News: Andersons Receive Harwood Legacy Award

Andersons Receive Harwood Legacy Award

Longtime Donors Recognized for Legacy Gifting to CCU

We know how important an education can be to a student's future and especially an education that is Christ-centered.
– Susie Anderson

Colorado Christian University was pleased to honor Andy and Susie Anderson with the Harwood Legacy Award for their steadfast support and generous legacy giving to CCU. The award was presented to the Andersons during the annual University Partners dinner, Thursday, April 21 in Lone Tree, with more than 200 faithful donors, alumni, and friends of the University in attendance.

The Andersons have been long-standing donors and faithful friends of CCU, with Andy having served nine years on the Board of Trustees from 1999-2008, contributing in many ways to the growth of the University, including helping to create the University's mission statement. This award holds special sentiment to Anderson, as Stan Harwood — whose family gives this award its namesake — selected Andy to join the Board. Andy is a former CFO of Focus on the Family, and Susie, an experienced educator. Now retired, the couple is blessed to invest in the future work and ministry of Colorado Christian University through their legacy gifting.

The Andersons were presented with the prestigious award by CCU President Dr. Donald W. Sweeting and Vice President of University Advancement Eric Hogue. The Andersons are the third University Partners to receive the Harwood Legacy Award, with previous recipients honored in 2021 and 2019.

"We are so grateful for the Andersons and their generous investment in the students of Colorado Christian University," Sweeting said. "Truly they are leaving a legacy that will have a life-changing, kingdom-building, and nation-strengthening impact on CCU students today and for generations to come."

Visionary leadership and generous philanthropy such as the Andersons' are the heart behind the Harwood Legacy Award. The award was established in 2019, as Sweeting honored the Harwood family for their generous and continued support of Colorado Christian University, having donated the single largest revenue-generating gift in CCU's history with a large parcel of land in 1959.

"The mission of inspiring students to impact the world with grace and truth would not be possible without the generous commitment of our University Partners who help make the dream of Christian higher education a reality for thousands of students all over the world," Hogue said. "We are blessed beyond measure by our supporters like the Andersons who leave a legacy at CCU through financial provision, ensuring and expanding the unique ministry that Colorado Christian University provides."

The award seeks to honor consistent donors such as the Andersons who share the Harwoods' spirit of giving and supporting the mission of the University through high-impact gifts, inspiring the stewardship of others by their example.

"We know how important an education can be to a student's future and especially an education that is Christ-centered. We are so grateful CCU provides that, and we are so happy we could help," Susie Anderson said.

Reverend Sam Rodriguez, spiritual advisor for three presidential administrations, provided the keynote address around John 1:5 and proclaimed CCU as the "Lantern of the Rockies." Graduating senior Noah Booth also shared a student address, emphasizing the importance of the new science center and what it means to future CCU students, and Sweeting expanded on the topic with featured remarks celebrating the newly announced Science Center Campaign.

To learn more about Andy Anderson's tenure at CCU, his vice president of finance and CFO years under Dr. James Dobson at Focus on the Family, and to enjoy many stories depicting his years of immense international travel, read Andy's book entitled With God as My Navigator available through the University Advancement office.

University Partners, a group formerly known as the President's Circle, is a core support network of donors to Colorado Christian University. This group values Christ-centered higher education and recognizes the unique ministry that Colorado Christian University provides as the only accredited, interdenominational, Christian university in the Rocky Mountain region. The three requirements of membership are prayer, promotion, and provision, each of which upholds CCU's mission of inciting both faith and educational excellence in students and faculty.

Learn more about University Partners at www.ccu.edu/giving/university-partners/ .