09/09/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/09/2024 08:15
Posted on September 09, 2024
The 48thVice President of the United States and 59-time Dove Award winner will headline the 2024-25 series
Colorado Christian University is excited to announce Vice President Mike Pence and five-time GRAMMY Award winner Steven Curtis Chapman will headline the inaugural President's Speaker Series.
Vice President Mike Pence will visit campus Nov. 15 with his wife, former Second Lady of the United States Karen Pence, an award-winning educator. The multi-faceted event will feature breakout sessions with students, faculty and community members followed by a keynote address from Mike Pence, 48thVice President of the United States, to end the evening.
"Vice President Mike Pence's dedication to leadership, adherence to truth and liberty, and steadfast commitment to the Constitution are commendable," said Eric Hogue, CCU president. "As author Jon Meacham noted about Abraham Lincoln, 'Greatness in leadership comes when moral convictions are brought to bear amid conflicting interests.' I describe this as 'living, leading, and loving' amidst the tension. Vice President Mike Pence exemplified this responsibility with distinction. I want our students to hear his story and glean from his experience."
Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, will join the CCU community on Feb. 7, 2025, for a full day of events culminating with a moderated lecture and performance in the McDonald Performance Hall.
"Tammy and I met Steven Curtis and Mary Beth in 1986, and we've closely followed their great adventure over the many years," said Hogue. "We believe God has used Steven Curtis to compose the hymn book of the modern church. Through life's ups and downs, Jesus' grace and truth have sustained the Chapmans, and the Chapmans' dedication to our Lord has inspired millions for the sake of the call. We are so excited for our students to hear from Steven Curtis and Mary Beth and learn how the goodness of God is toward every believer in Jesus Christ in every one of life's situations."
To learn more about Colorado Christian University's President's Speaker Series, please visit ccu.edu/speaker-series.
Mike Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, on June 7, 1959, into a family that epitomized the American Dream, instilling in him values of hard work, faith, and family. After graduating from Hanover College and Indiana University School of Law, he embarked on a multifaceted career, including law practice, hosting a talk show, serving as a Congressman for six terms, and championing limited government and fiscal responsibility. Pence then was elected the 50th Governor of Indiana, focusing on tax cuts, job creation, education reform, and infrastructure investment while maintaining fiscal responsibility. His accomplishments in Indiana led to his selection as the 48th Vice President of the United States. Pence's conservative philosophy, inspired by Ronald Reagan, led to his founding Advancing American Freedom which continues to advocate for faith, family, and liberty as foundational American values.
Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence, is a mother, educator, and award-winning watercolor artist. Mrs. Pence works to bring attention to art therapy and to the sacrifices made by military service members and their families.
Steven Curtis Chapman is the most awarded artist in Christian music history. With 59 Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards, five GRAMMY Awards, an American Music Award, and a historic 50 No. 1 singles, he has sold more than 17 million albums with 10 RIAA-Certified Gold or Platinum albums to his credit.
Mary Beth Chapman is the co-founder and chairman of the board of Show Hope, an internationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to adoption advocacy and support, as well as a New York Timesbest-selling author and speaker. She was inducted into the Adoption Hall of Fame in November 2023 by the National Council for Adoption.
Touched and forever transformed by the miracle of adoption in their own family, the Chapmans founded Show Hope in 2003, with its mission to care for orphans by engaging the Church and reducing the barriers to adoption. To date, Show Hope has helped nearly 9,100 children - from more than 60 countries, including the U.S. - come home to the love, security, and permanency of a family through its cornerstone adoption aid grants program.