Andrews and the GC Session

Please Note:

The global impact of COVID-19, including its current spread in the United States, may affect planning and activities at Andrews University. You can keep informed and up-to-date on those changes here.

 

Come Visit Our Booth

If you're going to Indianapolis, be sure to stop by the Andrews University booth in Exhibit Hall B, Booth 637. Take some pictures by our model of the campus entrance and Welcome Globe. Experience Andrews through many interactive methods, including a VR tour, and learning about our global outreach and impact with friendly staff from the University. The Andrews Study Bible and Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary will be available for purchase. The exhibit will be a great place to rendezvous with friends and alumni. Hope to see you there! 

Visiting Campus This Summer

Planning on attending the General Conference Session in Indianapolis and would like to take the opportunity to visit Andrews University during your trip? Come experience Andrews University during our GC Days on Wednesday, June 24, and Monday, July 6. These two days are specially designed to accommodate GC attendees, groups, churches and families. 

GC Days have three registration options:

  1. Full-day of activities with two meals
  2. Half-day of activities with one meal
  3. Self-guided with no meals

Registration for GC Days will be available March 15 

If you are seeking information for potential students, plan to attend a special University Preview Day on Monday, June 29. You can learn more about the Preview Day here.

Many features of campus will be open and prepared for visitors. Activities may include an organ demonstration at Pioneer Memorial Church, STEM demonstrations, a walk through the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, a tour through the amazing Howard Performing Arts Center, a tour of the tiny house built by our architecture students, an arboretum tree walk through our beautiful campus or a stop at the Harrigan Gallery to view a special exhibit of paintings by Adventist artist Nathan Greene, and much more!

If you are coming to Michigan to visit the Adventist historical sites in Battle Creek, we would love to have you include a stop at Andrews University for a free guided tour of our campus. Please let us know in advance when you will be visiting so we can be prepared to greet you. Customized campus tours can be made by special arrangement, and with some advance notice we can provide tours in many different languages. 

Plan on 1.5 hours for a general campus tour which includes a brief historical overview, and a walk through several buildings in the heart of the campus. Plan additional time if you’d like to visit the Center for Adventist Research (which has many items of Adventist history that are of great interest) or the Horn Archaeological Museum. You may like to take a look at our 360 tour of campus to see if you have any special requests of what you’d like to visit.

To make a reservation for tours on other days, click here to learn more about campus tours. 
Questions about campus tours during the GC Session? Please contact Christina Hunter at hunterc@andrews.edu.

Lodging

Looking to enhance your Andrews University experience by staying on campus? Attractive and well maintained, our guestrooms and housing at the University residence halls is fashioned with your comfort in mind. Our University housekeeping staff are eager to make your stay with us the best possible. Please contact Guest & Convention Services to inquire about lodging on our campus: lodging@andrews.edu. Further information about campus lodging is available here.

*Please note that on-campus accommodation is limited and filling up quickly due to the GC Session. Make inquiries and requests as soon as possible. 

Area Attractions

No visit to this area is truly complete without a visit to Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America; the Great Lakes form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth, containing 21 percent of the world's surface freshwater by volume. Lake Michigan is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third-largest by surface area.

Three of the favorite beaches in the area are Silver Beach in St. Joseph (13.4 miles from campus), Weko Beach in Bridgman (11.5 miles from campus), and Warren Dunes in Sawyer (22.6 miles).

Michigan's Fruit Belt is renowned throughout the U.S. If you have time, you may enjoy visiting one of the U-Pick farms in the area. Here is a helpful website to plan your visit: http://upickmichigan.com (Berrien Springs zip code is 49103).

Self-Guided Tours

If you arrive on campus after hours, on a Sabbath, or only have a very short time to visit, you will find campus maps at the main campus entrance Welcome Globe, in a weatherproof box mounted on the large campus map sign.  

Our Dining Services offers full-service vegetarian and vegan meals—take a look at their menu. If you are short on time, you may choose a carryout option or pre-arrange for box lunches to take with you. So we can be prepared for you, please make prior arrangements for meals by contacting Dianne Wilson at dianne@andrews.edu. Some groups have chosen to take their tour members to our Adventist-owned grocery store, Apple Valley Market, just next to the campus to pick up sandwiches, healthy snack foods, or something from the hot deli located there.

For GC Days Registrants: Dining options can be selected when you register. Available March 15.

Professional Development

 

The following summer professional development opportunities will be offered during the 2020 summer session:

Worship and Music Leadership Certificate

Session Description: The Worship and Music Leadership Certificate is granted by the Andrews University International Center for Worship & Music. This non-accredited certificate provides lay leaders, musicians and pastors with 50 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). There is an earlybird discount for the first 20 registrants.
Dates: June 14–20, 2020
Leadership: Department of Music
Audience: Open to lay leaders, musicians, and pastors
To learn more, click here.

Andrews Research Conference: Social Sciences (ARC)

Dates: June 15–17, 2020
Leadership: Gary Burdick & Jeff Boyd, Office of Research & Creative Scholarship
To learn more, click here.

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association Conference (AHSRA)

Dates: June 17–20, 2020
Leadership: Duane McBride, Mordekai Ongo, Gary Burdick, Jeff Boyd
Learn more about AHSRA.

Association of Seventh-day Adventist Librarians (ASDAL)

Dates: June 19–25, 2020
Conference Guide

Teaching in Higher Education Workshop

Session Description: This workshop is designed to provide educators with strategies in backward design approach to course design, creating positive classroom environments, engaging activities, and principles for effective assessment. This workshop is not offered for credit but can apply towards CEUs and a certificate of participation will be provided.
Dates: July 6–9, 3:30–7:30 p.m.
Audience: Open to all higher education educators
Contact: Anneris Coria-Navia (anneris@andrews.edu)

International Center for Trauma Education & Care Workshops

TBD

Check back often for more updates on professional development opportunities offered on the Berrien Springs campus during summer 2020.

Getting Around

Looking to travel between Indianapolis and Andrews University during the GC Session? Would you like to also take the opportunity to visit the Adventist Heritage Village in Battle Creek, Michigan? Andrews University is happy to provide transporation services to help facilitate your needs. Pricing is as follows:

Transportation between Indianapolis and Andrews University
Tour charge is $30/person each way.

Transportation between Andrews University and Battle Creek
Tour charge is $25/person each way.

Are you planning to attend an Andrews University GC Day and need transporation from Indianapolis on June 24 or July 6? Please select that option when you register, beginning March 15. For more information about scheduling transporation for yourself or a group to visit Andrews University and Battle Creek during the GC Session, please contact Transportation.