Highlands College Completes New 100-Bed Student Housing in Birmingham, Alabama

Highlands College in Birmingham has recently completed a new 100-bed student housing facility on US 280. Since 2021, the college has received over $30 million from Hobby Lobby to help expand its campus.

The college, which is accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education, used these funds to build more student housing. The first phase of "The Village," which currently houses 100 students, was completed this summer. This phase was made possible by a generous $17.5 million donation from the Green family, who own Hobby Lobby, in November of last year.

Corena Cottles, the executive director of internal communication at Highlands College, shared that the college purchased and converted a nearby Extended Stay America into this new housing. Once the second phase is finished, the facility will be able to house up to 280 students in 140 rooms.

During the 2022-23 school year, Highlands College had 343 students enrolled. A total of 985 students attended the college and its leadership institute that year.

The college’s first residence hall, known as The Heights, was completed in the spring of last year after the college received its initial $20 million donation in 2021.

Chris Hodges, the Chancellor of Highlands College and senior pastor of Church of the Highlands, the largest church in Alabama, described the initial donation as “transformational.” Kay Hargrave, the school’s chief advancement officer, expressed gratitude for the Green family’s generosity, calling it “overwhelming.” She mentioned that the financial gift brings the college closer to housing all students on campus and creating a top-tier ministry academy.

Last year, Highlands College, a two-year institution, began offering Associate of Arts degrees in Ministry Leadership.