Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois, has taken an unusual step to preserve its legacy after closing in May amid mounting financial pressures. As the red-brick and limestone campus faces sale to repay over $26 million in debt and liabilities, a virtual tour of the college has been created to allow former students and alumni to revisit its halls. The digital preservation effort, led by Shalom and Ashley Nwaokolo, aims to honor the institution’s history rather than letting it disappear entirely.

This initiative comes amid a broader trend of increasing closures and consolidations among private, not-for-profit colleges across the United States. Financial challenges such as declining enrollments, rising debt, and shrinking assets continue to threaten the sustainability of many institutions nationwide. According to an estimate by the Huron Consulting Group, more than 440 of the country’s approximately 1,700 private, four-year colleges are at risk of closing or merging within the next decade. Of these, over 120 face the highest risk based on criteria including enrollment figures, financial health, and cash reserves.

In response to these challenges, some states have implemented measures to protect students when campuses shut down. Illinois is among 22 states requiring private colleges to contribute to “tuition recovery” funds, designed to compensate students if their schools close. These funds, originally intended for for-profit institutions, have increasingly been extended to nonprofit colleges. Additionally, Illinois mandates that colleges post surety bonds sufficient to fully reimburse students in the event of closure.

At the federal level, the Department of Education has pledged to streamline the often lengthy process of merging struggling colleges with financially stable institutions. Delays in these takeovers have sometimes resulted in failed mergers and abrupt shutdowns. Meanwhile, legal action has been pursued by students, faculty, and staff members from several closed schools, accusing administrations of fraud and breach of contract. For example, three federal lawsuits have been filed against the University of the Arts in Philadelphia following its sudden closure in 2024.

Closure of colleges poses significant challenges for affected students. Studies show that fewer than half of students from shuttered institutions continue their education elsewhere, and many who do experience loss of credits and delay in degree completion. The projected 442 endangered colleges collectively enroll approximately 670,000 students. Federal programs such as Borrower Defense to Repayment and Closed School Discharge offer pathways for loan forgiveness to impacted students, but this relief shifts the financial burden to taxpayers, who have covered billions of dollars in forgiven loans.

In light of these pressures, the Department of Education has issued guidance to students facing closures, advising them to remain calm and seek information on transferring credits and accessing financial protections. Despite these efforts, the rise in college closures continues to alarm educators and policymakers concerned about the future landscape of higher education.