological Seminary based in Chiang Mai, Thailand), and a radio division called Cornerstone University Radio (WCSG, Mission Network News). It is a liberal arts university.

In the 1990s and early 2000s Cornerstone University expanded and transformed, changing its name, becoming a university, increasing enrollment, adding facilities and improving the campus, introducing an adult program including the MBA and a leadership development experience, adding an Honors Program and "Civitas" Core Curriculum, changing its mascot, colors, and logo, and winning a men's national basketball championship in 1999, 2011 and 2015.

Students are required to abide by a "Lifestyle Statement" intended to reflect trinitarianism. The university offers 60 academic programs in the arts, sciences, humanities, Bible, teacher education, computers and business and journalism.

Cornerstone University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and the National Association of Schools of Music. In sports, it is a member of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Cornerstone's social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Cornerstone had an enrollment of 3,000 students, including professional and graduate studies and both seminaries.

History
Cornerstone was founded in 1941 as the Baptist Bible Institute by the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches. It was accredited in 1972 as a degree-granting college, Grand Rapids Baptist College. In 1993, it absorbed the Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music. On July 1, 1999, following approval by the State of Michigan, Cornerstone College and Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary became Cornerstone University. In June 2003, the graduate theological school became Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.

Presidents

 * David Otis Fuller (1941–1944)
 * Norman F. Douty (1944–1945)
 * Paul Jackson (1945–1946) (acting president)
 * Gerard Knol (1946–1953)
 * Leon J. Wood (1953–1954) (acting president)
 * J. Edward Hakes (1954–1958)
 * Howard A. Keithley (1958–1959) (acting president)
 * W. Wilbert Welch (1959–1983) (Chancellor: 1983–2015)
 * Charles U. Wagner (1983–1990)
 * W. Wilbert Welch (1991) (interim president)
 * Rex M. Rogers (1991–2008)
 * Joseph M. Stowell, III (2008–)

Campus


On Saturday, October 7, 2006, the W. Wilbert and Meryl Welch Tower was dedicated during Cornerstone's 2006 Homecoming. The clock tower has a four faced clock near its top. The tower stands 110 ft tall, and also has a WOOD-TV traffic camera on the southeast side of the tower. The clock tower is located between the Gainey Conference Center and Bolthouse Hall on campus.

Athletics


Cornerstone University teams are known as the Golden Eagles. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), competing in the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis track & field and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball. The official mascot is Rocky the Golden Eagle. The baseball team's honorary mascot is Buster the bulldog.

National Championships:
 * 1999 - Men's Basketball - NAIA Division II
 * 2007 - Stephanie Allers - Women's Outdoor Track and Field - 200 meters
 * 2007 - Derek Scott - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - 1500 meters
 * 2010 - Zach Ripley - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - Steeplechase
 * 2010 - Joel Leong - Men's Indoor Track & Field - 35 lb. Weight Throw
 * 2011 - Men's Basketball - NAIA Division II
 * 2014 - Cody Risch - Men's Indoor Track & Field - 3,000m Racewalk
 * 2014 - Louis Falland - Men's Indoor Track & Field - Mile
 * 2014 - Brittany Green - Women's Outdoor Track & Field - Heptathlon
 * 2015 - Brittany Murray- Women's Indoor Track & Field - Pentathlon
 * 2015 - Men's Basketball - NAIA Division II
 * 2018 - Collin DeYoung - Men's Cross Country - 8,000 meters

National Runners-up:
 * 2002 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division II
 * 2004 - Derek Scott - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - 3,000m steeplechase
 * 2005 - Shannon Burmaster - Women's Indoor Track & Field - High Jump
 * 2005 - Cathi Velzen - Women's Outdoor Track & Field - Heptathlon
 * 2006 - Derek Scott - Men's Indoor Track & Field - Mile
 * 2006 - Stephanie Allers - Women's Outdoor Track & Field - 200 meters
 * 2008 - Danielle Rowe - Women's Indoor Track & Field - High Jump
 * 2008 - Zach Ripley - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - Steeplechase
 * 2009 - Brandi Hagan - Women's Indoor Track & Field - Pole Vault
 * 2009 - Zach Ripley - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - Steeplechase
 * 2011 - Kris Shear - Men's Indoor Track & Field - 3,000 meter Racewalk
 * 2012 - Cody Risch - Men's Indoor Track & Field - 3,000 meter Racewalk
 * 2012 - Anita Souza - Women's Indoor Track & Field - 60 meter hurdles
 * 2012 - Cody Risch - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - 5,000 meter Racewalk
 * 2012 - Janelle Brown- Women's Outdoor Track & Field- 5,000 meter Racewalk
 * 2013 - Ryan Versen - Men's Indoor Track & Field - 400 meters
 * 2013 - Louis Falland - Men's Indoor Track & Field - Mile
 * 2013 - Cody Risch - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - 5,000m Racewalk
 * 2014 - Brittany Green - Women's Indoor Track & Field - Pentathlon
 * 2014 - Julie Oosterhouse- Women's Indoor Track & Field - 800m
 * 2014 - Tess Odegard - Women's Indoor Track & Field - High Jump
 * 2014 - Louis Falland - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - Steeplechase
 * 2015 - Brittany Murray - Women's Indoor Track & Field - High Jump
 * 2015 - Brittany Murray - Women's Outdoor Track & Field - Heptathlon
 * 2016 - Kayla Ovokaitys - Women's Indoor Track & Field - 3,000m Racewalk
 * 2016 - Tess Odegard - Women's Indoor Track & Field - High Jump
 * 2016 - Nate VanderWal - Men's Outdoor Track & Field - 5,000m Racewalk
 * 2017 - Colin DeYoung - Men's Indoor Track & Field - Mile
 * 2017 - Joey Deboer, Jake Brinks, Kevin Vroegh, Colin DeYoung - Men's Indoor Track & Field - Distance Medley Relay
 * 2017 - NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament

Notable students and alumni

 * Chad Curtis, former professional baseball player
 * Stephen Herdsman, soccer player
 * Lisa Kelly, trucker
 * Reid Ribble, politician who was a U.S. Representative
 * Derek Scott, distance runner and coach