page_title: Richard Roberts (evangelist)
section_title: Marketing the university for growth
hierarchical_section_title: Richard Roberts (evangelist) / Career / Oral Roberts University / Marketing the university for growth
caption_attribution_description: English: Richard Roberts Crusade-Kinshasa, Zaire 1987
context_page_description: Richard Lee Roberts is chairman and chief executive officer of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and previously served as president of Oral Roberts University for 15 years.
context_section_description: Roberts pushes his team to increase enrollment, tighten budgets and find additional revenue streams.  At the same time, Roberts uses his ministry television program to promote the University, increase enrollment and raise funds for student scholarships. He starts the Adopt A Student scholarship campaign as one of these efforts.   In addition, he promotes special projects on the ministry's television program to help pay for needed university renovations.  Over the next four years, enrollment increases by 1,200 students and the debt is reduced by 50 percent   Roberts used his Ministry connections to help with recruitment, specifically in the African American community.  Through his speaking at churches and conferences, he was mainly responsible for the 20% African American student body.  ORU receives the Racial Harmony Award from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in 2002. 
  Roberts recognizes the importance of the Athletic Program for national prominence and student recruitment. In 1993, Roberts makes a number of changes in the athletic program hiring Bill Self as head basketball coach. Roberts changes the school mascot from the Titans to The Golden Eagles and  hires Mike Carter as the new Director of Athletics. 
  
  As president of the university, Roberts began incorporating the university and students as part of the crusade/healing rally team. 
   Students and staff from the School of Nursing and staff from the School of Business join doctors as a part of the crusade team. Roberts has outreaches in Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana and Niger that include seminars and surgeries.  Tulsa City Council presents ORU president Richard Roberts with a Key to the City of Tulsa to reflect their "eternal gratitude for your efforts on our behalf." A proclamation was read regarding ORU's contribution to the Tulsa community. In one semester, ORU students gave a total of 2,500 hours of their time in service to organizations in Tulsa.
  Roberts pushes to increase participation in the Oral Roberts University Educational Fellowship organization to expand the base of Christian elementary and secondary schools involvement to help bolster enrollment.  He also focuses on international affiliation agreements. Students could attend classes as at various locations, acquire credit hours and potentially receive an accredited degree from ORU. During his tenure, agreements were signed with schools in Sweden, England, Korea,  Singapore, Rhema Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow, OK, and Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas.
caption: Richard Roberts Kinshasa1987
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