Robert B. Sloan, D. d. Theol.

University President: 2006 – Present

Dr. Robert B. Sloan is the president of Houston Christian University and has served in this capacity since September 1, 2006. Under Dr. Sloan’s visionary leadership, the University has experienced unprecedented growth as he and his administrative team continue to implement the goals, or pillars, that began with HCU’s twelve-year vision, The Ten Pillars: Faith and Reason in a Great City, which brought the University through 2020 and continues with The Ten Pillars 2030.

In the fall of 2024, the University enrolled a record 4,276 students, the highest total enrollment in its history. As reported by Dr. Sloan, many factors are responsible for this growth, but the most important are the University’s faithfulness to its historic Christian mission and its rigorous pursuit of the goals in its Institutional Strategic Plan , as aligned with the Christian worldview and the Ten Core Convictions in the current vision document.

As a result of a multi-year study regarding its name, in September 2022 the institution announced a well-received change from Houston Baptist University to Houston Christian University. In conjunction with the name change, the new branding initiative underway on the campus and beyond is designed to clarify and define the identity of the institution and provide opportunities for growth in enrollment, awareness, and reputation.

HCU’s emphasis on providing a Christian education of the highest quality has become increasingly visible through numerous recent developments, including the continued growth of its faculty of acclaimed Christian scholars, as well as significant growth in its academic programming. In the fall of 2016, HCU founded the Houston Theological Seminary and also launched its first doctoral program, the EdD in Executive Educational Leadership, thus moving to the next level as a national, comprehensive university. Other graduate degree programs implemented during Dr. Sloan’s tenure include the Master of Arts in Christian Leadership, Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Apologetics, Master of Arts in Philosophy, Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, Master of Arts in Human Services, Master of Science in Nursing, Professional Sciences Master’s in Health Professions, Master of Science in Kinesiology-Sports Management, Master of Science in Cybersecurity, Master of Science in Leadership, and numerous others.

Exciting programs for undergraduates include the Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Theological Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Narrative Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Video Game Design, Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Bachelor of Science in Learning, Technology and Design, and Bachelor of Social Work, as well as many others.

In the fall of 2018, the University launched its College of Engineering, which later merged with the College of Science and Mathematics to form the College of Science and Engineering. Innovative new undergraduate programs offered through this college include Cyber Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, and Electrical Engineering. Other recent changes include the addition of a fourth doctoral program: the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) with tracks in New Testament Studies and Faith and Culture, which launched in the fall semester of 2022. HCU also has expanded offerings—both graduate and undergraduate—in its Pampell Online Division, which enrolled a record 1,234 students in the fall of 2024.

Additional changes to the undergraduate academic program include the launching of an Honors College and the implementation of a strong interdisciplinary Liberal Arts Core Curriculum designed to engage undergraduates with the greatest thinkers, authors, and artists in Western Civilization. As its visibility increases, the Honors College continues to attract outstanding students interested in a quality education that promotes a Christian worldview.

During Dr. Sloan’s tenure, HCU established its McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise in partnership with the Janice and Robert McNair Foundation. The University also announced a generous gift from well-known Christian business executive Archie W. Dunham and his wife, Linda—and the naming of the Archie W. Dunham College of Business.

In the fall of 2018, the University announced other major gifts from several longtime friends and supporters. A generous gift from Dr. Stewart Morris and The Joella and Stewart Morris Foundation established The Morris Family Center for Law & Liberty and funded construction of a complex of buildings, including the centerpiece modeled after Independence Hall. With this gift, Founding Father Stewart Morris and The Morris Foundation are recognized as the largest lifetime donor to the University. This new complex officially opened with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on September 15, 2022, with Dr. Morris and his family, as well as community leaders and other guests, in attendance. Construction of the final building in the Center, Founders Hall II, currently is nearing completion.

Another major gift, from Advisory Trustee Jim Smith Sr. and his wife, Sherry, will fund the construction of new classroom space and laboratory facilities to be used by the College of Science and Engineering and the School of Nursing. The new building will be named in honor of the Smiths, who have a long family history of supporting HCU and its mission. This is the largest single gift in the history of the University. In addition, because of the ongoing generosity of the Dunham family, HCU’s School of Nursing has been named the Linda Dunham School of Nursing, and the nursing complex in the new building will be called the Dunham Family Nursing Center. Groundbreaking for the Smith Engineering, Science and Nursing Building is scheduled for the spring of 2025, with completion slated for the fall of 2026.

This new building will provide much-needed space for HCU’s growing population of students preparing for careers in high-demand STEM fields. Beginning in the fall of 2024, a generous gift from an anonymous donor is funding full-tuition Grace Hopper Scholarships for new qualifying freshman and transfer students pursuing degrees in Computer Science, Cyber Engineering, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Information Systems, or Mathematics. This financial support is dramatically increasing enrollments in HCU’s engineering programs and will benefit the Houston community and its workforce needs for years to come.

Other factors contributing to the University’s growth and increasing visibility during Dr. Sloan’s tenure include HCU’s return to full membership status in Division I of the NCAA; the decision to join the Southland Conference and play football; the construction of Dunham Field and Husky Stadium; ongoing implementation of HCU’s master plan through its US Highway 59 and Fondren project involving the construction of Belin Tower and Belin Drive, as well as an exciting retail development called The Pillars at HCU; the acquisition of the Bradshaw Fitness Center and the construction of the University Academic Center and the imposing six-story residence facility called the Sadie and Doug Hodo Residence College; the steady growth of HCU’s on-campus residential population; and the recent implementation of various student life initiatives to promote student success, including the creation of the Doris and Terry Looper Learning Commons, which houses the Tutoring Center.

All these developments—and many still to come, including plans for additional doctoral programs—reflect the work of Dr. Sloan and his administrative team in implementing HCU’s vision goals.

Dr. Sloan serves on the Board of Directors of the Houston Symphony, the Greater Houston Partnership, and the Cullen Trust for Higher Education. He also serves on the Community Relations Committee of Memorial Hermann Healthcare System.

Dr. Sloan has pastored churches throughout Texas and beyond. He is the author of numerous articles, reviews, and other published works, including the first four volumes of a young adult fantasy series (the Hamelin Stoop books), 2016-2023. He has received many prestigious awards and has held membership in a number of professional societies, including the Society of Biblical Literature, the Southwest Biblical Seminar, the National Association of Baptist Professors of Religion, and Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas.

Dr. Sloan previously served as the president and chancellor of Baylor University, where he was a member of the faculty and the founding dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary. He graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University in 1970; earned the Master of Divinity degree magna cum laude from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1973; conducted post-baccalaureate research at the University of Bristol, England, from 1973 to 1974; and earned the Doktor der Theologie insigni cum laude from the University of Basel, Switzerland, in 1978.

Dr. Robert B. Sloan was born in Coleman, Texas, and grew up in Abilene. He is married to the former Sue Collier of Cisco, Texas. The Sloans have seven children, three daughters-in-law, and four sons-in-law: Charissa and Derrick; Bryan and Amy; Eraina and Bryan; Michael and Ali; Alathea and Justin; Sophie and Mac; and Paul and Meghan. They also have twenty-four grandchildren.

Dr. Sloan blogs regularly about a variety of topics, including the Christian worldview and higher education. Visit Dr. Sloan’s website.