WHY I LOVE MORNINGSIDE

During our many years of hosting new student dinners, one of the questions we got most frequently was, “President Reynders and Robin, what do you love most about your job?” The answer is always the same. You. Students. Our desire to see you succeed drives everything we do.

We love the fact that Morningside opens doors for students. From career opportunities and exploring new fields to studying abroad and doing in-depth research, we love watching students grow, mature, and reach beyond what they first thought possible. We love seeing new students during orientation with faces that show excitement and nervousness, then seeing those same faces four years later at graduation reflecting confidence, self-assuredness, and “ready to conquer the world” attitudes.

We love the unlimited opportunities for involvement that Morningside students have, allowing them to put existing strengths to work while also finding ways to grow and explore.

John, Robin, and Boomer on campus during Summer 2021.

We also love the winning culture found at Morningside. For years, we have talked about the relentless pursuit of excellence in everything we do. Success in athletics? You bet. But this culture of winning extends into the classroom, visual and performing arts, throughout co-curriculars, and beyond. Annually, events like Christmas at Morningside, marching band performances, Palmer Research Symposium, the launch of Kiosk, and research presentations would bring tears to our eyes because of the incredible work we watched students produce time and time again.

We love talking to alumni about their experiences. Those positive experiences are often directly related to people that make Morningside so special. Faculty, coaches, and staff make differences in the lives of students. Alumni love to tell those stories, and we love to hear them.

We will always cherish the relationships we have made with Morningside’s Board of Directors and their spouses, as well as the lifelong friendships we have developed with students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Simply put, we love the soul of Morningside. A soul that is fed by deep care for one another within this campus community, hard work, and desire to make a difference in the world.

Although it is time for our departure, it will be difficult to leave. We will carry the memories and relationships with us for the rest of our lives.

And we will always love Morningside.

John and Robin Reynders

John and Robin model gifts they received from Kansai Gaidai University.