September 23, 2026

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Huntingdon Ranked in U.S. News Top Private Colleges Regional-South

An op-ed by Rev. Dr. Brian Miller, Vice President for External and Church Relations and the Director for the Huntingdon College Center for Leadership, Ethics, Character and Faith. 

Montgomery, AL – Character education at Huntingdon College, and on any other campus, can be measured to some extent by how students spend their time. The practice of virtuous activities begins to shape an individual’s character. Just as a sprinter spends hours practicing starts out of the blocks, just as a golfer strokes putt after putt, and just as a musician rehearses scales and passages, students form character through repeated practice. Character is formed, and eventually revealed, through the repeated practice of virtuous actions.

In recent weeks, Huntingdon students have been putting civic virtue into action.  Civic virtues are actions that positively impact the broader community and reflect responsible citizenship. This set of virtues is at least in part what it looks like for Huntingdon students and graduates to apply wisdom in service.

On September 11, Huntingdon’s Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity sponsored the “9/11 Climb for the Fallen,” in which brothers and guests climbed 2,200 stairs to honor those who died 25 years ago. To honor the lives of the innocent and to honor the lives of FDNY and NYPD that were lost exhibits a deep commitment to community. 

On that same day, Campus Ministries, supported by members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Women’s Lacrosse, and Circle K, participated in Pack It Pike Road with Century Church. In one day, over 12,000 meals were packed to feed hungry families around the world. Chaplain Rhett Butler said, “Jesus had quite a bit to say about feeding the hungry, and I was proud to see the Hawks working as the hands and feet of Christ with such enthusiasm and diligence.”

“Service is such a meaningful part of Alpha Kappa Alpha, right alongside sisterhood,” said Michaela Gaines ‘27, President of Huntingdon’s Rho Chi Chapter of AKA. “Giving back to our communities and making a positive impact is a big part of who we are and what we stand for.”  

On Monday, September 14, the Huntingdon Library recognized Constitution Day. The event, “The Pursuit of Happiness: The Constitution Then and Now,” featured a student panel in conversation with Huntingdon history and government faculty. The panelists, Sebastian Grieves ’27 of Fairhope, AL, Emma Grace Samples ’27 of Gadsden, AL, and Lee Gaines ’27 of Montgomery, AL, highlighted the struggle of balancing America’s foundational tenet of individual freedoms and responsibility toward others in the community. Assistant Professor of History, Dr. Charles Roberts, said, “They were prepared, insightful, and sensitive to the different shades of meaning that pursuing happiness might have, in a historical and a contemporary context. In particular, they displayed a sense of obligation toward the future, an insistence that they have a responsibility for the great good.”  

In a democratic republic, few civic practices matter more than voting. On National Voter Registration Day, the Huntingdon College Ambassadors hosted a voter registration drive during which dozens of Huntingdon students registered to vote and dozens more confirmed their voter registration. By helping classmates register and verify their status, the Ambassadors reminded the campus that citizenship is not merely a legal identity; it is a responsibility practiced.  

Huntingdon students practice other sets of virtues regularly. They practice intellectual virtues such as critical thinking and resourcefulness through their pre-professional education with a liberal arts foundation. They practice performance virtues such as perseverance and teamwork within teams, ensembles, laboratories, and cohorts. They practice moral virtues such as honesty and respect through the Honor Code, standards of conduct, and student organizations.  

President Anthony Leigh often calls Huntingdon a College of Character. In so doing, he not only speaks to an aspirational hope for students. He speaks directly to the character students exhibit and strengthen daily as they practice these virtues.

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