A Place That Shaped Us (a story of UVF)
There are few experiences more disorienting than watching a place that helped shape your identity suddenly become uncertain.
For many alumni, faculty, staff, students, donors, and friends of the University of Valley Forge, recent news surrounding its future has stirred emotions that are difficult to put into words. Incoming freshmen are disoriented. As our beloved institution closes its doors this Summer, one thing is for certain… we, the UVF family, are grieving.
UVF made the public announcement July 29, 2026, beginning with these words, “After much prayer, careful consideration, and consultation, the Board of Trustees of the University of Valley Forge has made the difficult and painful decision to suspend academic operations at the conclusion of the Summer 2026 semester… After careful assessment of the University’s financial realities, the Board concluded that it could not continue academic operations responsibly beyond the Summer 2026 semester.”
As a graduate of the University of Valley Forge, I understand that grief is not reserved for the death of a person. We also grieve the loss of places, traditions, dreams, relationships, and seasons of life. Educational institutions become more than buildings, they become sacred spaces where God shapes calling, friendships, marriages, ministries, and lifelong memories.
Why This Hurts So Much
Psychologists refer to this as symbolic loss: the loss of something that carries deep meaning, identity, and connection. A university is not simply an organization; it represents a chapter of life.
For many, UVF was where they:
Discovered God's calling.
Met lifelong friends or even a spouse (that is me).
Learned to preach, teach, worship, or serve.
Experienced spiritual formation.
Grew from adolescence into adulthood.
When something that has held those memories closes its doors, we don't simply lose an institution; we lose a piece of our story. That is why this hurts.
Grief Is Not Weakness
One of the greatest misconceptions about grief is that it only belongs at funerals. In reality, grief is the healthy emotional response to any meaningful loss. You may notice yourself experiencing:
Sadness
Anger
Confusion
Nostalgia
Disbelief
Anxiety about the future
Even guilt for moving on
All of these responses are normal. Grief isn't something to fix. It is something to experience. While I don’t remember where I heard this statement, it has stuck with me: "Grief is the soul's way of honoring what mattered most." The same can be said of places. We grieve because something mattered.
Institutions Are Temporary. Calling Is Not.
Throughout Scripture, God often worked through seasons rather than structures.
· Israel left Egypt.
· The Tabernacle gave way to the Temple.
· The Temple was destroyed.
· The early church met in homes, marketplaces, and borrowed rooms.
· Buildings changed.
· Organizations changed.
· Methods changed.
But God's mission never changed. Sometimes we unintentionally attach God's faithfulness to institutions He intended only for a season. Don’t take me wrong, I wish the story was different. There have been four generations of Tourvilles who have passed through its doors. My grandfather, Robert Tourville, was a foundational professor from the very early years, all the way to their current campus. I still remember visiting their on-campus apartment as a child. My father (Dr. Stephen Tourville) attended and later served on the board for 16 years. My daughter most recently attended as a student.
Healthy grief allows us to honor what was without believing it must remain forever.
Honor the Legacy Without Idolizing It
Every educational institution has strengths and shortcomings. Valley Forge is no different. No school is perfect. Yet gratitude allows us to celebrate what God accomplished through imperfect people and imperfect systems.
Thousands of pastors, missionaries, worship leaders, educators, counselors, chaplains, business leaders, and servants of Christ were shaped through the ministry of the University of Valley Forge.
No announcement can erase those stories. No closure can undo transformed lives. No change can rewrite God's faithfulness. The legacy lives on, not because buildings remain, but because people do.
For me personally, many of the memories were not only in the classrooms listening to Professor Hartwick (oh those Chapter Charts!), experiencing the genuine care and interest of Dr. Malcom Brubaker, or icons like Dr. Greg Miller who unpacked history with expertise and unique insight… but I recall the crazy nights in building 91-up, playing Eucher into the early hours of the morning. Also, I spent hours upon hours in the gym playing and preparing for Basketball season. The “Penny Shakers” were deafening in that small, outdated gym, but they were like music to my ears. The musty-smelling gym is also where sat at center court after practice with my wife (Rene’). Oh, the memories!
Each of us has our memories that shaped who we are today. For these, I say “Thank You, UVF.”
What Healthy Grieving Looks Like
As a counselor, I often encourage people to resist two unhealthy extremes. The first is pretending we are "fine." The second is allowing grief to become our identity. Not all expressions of grief are helpful. I would suggest engaging with some of the below strategies:
Name what you have lost.
Tell the stories.
Share photographs.
Reach out to classmates.
Write thank-you notes to professors who influenced you.
Pray for current students and faculty.
Thank God for the season He gave you.
Gratitude doesn't remove grief. It gives grief somewhere healthy to rest.
Looking Forward With Hope
There is an old saying: "Every ending is also the beginning of something God has not yet revealed." That does not minimize today's pain. It simply reminds us that God has never been limited by geography, campuses, or organizations.
The same God who called students to Valley Forge decades ago continues calling men and women today. The mission continues. The gospel continues. The Kingdom continues to advance.
And perhaps that is the greatest legacy any Christian university can leave, not merely that it existed, but that it faithfully pointed generations toward Christ. Now, through Ministry School, District School of Ministry, and many other avenues, God continues to equip the next generation for a lifetime of ministry and service.
A Prayer for the Valley Forge Family
Loss often brings a sense of feeling powerless. I have felt this related to UVF in recent times. However, when there is not much else to do, prayer is our response. So, as I conclude, I have included a prayer that perhaps you would like to adopt.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for every life transformed through the ministry of the University of Valley Forge. Thank You for professors who invested beyond the classroom, mentors who believed in students, friendships that became family, and moments where Your calling became clear.
For those grieving today, grant peace. For faculty and staff facing uncertainty, provide wisdom and provision. For current students, open doors for the future You have prepared. For alumni, help us cherish the memories without clinging to the past.
Remind us that while institutions may change, Your Kingdom endures forever.
May we honor the legacy, bless those who continue the work, and trust You with what comes next.
Amen.
GO PATRIOTS!!!