A letter from President Phipps
This spring, I presented the following tribute to former Messiah College President D. Ray Hostetter at the campus memorial service held in his honor April 16 (adapted below):
I’m honored to celebrate the life and legacy of D. Ray Hostetter— a beloved family member, friend and colleague to many and the longtime visionary president of Messiah College. Ray, his father and grandfather shared the remarkable distinction of serving as presidents of Messiah College for a collective 63 years. With Ray’s business acumen, devotion to Messiah College’s mission and servant-leader style, he presided during three decades of significant growth and maturation at the College.
Ray led with the clear conviction that Messiah College fulfills a crucial role in church and society. In 1961, before he became president, he contemplated “whether Messiah College was really needed.” Professor Emeritus E. Morris Sider, who recounts this time of questioning in his book “Messiah College: A History,” concluded that “Ray saw a tremendous future for Messiah College but to achieve that promise would mean not settling for mediocrity.”
Ray never settled for mediocrity. His vision for excellence and example of humility continue to inspire me as I serve as Messiah College’s eighth president. During his tenure, the college launched a formal general education program and investments were made in college ministries, student development, the arts and athletics. In addition, he anticipated future demand for applied programs in computer science, engineering and nursing—forerunners of Messiah College’s important new programs, including graduate programs in occupational and physical therapy.
As president, Ray also promoted an embracing evangelical spirit and built bridges beyond the College campus. Messiah College survived and prospered because he saw the importance of retaining our distinct identity—with a covenantal relationship with the Brethren in Christ Church—while also broadening Messiah College’s denominational profile and recruitment potential.
Another hallmark of the D. Ray Hostetter presidency was the formation of generative partnerships. He inspired regional leaders to embrace Messiah College’s mission and invest resources into it. He recognized the value of forming coalitions with other leaders in higher education and was a founding board member of the Christian College Consortium and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Ray expanded Messiah College’s borders by establishing historic agreements with Daystar University in Kenya and Temple University in Philadelphia. Continuing that tradition today, the College has many vibrant partnerships that extend from Harrisburg to Malaysia and China.
As I think of personal experiences with Ray, I fondly remember a time we spent together during the second year of my presidency. He told me, “Leadership is not an easy path, but it is worthwhile if God has called you to it.” These words illuminate his core philosophy—that leadership is indeed a sacred calling—worthwhile not because of what being a leader grants to an individual, but because of the privilege of serving God and others in this way. I share Ray’s belief that Messiah College is urgently needed to prepare Christian servant leaders who will promote the common good. And I am convinced that Messiah College is an exceptional community of Christian faith, intellect and character because of the leadership and contributions of D. Ray and Audrey Hostetter.
President Kim S. Phipps