EUGENE, Ore. – On Tuesday, September 19, during a special Champions of Character Celebratory Chapel, Bushnell University was officially named the 2024-2025 NAIA School of Character, announced by representatives of the NAIA. Bushnell became just the second NAIA School of Character, joining CCC associate member Carroll College who was named the 2023-2024 winners of the award. 
 
"Bushnell's commitment to developing well-rounded student-athletes and engaged graduates truly sets them apart," said Jim Carr, NAIA president & CEO. "The university truly exemplifies the NAIA's core values, and we are proud to recognize Bushnell as this year's winner."

Presenting Bushnell with the award was NAIA Vice President of Membership Value and Governance, Chesney Sallee. Sallee said, "The NAIA established the School of Character Award to recognize institutions that embody the Champions of Character values in every aspect of their athletics programs and across their campuses. Out of nearly 250 NAIA schools nationwide, only one is selected each year for this distinction. This recognition is unlike any other in the NAIA. It is the only award that honors an entire institution. It doesn't honor a single team's victories or the achievements of one individual. Instead, it honors a culture, one defined by character, leadership, and service, woven into the fabric of the whole university. By earning this distinction, Bushnell University has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the values that make athletics such a powerful force for personal development and community impact."

Bushnell was selected for its deep and consistent commitment to shaping student-athletes into well-rounded leaders through its Tri-Athlete Model, which integrates excellence in competition, academics, and character formation. Bushnell's approach to character is the foundation to how it recruits, educates, and mentors student-athletes. Programs such as the Chaplain Captain initiative empower athletes to lead spiritual development within their teams, while peer-led groups and campus partnerships ensure that character-building is integrated into the day-to-day experience of all student-athletes.

A Culture of Character

At Bushnell, the character journey of our student-athletes is not just an initiative, it is woven into the very fabric of who we are. Guided by the mission of fostering wisdom, informed by faith, that leads to lives of service, Bushnell Athletics has developed a distinct pathway where competitive excellence and character growth intersect intentionally. Through our "Tri-Athlete Model," we challenge every Beacon to pursue growth in Competition, the Classroom, and as Champions of Character, always through a Christ-centered lens.
 
Foundational Philosophy: The Tri-Athlete Model
The Tri-Athlete Model is more than a slogan; it is a transformational journey. It shapes the Bushnell experience from recruitment to graduation. Our coaches are intentional in seeking athletes who not only desire to win but who also strive to be excellent students and impactful community leaders. This model fosters holistic development, emphasizing that true success includes competitive grit, academic responsibility, and a deeply rooted character that reflects Christ-like humility and service.
 
Character Development Anchored in Faith
Character is intrinsically tied to our faith-based approach. We believe that sports are not a solo pursuit, and neither is faith. Our athletic community is one where student-athletes support, encourage, and hold each other accountable as they grow spiritually and personally.
 
One of our flagship initiatives is the Chaplain Captain Program, empowering student-athletes to lead their teams in spiritual development. These captains work closely with our Campus Ministry department to provide devotionals, lead prayers, and create moments of spiritual reflection and service. This peer-led structure allows faith to be integrated naturally into the rhythm of each team.
 
In addition, we have consistently aligned our efforts with Chickering's Seven Vectors of Identity Development, ensuring that student-athletes are equipped to articulate, live out, and lead with integrity based on their own core values.
 
Commitment to Servant Leadership
Bushnell Athletics actively cultivates servant leaders through hands-on community engagement. Our student-athletes completed over 5,700 hours of community service in the 2025-2026 academic year, averaging 18+ hours per student-athlete. Every team participates in three Signature Events:

• Project Hope: New athletes join city-wide efforts to distribute school supplies to underprivileged children.
• Food for Lane County Drive: Returning athletes lead a massive food collection effort.
• Christmas Adopt-a-Family: Teams raise funds to provide holiday gifts for local families in need.

Additional service includes our Embrace the Community (ETC) Day, an all-campus service event born out of our athletic department. Teams also initiate unique projects tailored to their communities, such as partnering with Special Olympics, supporting local schools, and volunteering at major city events like the Eugene Marathon.
 
These experiences are not one-time obligations but form the foundation of a lifestyle of service that continues beyond college. They create lifelong habits of empathy, service, and community responsibility, forging Beacons who will lead with compassion in every area of life. Additionally, Bushnell provides opportunities for student-athletes to engage in mission trips both locally and internationally, further encouraging them to live out their faith and service in tangible, life-changing ways.
 
Academic Responsibility and Mental Wellness
Our student-athletes excel in the classroom as much as they do in competition. In 2025-2026:

• All 16 NAIA teams achieved Scholar-Team honors, with over 70% of student-athletes earning a GPA of 3.2 or higher.
• Maintained our distinction as the only Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) school to have received the President's Cup for Academic Excellence every year since its inception, eleven straight years.
• The department achieved a combined GPA of 3.48.

Responsibility also means providing an environment where student-athletes are supported in their total well-being. Our student-athlete mental health program, originally initiated by Beacon alumna (softball) and 2023 Dr. Leroy Walker Award winner, Samantha Silver, now in her role as Student-Athlete Mental Health Coordinator, continues to grow and thrive. With a dedicated counselor assigned to each team and ongoing collaboration with Bushnell's Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, we are proactively addressing the mental health needs of our athletes.

Additionally, partnerships with nutritionists and sport-specific health professionals ensure that our student-athletes are cared for physically and are equipped to develop lifelong health and wellness practices.
 
A Legacy of Character Recognition
Bushnell's steadfast commitment to character has not gone unnoticed:

• Twelve consecutive years as a Five-Star Champions of Character Institution, including eight straight Gold Level honors.
• Multiple CCC Character Awards, including Team of Character and Coach of Character recognition. This season this included the Female Team of Character Award for Beach Volleyball
• Consistent selection of our teams by peer coaches as examples of sportsmanship and integrity within the CCC. This season, Team Sportsmanship Awards went to Women's Basketball, Softball, and Men's Track & Field
• three of the first four recipients of the Cashell Family Impact Scholarship, a distinction given to two student-athletes in the CCC annually making impacts on their campus, were from Bushnell.
• Corey Anderson was honored as the 2025-2026 CCC Athletic Director of the Year, and won the Bushnell Exemplary Staff Leadership Award, recognizing his unwavering leadership of Bushnell Athletics.

These honors are not simply accolades; they are the tangible outcomes of a department-wide commitment to living out the five core values.
 
Creating Lifelong Beacons
The character journey begins each fall with a Champions of Character kick-off service event and culminates each year in our Champions of Character awards night, "The IGGYS", which celebrates the heart of Bushnell Athletics. The night highlights male and female Champions of Character, the Beacon Impact Award for outstanding community contributions, and the Team of the Year, with character as a critical selection component.
 
At Bushnell, we are not simply preparing student-athletes for the next game, we are preparing them to be Beacons for Life. They leave our campus equipped not just with wins and degrees, but with the conviction and the experience to lead lives of service, character, and Christ-like influence in whatever calling they pursue.
 
Our journey is deeply rooted and ongoing. Through every practice, every game, every classroom, and every community project, Bushnell Athletics remains committed to building leaders who will impact the world for the better; today, tomorrow, and for life as Champions of Character.
 
Shaping Culture and Fostering Character Development
At Bushnell University, the NAIA Champions of Character program is not an add-on—it is central to our athletic culture. Since joining the NAIA in 2006, we have intentionally used its five core values to shape the student-athlete experience and develop leaders prepared to impact their communities beyond graduation.

These values are embedded in our Tri-Athlete Model, which emphasizes growth in competition, the classroom, and character within a Christ-centered environment. From the moment student-athletes are recruited, we are looking for individuals who are eager to pursue not only athletic and academic excellence but also deep personal growth.

Our Unifying Theme initiative further strengthens this commitment by aligning coaches, staff, and student-athletes around a shared focus each year. It provides consistent language, concepts, and opportunities for reflection across all teams.
This past year's theme, "Habits", was based on Habits: Six Steps to the Art of Influence by Dr. Marcus "Goodie" Goodlow. Coaches, staff, and our ASA group engaged in a structured book review process, complemented by monthly meetings to explore each habit, discuss its impact, and identify ways to apply the principles in our daily work and team environments.

The initiative fostered meaningful dialogue within teams and across the department, while also strengthening connections with student-athletes and campus partners. By creating space for shared learning and reflection, the Unifying Theme generated rich, collaborative conversations and reinforced a culture of consistent growth.

We plan to continue this initiative annually, leveraging new themes or books to sustain alignment, deepen engagement, and further enhance our department's collective impact.
Our commitment to Servant Leadership is demonstrated through participation in signature community service events such as Project Hope, the Food for Lane County Drive, and Christmas Adopt-a-Family. This year, Bushnell student-athletes collectively contributed over 5,700 hours of service, averaging 18+ hours per student-athlete.

The culture of Integrity, Respect, and Sportsmanship is evident across all teams. Bushnell has been recognized as a Five-Star Champions of Character Institution for twelve consecutive years, including eight straight Gold Level honors. Multiple teams have been honored with Cascade Collegiate Conference Champions of Character Awards, including the 2026 Female Team of Character Award for Beach Volleyball.
Character development is also embedded in team leadership structures. Our Chaplain Captain Program equips student-athletes to lead their peers spiritually, offering prayer, devotionals, and service opportunities. Our ASA leaders provide team and department culture-building activities and well as planning and promotion of signature events, including Beacon Madness, speaker series, and The IGGY's. Through these peer-led initiatives, the Champions of Character values are reinforced in daily team life.

Bushnell's academic success further reflects the value of Responsibility. All 16 NAIA teams earned Scholar-Team honors in 2025-2026, and Bushnell has received the CCC President's Cup for Academic Excellence for the past eleven years.
Bushnell Athletics has built a deeply rooted culture that prioritizes spiritual growth, academic achievement, service, and competitive integrity. This culture shapes student-athletes into true "Beacons for Life", leaders committed to making a difference in their teams, on campus, and in the world.
 
Implementing the Five Core Values
At Bushnell University, our five core values are not standalone ideas. They are intentionally woven into the daily life of our athletic department, shaping how we compete, learn, serve, and lead.

Our Beacon Standards are the non-negotiable behaviors that define who we are. These non-negotiables are the heart of our identity and the standard by which we measure ourselves. These five standards, Support Each Other, Work Hard, Seek Excellence, Have Fun, and Shine Your Light, set clear expectations for student-athletes, coaches, and staff. They guide how we show up every day and serve as the measure of our culture.

These standards align with The Messiah Method (our athletic blueprint), the Tri-Athlete Model (our development philosophy), and our annual Unifying Theme. Together, they create a consistent foundation for our department. They are not optional. They are practiced daily, modeled by leadership, and reinforced through accountability. By living them out, we build an environment defined by support, effort, purpose, joy, and excellence.

Integrity begins in the recruiting process. We seek student-athletes who align with Bushnell's mission and are committed to living with honesty and purpose. It is reinforced through academic expectations, transparent team policies, and mentorship from coaches who model Christ-centered character. Athletes are encouraged to develop a personal identity grounded in shared values.

Respect is reflected in how we treat others: teammates, opponents, officials, faculty, and staff. Bushnell athletes are held to high standards of sportsmanship and mutual regard, earning consistent conference recognition, including three CCC team Character honors in 2025–2026. Respect is not just how we compete, but how we engage with people.

Responsibility begins in the classroom and extends to all areas of life. Every Bushnell team prioritizes academic excellence, evidenced by all 16 NAIA teams earning Scholar-Team honors in 2025–2026 and a decade-long CCC President's Cup distinction. We support student success through tutoring, structured study halls, and dedicated resources, including mental health support and athletic training. Athletes are expected to take ownership of their academic, physical, and mental well-being. Members of our staff participate on the campus Mental Health Support Taskforce which meets bi-weekly to review any students in need.

Sportsmanship is a defining strength of our program. Rooted in our faith-based approach, our coaches and athletes compete to win while demonstrating humility and grace. Our history of conference and national recognition reflects a culture where how we compete matters just as much as the outcome.

Servant Leadership is the heartbeat of Bushnell Athletics. Every athlete participates in meaningful service, including projects with Project Hope, Food for Lane County, Embrace the Community Day, and Adopt-a-Family. Additional opportunities, such as team-led service and mission trips, allow athletes to lead and serve locally and globally. Programs like Chaplain Captains empower spiritual leadership within teams.
At Bushnell, our core values are more than ideals, they are daily habits that shape our culture and prepare student-athletes to lead with purpose long after they leave campus.

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