Culver-Stockton Presidential Prospectus 2019

A SEARCH FOR THE NEXT

PRESIDENT [1]

The Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee invite nominations for and expressions of interest in Culver-Stockton College’s 27th presidency. The search is being launched in response to President Kelly M. Thompson’s decision to retire as of June 30, 2020.

The next, best president for Culver-Stockton College will benefit from President Thompson’s six successful years in this leadership role. Dr. Thompson rose to the challenge of being the first female president in the College’s history. She is well-liked and has set a high standard of integrity, professionalism, and genuine passion for student success.

During Dr. Thompson’s tenure the College celebrated the largest giving year in its history. The campus has benefitted from many upgrades and renovations with a new residence hall, entrance archway, and a newly remodeled dining hall, all without debt accumulation. The budget has been balanced every year for the past ten years. With input from the campus community and the Board of Trustees, President Thompson and her cabinet created and implemented the strategic plan for 2016-2021, We See the Future. Many of the College’s points of celebration are direct results of the purposeful implementation of this plan.

Celebrating a rich history, academic excellence, an entrepreneurial and innovative approach to program development, sound resource stewardship, a strong sense of community, a culture of openness, and a spirit of optimism, Culver-Stockton’s next president will benefit from tangible institutional momentum.

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ABOUT CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE

Chartered by the laws of Missouri in 1853, Culver-Stockton College is among the oldest four-year institutions of higher education in the Midwest. Moreover, it is the first college west of the Mississippi River distinctly founded and chartered for the purpose of educating both women and men. This private, residential college lays claim to a rich liberal arts tradition coupled with an innovative curriculum geared to the needs of the modern learner. Affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a welcoming faith recognized for its commitment to educational excellence and inclusion, Culver-Stockton provides students with a practical understanding of both life and vocation, as well as the core values and intellectual framework needed to pursue learning beyond the scope of their majors. The College seeks to develop alumni who are self-motivated, leaders in their field, creative problem solvers, service oriented and life-long learners.

The mission of Culver-Stockton College is to prepare students of promise for a dynamic world through our distinctive experiential curriculum within a supportive learning community founded upon the best values of faith and the human spirit.

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THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Culver-Stockton College enrolls approximately 1,100 students from 38 states and territories and 20 countries. Just over 72 percent of the students hail from the tri-state area of Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa.

The male/female ratio is 53/47 percent. Culver-Stockton students are serious about their academic pursuits, earnest in their approach, and committed to their educations. Approximately 48 percent are first-generation college attendees.

Ecumenical in its approach, the College is home to students from a multitude of faith backgrounds, including Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim, and to those with no particular faith affiliation. Twentyfive percent of students are from minority groups, and four percent are international. This diversity reflects the institution’s significant outreach efforts, strong support system and welcoming environment.

Student retention and persistence is at the forefront for all the campus community. First-year student Fall to Spring retention was at 79 percent this year, and overall Fall to Spring student retention was 90 percent.

The Office of Student Success was recently reorganized and focus was placed on the individual needs of the student. Innovative ways are being found to meet those needs in order to help the student feel the sense of community and be empowered to succeed.

On average, of the Culver-Stockton students graduating each May, over 85 percent earned their degrees within four years. To emphasize its commitment to student persistence to graduation, the College offers a “Four-Year Graduation Guarantee.� In the event that a student has met all eligibility requirements and is unable to complete her or his degree in four years or fewer, the College will absorb any tuition applicable to credits earned after the fourth year that are required to complete the degree program.

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THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE Without a doubt, Culver-Stockton is a student-centered institution.

With more than 50 student organizations, including student government, service programs, a newspaper and literary magazine, a radio station, mock trial team, musical ensembles, theatre, peerto-peer tutoring, Greek organizations and more, students share and participate in a vibrant educational and residential setting.

Culver-Stockton College has a dynamic honors program that challenges its honor scholars to further develop leadership, research, creative expression, and critical thinking skills. Students involved in the Honors Program are allowed priority registration, additional travel grant money, exclusive classes, and special recognition at graduation.

Forty percent of Culver-Stockton students are engaged in Greek life, and the College’s nine fraternities and sororities have a marked positive impact on campus, particularly in the community service dimension. In fall 2018, students involved in Greek life earned an impressive average GPA of just above 3.20. Freshmen who become Greek students also retain at a notable rate of 86 percent.

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GREEK-FRATERNITIES Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Tau Omega Delta Upsilon Kappa Alpha Psi Lambda Chi Alpha Tau Kappa Epsilon GREEK-SORORITIES Chi Omega Sigma Kappa Sigma Sigma Sigma

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Check out current standings, rosters and schedules for the Wildcats at cscwildcats.com

Athletics is a vital part of the College’s co-curricular and leadership development experience. A member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the Culver-Stockton Wildcats field 18 sports for women and men in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Dance and Cheer will also be available as competitive coed sports once those rosters are built up. The College added women’s lacrosse this year and is excited to begin play with the Spring 2020 season.

Sixty-two percent of Culver-Stockton students participate in athletics, and they achieve success in and out of the classroom.

The average cumulative GPA for athletes has been at or above 3.10 the last five consecutive years and is currently 3.28. In the 2018-19 academic year, 72 student athletes held a 4.0 GPA, 40 students were designated as NAIA scholar-athletes. Also, three Wildcats were honored as All-American student-athletes. In two of the past three years, the College was recognized by the NAIA with the “Champions of Character” Five-Star Award, highlighting the program’s commitment to integrity, mutual respect, servant leadership, responsibility, and good sportsmanship. Recently Culver-Stockton College student-athlete Kehley Bitzas (a standout goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team) was selected as the 2019 NAIA A.O. Duer Scholarship Award recipient. This award [6]

Culver-Stockton received a Bronze award for the 201819 academic year.

It is the third time since 2012-13 and the first since 201617 the Wildcats have received this award.

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

recognizes one female and one male student-athlete each year who excel in scholarship, character, and citizenship.

In 2017, Culver-Stockton launched its Esports program. With the help of a donation for renovations and equipment, the Scott & Jo Johnson Esports Arena was dedicated and competition began. The C-SC Esports program competes as part of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE).

Culver-Stockton’s performing arts groups are recognized on the national level. Theatre students regularly participate in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival competitions. Student-directed oneact plays are a highlight of the three-week terms. The concert choir goes on tour every year, performing for churches and high schools.

The newest program to Culver-Stockton is marching/pep band. The band director was hired in August, 2019, recruitment has been initiated, and the first band performance is scheduled for Fall 2020.

This overall high level of student engagement in and success with co-curricular activities makes for a rich and integrated learning experience at Culver-Stockton College.

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THE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

Culver-Stockton College is committed to offering a challenging and progressive curriculum, rooted in the liberal arts and responsive to market trends and student needs. Culver-Stockton has long been a place of innovation, and its curriculum reflects its community’s willingness to take calculated risks.

The College is structured into three academic divisions: Business Education and Law (BEL); Applied Liberal Arts & Sciences (ALAS); and Fine Applied & Literary Arts (FALA). Culver-Stockton offers majors and minors in more than 60 fields. The College maintains a strong partnership with nearby Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences for the shared education of nursing students.

In addition, the College offers strong pre-professional preparations in law and a variety of health sciencesrelated areas. Double majors are common at Culver-Stockton, and most students carry a minor. Students can also individualize their major, if necessary, to achieve their goals. Six bachelor degrees and three master degrees are conferred as well as 11 certifications in K-12 education. The Master of Athletic Training is the newest offering, having been launched in the summer of 2019.

Culver-Stockton’s Online Campus is designed to provide its students the flexibility necessary to advance their education while continuing their careers. Courses are fully non-residential and taught in an eight-week accelerated format. Five bachelor degree programs, a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a dual-track Master of Science in Nursing/MBA, and a Master of Education are offered. The College is also a member of the Online Consortium of Independent Colleges and Universities (OCICU), which provides CulverStockton students access to hundreds of online courses. Multiple additional and valuable learning affiliations include partnerships with Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences-College (KCUMB) and Washington University.

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THE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE 12/3 SEMESTER ACADEMIC CALENDAR

Culver-Stockton has taken the typical 15-week semester and divided it into a 12-week term and a threeweek term. The three-week terms fall in early December and late April/early May. During the three-week terms, students take one course intensively, allowing for a higher degree of experiential learning. Options include on-campus courses, internships, independent study opportunities and courses that include travel in the U.S. and abroad. Culver-Stockton is one of only two institutions in the country offering this unique semester schedule. By all accounts, it is an energizing curricular feature that faculty and students enthusiastically support.

Culver-Stockton has fully embraced experiential learning as its preferred pedagogy. A goal in the current strategic plan is to have 100 percent of the full-time faculty certified in experiential learning by the National Society of Experiential Education. Currently 75 percent of the faculty are certified, more than any other college in the nation.

Experiential Learning is emphasized in seven areas of study. • Creative Expression – a wide variety of visual and performing arts are available including studio art, graphic design, writing, music production, band, choir, and theatrical design and performance.

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THE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

• Leadership – with more than 50 student organizations, nine Greek houses, and 18 varsity sports, students have many opportunities to lead.

• Service Learning – students participate in service learning in courses such as First Year Experience, Community Action, Professional Development, and often during travel abroad courses.

• Simulations – examples include nursing, athletic training and education simulation labs, historic re-creations, and forensic investigations. The state-of-the-art virtual reality lab provides a computer-generated environment for students to interact with surroundings.

• Travel Study – during each 3-week term, two international travel courses are available as well as multiple domestic travel courses.

• Research & Innovation – graduate level research is available to students as early as their freshman year.

• Professional Experience – students are provided opportunities for practical application and skill development in a professional setting.

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THE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TRAVEL STUDY

Culver-Stockton takes learning out of the classroom and into the world. During the three-week terms, students can travel with their classmates and professors – and, at times, alumni as active learners – domestically and internationally to pursue subject matter intensively. Travel courses are offered in nearly every discipline and for three hours of academic credit. Often two or more divisions team up and travel together for a multi-disciplinary take on a destination. Courses combine extensive preparation on campus and thoughtful debriefing upon return. Students are eligible for travel study scholarships, in addition to the $1,500 in experiential grants they earn by attending Culver-Stockton. Recent international destinations include Greece, Scotland, Belize, Guatemala, Spain, and Ghana.

PROFESSIONAL POSSIBILITIES

Culver-Stockton works with more than 700 corporate entities to provide students with internship partnerships, including full-time internships in the three-week terms. Alumni are actively engaged in this outreach and mentorship. On campus, the Career Services Office gives valuable guidance on career choice, internship identification, job search strategies, résumé development, and graduate school preparation. Culver-Stockton graduates have built an excellent placement record. On average over the last ten years, 98 percent of graduates have been employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of commencement.

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C-SC was ranked as the top college or university in Missouri for placing graduates in jobs in 2019 (Zippia, Inc.)

ACCREDITATION

Culver-Stockton is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Its accreditation has been continuous since first granted in 1924 and was most recently renewed in 2012 for 10 years. This is a tribute to the College’s comprehensive planning, focus on outcomes, and commitment to mission.

Culver-Stockton College chose for its Quality Initiative “Vision for Excellence in Experiential Learning” which distinguishes C-SC as a leader in Experiential Education. This initiative included launching the Experiential Education Academy faculty certification program, plans to establish a Center for Experiential Learning and plans to implement a Plan for Assessment of Experiential Learning.

The College submitted an assurance review in 2015 which was accepted. Faculty and administration have already begun focus studies in anticipation of the next comprehensive evaluation which will take place in the 2021-2022 academic year.

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FINANCES AND PHILANTHROPY The Culver-Stockton community has benefited from strong fiscal stewardship, weathering universal financial challenges with determination and a spirit of optimism. Culver-Stockton’s operating budget is $23 million, and its endowment is currently valued at $28.7 million. The College has realized balanced budgets for more than ten years running and has awarded its faculty and staff salary increases for each of the last nine years.

The College’s 2019-20 direct cost for attendance of $35,900 is highly competitive with those of comparable private institutions. The comprehensive tuition for 2019-20 is $26,780 with room, board and a unified student fee totaling another $9,120. Approximately 97 percent of Culver-Stockton students receive financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants.

While Culver-Stockton is a mostly tuition-dependent institution, its leadership has worked diligently and successfully to deepen its culture of philanthropy and to explore the development of new revenue streams through innovative program creation.

Culver-Stockton College is proud to boast 100 percent of trustees and alumni board members financially support the College and for 16 consecutive years over 90 percent of the faculty and staff have made a gift through the Student Scholarship Fund drive. Through this annual scholarship fund campaign for the last three years, Culver-Stockton has had 20 percent of solicitable alumni make a gift. This is well above the national alumni giving rate. These gifts have provided the basis for the $25 million comprehensive campaign, Culver-Stockton: Changing Lives! which is nearing completion with over $20 million raised in cash and pledges and nearly $10 million in planned gifts documented.

The comprehensive campaign is focused on academics and endowment, facilities, and the student scholarship fund.

Through this campaign, which began in 2014 under President Thompson’s leadership, the Carolyn L. and Robert W. Brown Residence Hall has been fully funded and built with students occupying the residence hall in the fall of 2017. Additionally, every campus building has received an update or major renovation including classrooms, residence halls, the dining hall, and locker rooms for athletes. Thirty-seven new endowed scholarships have been established including a professorship (two-year pilot program). Financial support through foundations, corporations, trusts, parents, alumni, and friends has grown over the campaign period. Alumni giving in 2017-18 was the highest in the history of the College, and overall giving to the College was the highest on record in 2016-17. During Dr. Thompson’s tenure, the living donor who has become the largest financial supporter of the College gave their first gift. [ 13 ]

$13M $10.2M

$7M $5.3M $5M

$4.7M

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

ACADEMICS & ENDOWMENT

CASH & PLEDGES CAMPAIGN GOAL

37 new endowed scholarships since 2015

CAMPUS & FACILITIES

GOVERNANCE

Of special note, the new president will become part of a learning community with a rich tradition of shared governance. Decision-making across campus is inclusive. The College maintains an active Faculty Assembly, and the president regularly consults with its members as well as the Senior Leadership Group. There are faculty, student, and alumni representatives on the College’s Board of Trustees. Transparency is deeply valued at Culver-Stockton, as is broadly-based participation.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

A thoughtful and dedicated Board of Trustees provides the College with valuable leadership. It is composed of 33 active members (with a capacity for 36 total members) with areas of expertise in business, education, law, health care and religion, among other fields. Thirty are elected to the Board, serving three-year reelectable terms each. Six are designated trustees: a faculty representative, a student representative, an alumni board representative, and three Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) representatives. The President serves as ex-officio, and there are currently five trustee emeriti.

Twenty-four of the active trustees are alumni, 25 are male, and eight are female. In this Board, the new president will find members highly engaged in the life of Culver-Stockton, genuinely enthusiastic about the College’s future, and excited for the fresh perspective that always accompanies a leadership transition.

There are ten active committees of the board: Academic Affairs, Admission & Marketing, Advancement, Audit & Compliance, Facilities & Technology, Finance, Investment, Student Life & Athletics, and Trusteeship. Committee chairs work with members of the president’s cabinet to determine an agenda for committee meetings which are held on the day before the full board meeting. There is also a board committee that annually conducts a review of the president’s performance. [ 14 ]

GOVERNANCE The full board meets three times a year, in conjunction with Commencement, in conjunction with Homecoming, and in early February for a retreat and business meeting.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP GROUP

The President’s leadership team covers all major areas of the campus and works collaboratively to keep the College running smoothly. Members include the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, the Chief Financial Officer, the Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Programs, the Dean of Students, the Athletic Director, the Director of Admission (currently interim), the Executive Director of Institutional Technology, the Director of Security and Facilities, and the Senior Assistant to the President.

FACULTY GOVERNANCE

The faculty have primary responsibility for curriculum, subject matter and methods of instruction, research, faculty status, and those aspects of student life which relate to the educational process. The Faculty Assembly is the governance body which approves curriculum, graduation requirements, academic calendar and academic policy, as well as policies on promotion, tenure, and continuance of faculty contracts. Several committees of the faculty report directly to Faculty Assembly, such as the curriculum committee, the committee on faculty, and the academic standards committee. The Faculty Assembly consists of all fulltime employees with faculty rank of lecturer or above, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Library Director, and the Registrar. The President is an ex-officio member of the Faculty Assembly.

STUDENT GOVERNANCE

Members of the Student Government Association (SGA) are elected by the student body, advised by the Dean of Students, and meet regularly. The president of SGA serves as a designated trustee on the College’s Board of Trustees. Other campus organizations have recently come together to form the Presidents’ Leadership Council in order to have a more active voice representative of the entire student body.

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ENGAGED FACULTY & STAFF

Culver-Stockton College is an intellectually stimulating institution where high-quality teaching and scholarship are fostered. The College boasts a faculty and staff who are wholly engaged with students, colleagues and their professions. There are currently 51 full-time and 36 adjunct faculty deeply involved in teaching, the mentoring and advising of students, scholarship, and service to the College. Many of the adjunct faculty are practitioners in their fields of expertise (i.e., an investment broker, a Missouri State Representative, a minister) and lend a diversity of perspectives and experiences to the classroom. Nineteen faculty are tenured, and 59 percent of full-time faculty hold the appropriate terminal degree in their fields of expertise. The student-faculty ratio is 14:1, and the average class size is 14, making for a lively learning environment.

Close student-faculty collaborations are a hallmark of the CulverStockton experience.

The required teaching load for a full-time faculty member is 12 hours per semester. For most faculty members, who teach standard three-hour classes, this means they will typically teach nine hours during the 12-week session and three hours during the threeweek session. Most faculty members oversee internships and independent studies. Nearly all academic advising is led by faculty.

Advisees may be those concentrating in a field offered through the [ 16 ]

Forty-eight percent of Culver-Stockton students are first generation and in surveying our faculty, we discovered that 48 percent of them were also first-generation college students. The underlying understanding these faculty have of the unique stressors that come with being “first� is paramount to student success.

ENGAGED FACULTY & STAFF academic division or may be first-year students or others who are still undecided about a major field.

Devoted administrative and support staff numbering 140 full- and part-time are partners in the educational enterprise at Culver-Stockton and embrace their roles as co-educators. There are over 40 Culver-Stockton graduates among the faculty and staff, and their ongoing support of their alma mater allows for a reservoir of institutional history in the midst of an entrepreneurial and progressive environment.

ALUMNI

Culver-Stockton has 13,882 living alumni of record throughout the world. Alumni embrace their relationship with their alma mater by participation in the annual Everybody Doing More service project and the annual Day of Giving. During the Homecoming celebration each year over 1,000 alumni and their families return to campus to celebrate relationships with other alumni. At that time individual alumni are recognized for distinguished leadership and service. Also, athletic alumni are entered in the Hall of Fame in the Spring each year.

Alumni associations in St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago, the tri-state area and Midwest Missouri host gatherings to engage alumni and keep abreast of Culver-Stockton updates. Faculty tap into the expertise of alumni by inviting them to visit classes and by including alumni businesses on domestic travel study itineraries. The president of the alumni board holds a seat on the College’s Board of Trustees.

Culver-Stockton is proud of alumni that include a former U.S. deputy attorney general, one of the world’s preeminent sopranos, the former treasurer of Shell Oil Company, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a Truman Scholar, several Peace Corp participants, government leaders, church leaders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, educators, physicians, nurses, veterinarians, writers, artists, and explorers, among others. [ 17 ]

THE CAMPUS

The College’s strikingly beautiful 140-acre campus sits on a bluff, affectionately known as “the Hill,” and overlooks a gorgeous stretch of the Mississippi River. Most of the College’s 24 buildings are of a lovely redtoned brick, and great care has been taken to ensure that new construction and renovations are consistent with the existing look and feel of the campus. The entrance to the campus features a tree-lined roadway with an impressive archway announcing visitors’ entrance to Culver-Stockton College.

The campus is predominantly residential, with students housed in residence halls and attractive Greek houses. Approximately 85 percent of students live on campus. The most recent addition to the residential halls is the Carolyn L. and Robert W. Brown Residential Hall which was opened in 2017. This hall, of which construction and ongoing maintenance were fully funded before opening, features 48 student rooms, two classrooms, and the Scott & Jo Johnson Esports Arena.

The J.E. & L.E. Mabee Recreation and Wellness Center was dedicated in January of 2016. This stateof-the art center was the brainchild of students in an Athletic Training class. Administration heard their presentation, had them speak to the Board of Trustees and ultimately raised the funds needed to bring their idea to fruition. It is home to cardio and muscular endurance equipment, a full suite of free weights and a movement studio for dance and yoga, among other wellness amenities. The Wellness Center is available free of charge for students, faculty, staff, trustees and alumni of the College.

Students are provided meals in the dining hall at the Gladys Crown Student Center. The dining hall space was completely renovated this past summer. Adjacent to the dining hall and also renovated are Meaders Lounge which is a large meeting space and the Schwan Family Dining Room which can be used for more intimate dinners and presentations. [ 18 ]

THE CAMPUS Henderson Hall, the domed heart and soul of campus, is Culver-Stockton’s oldest structure. Home to administrative offices, meeting space, and classrooms, Henderson is on the National Register of Historic Places. The nearby Herrick Foundation Center is a center for business and art. It houses the Mabee Art Gallery, located in a two-story setting and host to several professional art exhibitions as well as faculty and student art shows throughout the year. The Molecular Sciences Facility within the Science Center features a DNA-sequencer – a valuable scientific instrument benefiting students and faculty alike.

The campus has two chapels. One is a more traditional chapel, and the other is called the “All Faiths Chapel,” reflective of Culver-Stockton’s respect for all faith traditions. The College is highly regarded for its fine and performing arts and its four music and theatre venues housed in the Robert W. Brown Performing Arts Center.

The Pillars is the beautiful on-campus president’s home. The next president and first family will live comfortably in this five-bedroom, three and two-half bath home located on the edge of campus and close to the heart of Canton. Well-equipped for entertaining, it is an excellent venue for College-related receptions, parties, and meetings.

Culver-Stockton’s technology is very competitive with other institutions as it strives to implement the latest technologies to support the teaching and learning process as well as the operations of the College. The campus has complete wireless coverage in all buildings including some outdoor spaces and individual wireless access points were recently installed in every residential room on campus.

All classrooms include projection and sound systems with some advanced functionality available in several classrooms throughout campus. A cutting-edge learning management system (Canvas) is in place as well as a feature-rich campus information system (Jenzabar).

The Carl Johann Memorial Library provides direct access to over 273,000 print and digital books, as well as more than 120,000 digital serials/periodicals, and many reference, audio/music, and streaming video databases. As a member of the MOBIUS consortium, the library provides the C-SC community with free access to more than 30 million items from 77 academic, public, and special libraries in and around Missouri.

The library also offers a full range of Interlibrary loan services, connecting C-SC to libraries across the United States and around the world.

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A UNIQUE LOCATION The campus is a focal point of the closely-knit, quintessential “small-town America” city of Canton, Missouri. Canton is on the “Avenue of the Saints” – a highway that connects St. Louis, Mo., to St. Paul, Minn. A low cost of living, low tax rates, excellent health care options, very strong public K-12 schools, established neighborhoods and green spaces, varied outdoor recreational opportunities, and theater are Canton highlights.

In addition, excellent “town/gown” relations define the interplay between the campus and the town. The mayor of Canton and the sheriff of Lewis County, among other officials, are CulverStockton graduates.

A true river community, Canton has a long and rich history tied to the Mississippi and is home to Lock & Dam #20. There is focused interest in building ecotourism in the region, with the Mississippi as its nucleus. There is a levee walk and wetlands area along the Canton riverfront. The 2,000-foot trail provides both recreation and educational possibilities related to the river and its habitat. The region is particularly well-regarded for its bird watching opportunities, with hundreds of bald eagles flocking to the riverside during the winter months.

Culver-Stockton benefits from the richness of resources located in nearby Quincy, Ill. and the major metropolitan area of St. Louis.

Quincy is a 20-minute drive from campus and home to a vibrant restaurant and shopping scene as well as an active regional airport and Amtrak train station. Both Quincy and nearby Hannibal, Mo. have robust arts opportunities whether it be taking in a theatre production, enrolling in an art class, or enjoying a symphony performance. St. Louis is an easy two-hour drive from campus and offers stellar performing arts, an engaging museum and gallery culture, a renowned zoo, a rich culinary tradition and exciting professional sports. Other cities within a two-hour drive include Columbia & Jefferson City, Mo., Springfield, Ill., and Iowa City, Iowa.

All of the College’s local and regional features yield an excellent quality of life and have clearly contributed to Culver-Stockton’s ability to attract and retain exceptional students, faculty, and staff.

For 166 years Culver-Stockton College has attracted students of promise who have received an excellent education. Come join us as we advance the student experience into the future.

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showmecanton.com seequincy.com explorestlouis.com thinkiowacity.com

AGENDA FOR LEADERSHIP FOR CULVER-STOCKTON COLLEGE’S NEXT PRESIDENT

The next president of Culver-Stockton College will join the institution at a time of positive momentum on all fronts. Programs of rigor and excellence led by a dedicated and active Board of Trustees, a strong senior leadership team and an engaged and loyal faculty and staff have led to lifelong relationships between students, staff, faculty, alumni, parents, and friends. The warm collegiality of the community, the beauty of the campus and of its natural surroundings, the vibrant financial health, and the deep loyalty of the alumni base are all sources of great pride for the College. The president will find a dedicated community eager to build on its strong foundation, to continue the institution’s trajectory of excellence, and to lead the College to even greater academic innovation and distinction. She or he will be expected to guide the articulation of goals that are both inspiring and achievable while nourishing the community’s will, spirit, and resources needed to attain them.

Among the most important priorities for the next president are: SUSTAIN AND BUILD ON POSITIVE MOMENTUM Culver-Stockton College is on a strong trajectory and is celebrating many recent successes, including a prospering comprehensive campaign, a consistently balanced budget, a strong curriculum focused on experiential learning, the launching of new graduate programs, a thriving student community, and a beautiful and well-maintained campus sporting a freshly renovated dining hall and a newly built residence hall. The next president will build on this excellent foundation, identify areas for innovative growth, and enhance the College’s reputation regionally and nationally. Culver-Stockton’s president will also be knowledgeable about issues impacting higher education and be able to identify ways to involve the College [ 21 ]

THE NEXT PRESIDENT in those dialogues in a manner that will strengthen its recognition and appeal among prospective students, parents, alumni, friends, donors, peers at other colleges and universities, government and nonprofit entities, and additional influential stakeholders. She or he will be an ardent champion of the rigorous, residential educational experience a “destination college” like Culver-Stockton offers.

DEVELOP AND EXECUTE A LONG-RANGE VISION AND RELATED STRATEGIC PLANNING The president will communicate Culver-Stockton’s aspirations in a way that inspires commitment, pride, and action. The president will provide visionary leadership and ambitious long-range strategic planning skills to grow an outstanding academic enterprise in areas that are a natural extension of Culver-Stockton’s strengths. The new president will be willing to take calculated risks, while being anticipatory and proactive in identifying issues that may arise for Culver-Stockton as the landscape for residential liberal arts institutions evolves. It is expected that the new president, working closely with the Board of Trustees, will lead a strategic planning process, inclusive of all the College’s constituent voices, early in her or his tenure.

FOCUS ON BALANCED ENROLLMENT GROWTH, STUDENT RETENTION AND GRADUATION The next president must have a firm understanding of enrollment management and the ever-growing challenges surrounding recruitment, retention and graduation at private, residential colleges and universities.

The next president must also have a strong understanding of how areas such as athletics and Greek Life impact enrollment. The president will be innovative and entrepreneurial in her or his approach to enrollment management to ensure that programs remain competitive and relevant, have a broad and global reach, and utilize an appropriate variety of modes of curriculum delivery to ensure the greatest potential for student

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THE NEXT PRESIDENT success. She or he must have a student-centric approach, an engaged and visible presence, and will seek to ensure the College has the necessary human capital, modern facilities, and technology to support the needs of the current and future generation of learners.

ENHANCE FUNDRAISING AND BUILD FINANCIAL CAPACITY Culver-Stockton enjoys financial strength and has a history of careful fiscal management that has served it well over the years. An ongoing commitment to building the endowment through donations, strategic investment management, and disciplined spending will persevere. As a vigilant steward of the institution’s resources, the president will be expected to provide thoughtful and strategic oversight of Culver-Stockton’s finances at the highest level, ensuring that Culver-Stockton maintains its solid financial health long into the future. She or he will foster innovative thinking around the development of new, and diversification of existing, revenue streams. As the College’s chief ambassador and fundraiser, the next president will be expected to lead a campaign of significance during her or his tenure, work with all constituencies to enrich Culver-Stockton’s growing philanthropic culture, and augment the pipeline to include new donors and friends. She or he will also play a critical role in cultivating new members for the Board of Trustees.

CULTIVATE CULVER-STOCKTON’S EXPERTISE AND REPUTATION IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Culver-Stockton has built its unique 12-week/3-week academic calendar and its curriculum around the principles of experiential learning. Culver-Stockton’s next president will be a strong advocate for the value and meaning of experiential learning. She or he will seek ways to grow and support Culver-Stockton’s commitment to engaged learning and will continue to build the College’s reputation as a leader in this field.

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THE NEXT PRESIDENT GROW CULVER-STOCKTON’S REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PROFILE The next president must be able to communicate the uniqueness of Culver-Stockton to all constituencies, ensuring that the public perception and profile unites with its hopes to continue to attract students, faculty, and staff of the highest caliber. With an excellent foundation on which to build, Culver-Stockton is eager to and deserves to have its reputation better known nationally and internationally. Culver-Stockton’s next president will be a thought leader and will find ways to shine a light on the institution through conversations of import to the evolving nature of higher education.

BUILD COMMUNITY AND ENGAGE INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY The next president will be a visible and engaging presence on and off campus. She or he will be eager to work closely with the Culver-Stockton and Canton communities and provide leadership to ensure the wellbeing of both entities, recognizing the symbiotic relationship between the College and the town. The ability to engage and instill confidence in all constituents, including faculty, students, staff, administrators, board members, alumni and the broader Culver-Stockton community will be crucial. In addition to being visibly present in Canton, engagement with the community in nearby Quincy and the broader region will be highly important. She or he will engage closely with and ensure meaningful relations with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

CHAMPION DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS The president will play a central role in signaling to the College community the ongoing importance of Culver-Stockton’s belief in a diverse student body, faculty, and staff. Moreover, she or he will continue a culture in which diverse values, experiences, and ideas are welcomed and viewed as essential in the development of academic excellence. These are crucial tasks for all institutions of higher learning, and it is important that the president possess the skills, passion, and commitment to advance these efforts.

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DESIRED ATTRIBUTES FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT The Presidential Search Committee seeks candidates who will embrace the distinctive nature and core values of Culver-Stockton College and inspire its faculty, students, staff, alumni, and Board of Trustees. CulverStockton College’s next president will be a servant leader with experience managing a complex organization.

She or he will bring a highly relational approach, outstanding communication skills, authenticity, and self-confidence balanced with humility, integrity of the highest order, a strong work ethic, and a clear understanding of higher education to her or his work. While the Presidential Search Committee is eager to consider many possible pathways to the Culver-Stockton College presidency, candidates possessing a terminal degree will be preferred.

The successful candidate will be: • A person who clearly understands and believes that leading a college is “all about the student” and who continuously fosters engagement with students; • A visionary, innovative, and strategic planner with a proven ability to articulate a clear and coherent plan, implement the plan, and unify constituents behind it; • An accomplished leader in higher education, or a comparable setting, and a passionate, engaged, and sincere advocate for the liberal arts and sciences; • An inclusive leader with an understanding of and respect for Culver-Stockton College’s shared governance structure coupled with an abiding respect for the significant contributions of faculty and staff; • A gifted and proven fundraiser, who is experienced in building a positive culture of philanthropy, and who has demonstrated the ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects and donors; • An evidence-based planner who is well versed in enrollment management, retention strategies, and athletics; • A visionary who comprehends the strategic importance of experiential learning and online learning and desires to expand those capabilities at Culver-Stockton; • An entrepreneurial person with strong financial acumen who will aid the College in matching aspirations with finite resources while thinking creatively about growth and innovation; • A prescient leader who embraces the institution’s shared core values and is keenly aware of how to ensure that a small, rural, faith-based liberal arts college thrives in a rapidly changing and disruptive education environment; • A technologically savvy person with a fluent understanding of pedagogical strategies and technological approaches that enhance student learning and program delivery; • An empathetic leader who values first-generation college students and seeks ways to enhance CulverStockton’s appeal to that demographic; • A person of global perspective who is committed to promoting and celebrating inclusion and diversity in its many forms; • A collaborative leader with an eye for talent and a team-building approach; • An expert communicator who is eager to share the story of Culver-Stockton to various constituents; • An inclusive and receptive decision-maker who builds consensus, prioritizes well, and communicates decisions with promptness and care; and • An engaging, authentic, and resilient leader with good humor who will provide respected, long-term leadership.

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THE PROCESS OF CANDIDACY

The Culver-Stockton College Presidential Search Committee will begin to evaluate applications immediately.

Although applications will be welcomed until the time that a new president is selected, candidates should submit materials by November 1, 2019 to ensure fullest consideration. The new president is expected to begin work on July 1, 2020.

Applications should include a letter of candidacy that responds to the agenda for leadership and the desired attributes for a new president and a complete résumé or vita. All application materials will be considered in full confidence and should be submitted electronically to: PresidentC-SC@storbecksearch.com.

Ms. Julie E. Tea – Partner and Ms. Julie Williams-Krishnan - Senior Associate at Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, LP are partnering with Culver-Stockton College in this search. Nominators and prospective candidates are encouraged to contact them at PresidentC-SC@storbecksearch.com to arrange confidential conversations.

Culver-Stockton College is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution and does not discriminate on the basis of the person’s race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, or any other classification protected by law in admission, employment, benefits, educational programs, or activities.

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