New students are welcomed to the GLCC family by receiving their GLCC Coin at the 2026 Convocation, held Wednesday, September 9, 2026 in the Doty Center.
Great Lakes Christian College Announces Fifth Consecutive Year of Enrollment Increases – Enrollment Jumps 7% for the 2026-27 Academic Year
LANSING, Mich. — [September 11, 2026] — Great Lakes Christian College (GLCC) today announced enrollment numbers for the 2026-2027 Academic Year and the news is good — again! While many private and public colleges grapple with declining or plateauing enrollment, GLCC grew by another 7% this fall. Added to previous gains, this represents a 44% increase in enrollment since 2022.
According to GLCC President Dr. Frank Weller, the increase is due to more families and students learning about the College’s value proposition. “At Great Lakes, authentic Christian community and academic excellence meet affordability,” said Weller. “As more families learn about what we offer, more students want what we offer.”
According to Baylor University researcher Dr. Perry Glanzer, GLCC is a top five Christian college in the nation in terms of operationalizing its Christian identity. “Our students aren’t just shaped intellectually; they’re formed spiritually. At GLCC the cafeteria might be the most important classroom. It’s one of the places where students and faculty do life together,” said Dean of Students, Dr. Brian Baldwin.
Academic excellence is also paramount at the College. Yzabella Furst, the 2024 Valedictorian just began her third year of law school at Cooley Law. She is first in her class and was named Chief Editor of Law Review. She credits the rigorous academics at GLCC for preparing her to excel. According to Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. John Nugent, “Bella is representative of our graduates. She was an English major, but the reason she has excelled is because we teach our students how to think critically.”
Affordability is also a factor in students coming to GLCC. Great Lakes boasts the lowest cost of attendance of Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities’ residential institutions and has one of the lowest costs of attendance of any regionally accredited Restoration Movement college. That is because GLCC believes that students should be able to become the best version of who God created them to be without being hobbled by student debt. As President Weller is fond of saying, “The debt-free degree is the new Ivy League education.”
Another key to growth has been increasing student satisfaction that is driven by the College’s commitment to find creative, affordable solutions. The recent closure of another private university in Michigan afforded GLCC the opportunity to upgrade dorm room furniture on campus and replace the Doty Center’s aging vinyl gym floor with traditional hardwood. Both projects were completed at a fraction of what it would cost to purchase the upgrades at retail. And both projects were completed through the generosity of the school’s donors.
The campaign to replace dorm furniture, dubbed “Furniture Flip” raised nearly double the goal set by Vice President of Institutional Advancement Jamie Wetzel. According to him, “We exceeded our goal by more than $40,000 which will enable us to secure common area sofas and overstuffed chairs, and upgrade some of our aging kitchen equipment.”
That new furniture will come in handy because Hasty Hall, the men’s dormitory is completely full, necessitating that Family Housing — the dorm traditionally set aside for married students — be used for unmarried students. The College anticipates that, by Fall 2027, there will be no more room in GLCC dorms, prompting one GLCC Trustee to joke that we should rename Family Housing the “Bethlehem Inn.”
GLCC leadership recently began its next round of strategic planning. Based on a comprehensive growth and transformation plan commissioned by the College, the new strategic plan will pursue aggressive growth strategies that position GLCC to become a destination Christian college in the Great Lakes region. “The need is too great to nibble around the edges. Men and women who graduate with GLCC marketplace ministry and vocational ministry degrees will have an incalculable impact on the world. Thousands of lost people will meet Jesus because they encountered GLCC alumni in their workplaces. Hundreds of churches will benefit from the leadership of GLCC trained preachers, youth ministers and worship leaders,” said President Weller.
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About Great Lakes Christian College
Great Lakes Christian College is a private, faith-based college located in Lansing, Michigan. GLCC prepares students for service and Christian leadership through bachelor’s and master’s degree programs that integrate biblical studies with the arts, sciences, and professional fields. For more information, visit www.glcc.edu or contact the GLCC Office of the President.
Visit glcc.edu to begin your GLCC journey. Questions? Fill out our inquiry form, email admissions@glcc.edu, or call 800-937-4522 (800-YES-GLCC)—we’re here to help!