President`s Report - McKendree University

2014 – 15
President’s
Report
The Magazine for
Mc. Kendree
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College of Arts and Sciences:
New Learning Experiences Inside and Outside the Classroom
Over 40 academic programs in the College of Arts and
Sciences at McKendree University encompass everything from
psychology and English literature to biology and computer
information systems. Within these fields of study, faculty
members are implementing new teaching methods, involving
students in their own research studies, and spearheading a host
of on-campus events that attract scholars from across the country.
New Classes and Programs
The psychology department introduced two new classes to better
meet the needs of its online learners and new majors. A course
in military psychology provides an overview of the needs and
issues specifically facing service men and women and their
families. Currently an elective for students in the online program,
the course is geared toward psychology majors who plan to enter
the field of counseling, many of whom will work with military
members, veterans and family members dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder and depression.
“We found that our students with a military background truly
appreciated the respect and attention that this course offers,”
said Dr. Tami Eggleston, associate dean for institutional
effectiveness and professor of psychology. “However, even
students with no direct military connection see the importance
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of understanding this population and being able to help veterans
and military members in the future.”
In spring 2015, the psychology cornerstone class became one
of the first taught by all four full-time faculty members in the
department. It introduces psychology students to the major and
addresses several challenges they will encounter during their
college career, such as reading research articles, writing in APA
style and planning for graduate school.
Another program on the rise is a newly created series of classes
in professional writing, which began in fall 2014. Valuable for
those pursuing careers in a variety of fields, the program
prepares students to be effective professional writers in digital
and print, whether in the corporate, non-profit or technical
sectors.
Students recently learned firsthand the impact their writing
can have on local businesses and the community. In one course,
taught by Associate Professor of English Joy Santee, each student
selected a local non-profit and worked directly with the
organization to provide writing and design services based on its
needs. Students gained experience writing grants, web content,
brochures and more, all of which the organizations then used in
their daily operations.
Research-Based Learning and Innovative
Teaching Methods
In addition to new courses and academic programs, McKendree
faculty are implementing distinctive ways to engage their
students. Associate Professor of Biology and Division Chair
Mickey Schutzenhofer’s ecology students, for example, worked
alongside their professor at her own research sites in the
field.
“During my recent sabbatical, I established a
local research program investigating how
grassland restoration practices influence
plant-pollinator communities,” said
Mickey. “Several aspects of my research
are now embedded in my courses to
provide authentic research experiences
for students.”
By collecting data with their professor in
the field, ecology students develop their
own research questions and use the
collective data to test their hypotheses.
Throughout the semester, they develop their work
into a complete scientific research paper, including
statistical analyses, data presentation and conclusions, which
they present to the class.
Humanities faculty are also experimenting with a variety of
learning strategies. In the flipped classroom model, course
content is delivered outside of class, while class time is used to
delve deeper into the material. Associate Professor of English
Nichole DeWall has observed increased discussion and more
effective use of time in her Shakespeare classes as a result.
“Using class time to lecture seems largely unnecessary when
there are so many ways to deliver content electronically,”
she said. “Instead of lecturing my students about the original
performative context of Shakespeare’s plays, I can have them
watch a documentary outside of class that actually takes them
inside Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. This allows us
to begin our classroom discussions at a much higher level than
we could otherwise.”
Events on Campus
Outside of their work in the classroom, faculty members are
organizing and facilitating significant academic events and
performances that draw large crowds to the campus.
Professor of Computing and Division Chair Jim Feher is director
of the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE)
Academic Challenge that annually brings 500 of the
region’s top high school students to McKendree
to compete in science, mathematics,
technology and engineering (STEM). The
competition is held throughout Missouri
and Illinois, culminating in state
championships at the University of
Illinois and the Missouri University of
Science and Technology. Jim is the lead
author for the computer science exam
in the competition and also chairs the
WYSE advisory board.
Faculty in the visual and performing arts
division hosted several master classes and
community art exhibits in 2014-15. The band,
under the direction of Assistant Professor of Music
Jennifer Moder, partnered with O’Fallon Township High School
in February 2015 to welcome internationally renowned composer
Dr. David Maslanka, educator Dr. Stephen K. Steele, and clarinet
artist Andrea Steele to the Hett for a conducting clinic and
clarinet master class open to the local music education
community. Theater students participated in a master class with
Colman Domingo, co-star of the film “Selma,” in March. Vocal
students had the opportunity to participate in two master classes
with Broadway performer Anna McNeely ’72 in September 2014
and Grammy-Award winning opera singer Christine (Burchyett)
Brewer ’76 in January 2015. The art department hosted six
exhibits at the McKendree Gallery of Art and held the inaugural
Get Out! Paint Out! Lebanon exhibition.
With a growing list of innovative new programs, teaching
methods and campus events, the College of Arts and Sciences
is thriving in its commitment to continuously enhance the
educational experience of its students.
The Magazine for
Mc. Kendree
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School of Nursing and Health Professions:
Innovative Opportunities for Student Success
For the School of Nursing and Health Professions, providing
new, innovative opportunities for students to succeed
academically and professionally in the health care field has
always been a top priority. Whether through key partnerships
with hospitals across the state or unique internship experiences
that prepare students for successful careers, McKendree’s
programs in nursing and health professions are as cutting
edge as the medical field itself.
“We represented the State of Illinois at the conference, and each
group was tasked with developing a statewide action plan to
benefit rural nurses,” said Richelle. “McKendree had just signed
the partnership agreement with ICAHN, so we outlined our
plans for the pilot program and are implementing it now.
It’s exciting because if it’s successful, McKendree’s program
for improving education opportunities for rural nurses will be
disseminated to other states.”
Division of Nursing
Since spring 2014, the University has signed partnership
agreements with hospital networks in Illinois and Kentucky,
including Barnes Jewish Christian (BJC), Southern Illinois
Health Care (SIH), Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown,
Ky., Sisters of St. Mary (SSM), and ICAHN. Through these
agreements, McKendree BSN and MSN programs are available
either online or on-site to nurses at hospitals within the
networks, and offer a 10 percent discount for nurses pursuing
their undergraduate or graduate degree from McKendree.
Hardin Memorial even agreed to pay the full tuition costs for
26 of its nurses in 2015–2016.
In 2014, the Division of Nursing improved education access for
rural nursing students by partnering with the Illinois Critical
Access Hospital Network (ICAHN). The agreement offers
McKendree’s online RN to BSN and MSN degree programs to
nursing staff at 53 critical access hospitals across Illinois, making
it easier for nurses in rural locations to advance their education.
The University’s action plan is part of a national effort to increase
educational opportunities for nurses at rural hospitals.
In May 2015, the executive director for the Illinois Organization
of Nurse Leaders invited Nursing Division Chair and Professor
of Nursing Richelle Rennegarbe ’92 and Assistant Professor of
Nursing Kelli Whittington to attend a national conference on
rural health care in Denver.
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“According to the Institute of Medicine, the goal is for 80
percent of all nurses to gain their BSN by 2020,” said Richelle.
“At McKendree, we are creative in the way we are delivering
nursing education.”
Two nursing professors at McKendree’s Kentucky campus let
their love of learning guide them as they discovered pieces of
America’s early nursing history. In September 2014, Professor
of Nursing Mary Ann Thompson and Sara Bolten, instructor of
nursing, visited an English manor house that had served as a
military hospital for British soldiers during World War I.
“We began to wonder if houses in the U.S. had been used as
hospitals during the Civil War, and we soon discovered that
Louisville, Ky., had more military hospital beds in the early days
of the Civil War than any city except Washington, D.C.,” said
Sara. Since no formal schools of nursing existed in the U.S. at
that time, they began a search for who provided nursing care
to the tens of thousands of sick and wounded.
After perusing diaries and letters of Civil War soldiers, original
records of the U.S. Sanitary Commission, and archives from the
Louisville Medical School, they discovered that the nurses were
a group of Catholic nuns, mostly Irish immigrants, named the
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
Garnering the attention of international nursing societies, they
presented their findings at a meeting of the U.K. Nursing History
Association in Worcester, England, and a joint conference of the
American Association for the History of Nursing and the Irish
Nurses History Group at University College in Dublin, Ireland.
Division of Health Professions
Coursework in the Division of Health Professions is
complemented by the latest technology and experiences that
move students beyond the classroom.
Students in the physical education program’s kinesiology classes
now have access to the same biomechanical analysis software
used by the professionals, thanks to Professor and Division Chair
Dawn Hankins and Physical Education Instructor Scott Colby.
In spring 2015, the owner and operator of Basic Athletic
Measurement Testing invited Scott to attend the National
Basketball Association’s Draft Combine in Chicago, where he
worked directly with NBA strength and conditioning coaches to
facilitate pre-draft testing. He gained experience using Spark Pro
Motion Analysis Software to conduct various tests on the athletes.
“Students in my kinesiology classes perform similar studies in
biomechanical analysis, or the study of human motion, as part
of their research,” said Scott. As a result, Dawn advocated for
six iPad Mini tablets that our students could use with various
motion analysis applications, including Spark Pro.”
This new technology allows physical education students
to record their selected skill, edit the videos, generate still
photos, and analyze the motion involved in their selected skill.
“In essence, McKendree students are now using the same tools
as the professionals at the NBA Combine,” said Scott.
Another method of learning gets all members of the campus
community involved—even those who have not yet graduated
from kindergarten. Students in Associate Professor of Health &
Physical Education Deanne Riess’ motor development class see
their course concepts come to life by observing the children and
grandchildren of McKendree faculty and staff.
“My students love getting to experience firsthand each age group
and the differences between them,” said Deanne. “The parents
and grandparents seem to totally enjoy sharing their child’s story
and socializing with the other adults as well. Overall, I think it is
an incredibly positive and unique classroom experience because
it blends theoretical textbook content and real life at the same
time.”
Sometimes innovation in the classroom involves not just
seeing, but doing, and getting your hands dirty in the process.
In Associate Professor of Health Promotion & Wellness Karan
Onstott’s health and wellness classes, students learn not only
what foods make up good nutrition, but also how to cultivate
those foods in the garden.
“It’s called square foot gardening, and my students from several
classes share responsibility for planting, watering and harvesting
the crops,” said Karan. Her students frequently learn to prepare
the food they gather in class and use it as part of a sustainable
lunch demonstration during Earth Week.
Similarly, the Wonders of Wellness Club on campus is one of 27
St. Louis area sites to host a food co-op that sells locally grown
produce and other locally sourced items. Giving back to the
community is one way that health and wellness majors are
making a difference and receiving hands-on learning.
Whether it’s through convenient online courses or hands-on
experience in class, students in nursing and the health
professions are learning that the opportunities for success
are endless at McKendree.
90%
More than
of full-time faculty at
McKendree hold a Ph.D.
or the highest degree in
their field.
The Magazine for
Mc. Kendree
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School of Education:
Making a Difference through Service
As all good educators know, changing the lives of future
generations of students means cultivating an attitude of service
to others first. At McKendree, this spirit of finding unique ways
to give back is central to the countless accomplishments of the
students, faculty, and alumni in the School of Education.
In 2014, five McKendree teacher candidates were named Golden
Apple Scholars, a Chicago-based program designed to address
the need for creative teachers to serve Illinois students in
economically and educationally disadvantaged schools. If
selected, scholars must teach in an Illinois public school of need
for five years within seven years of graduation. Approximately
52 public and private schools across Illinois participate in the
Golden Apple Scholars program, and presently only 200 teacher
candidates are selected statewide.
McKendree students Jakob Kraft ’17 of Belleville, Ill., Megan
Porter ’17 of Gifford, Ill., Zachary Drumwright ’18 of Sparta, Ill.,
Chelsea Gossett ’18 of Hoopeston, Ill., and Kaitlynn Williams
’18 of Rockton, Ill., were selected as Golden Apple Scholars.
Central to the program are five-week summer institutes that
provide students with pre-student teacher internships,
mentoring, and coursework on the art of teaching. “This is the
largest group of scholars that McKendree has had since being a
part of the program, and we are very proud of them,” said Dr.
Timothy Richards, associate professor of education and Golden
Apple faculty liaison.
Associate Professor Bethany Hill-Anderson, along with students
Amanda Kowalczyk ’16, and Cassie Merlock ’16, also embarked
on a unique learning experience over the summer that is already
benefitting students at a local middle school. The three traveled
to Whitwell, Tenn., to attend a two-day workshop on
incorporating the award-winning documentary “Paper Clips”
into K-12 classrooms.
After viewing the film in Bethany’s Methods of Teaching Social
Science course, Amanda and Cassie had a desire to further
explore its use in the classroom. The Paper Clips Project teaches
K-12 students the history of the Holocaust and its impact on the
world, while also inspiring social activism. Students discover
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ways to make positive
changes in their own
classrooms and
communities and
develop concrete
action plans to
address local
needs.
Amanda
soon found an
opportunity to put
her training into
practice after arriving
at her student teaching
placement in August. “Last year my students learned about the
Holocaust and started a Button Project very similar to the Paper
Clip Project,” she said. “They loved hearing that I visited the
memorial they learned about in class, and they were in awe
seeing photos from the experience!”
Faculty members in education are also pursuing innovative
service opportunities through special grant funding. Professor
of Education and Division Chair Allison Fahsl is currently
serving teachers at Head Start locations in East St. Louis and
the Riverbend organizations through a three-year, $200,000
grant from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group
Foundation. Through the grant, Allison and a colleague from
another institution provide professional development workshops
for Head Start teachers in the area of math. “We train teachers in
these locations how to embed and enhance math activities in the
daily interactions with their students, and then follow up with
visits to the classrooms for mentoring,” she said. “This is a
unique opportunity because it’s the first time the CME Group
has funded a project outside the Chicago area.”
Associate Professor Darryn Diuguid has also received grant
funds to assist two schools in Jamaica and Bhutan. Through the
Illinois Reading Council, he is using informational literacy to
promote the farm-to-table concept in Morant Bay, Jamaica. With
the help of students in his children’s literature class, he selected
20 books about the farm-to-table concept, such as healthy eating,
starting a small business, and marketing, to send to the Nature
School in Jamaica for students there to start their own produce
business. “I visited the Nature School while on McKendree’s
service trip to Jamaica last year and noticed they had many
needs, so I sought them out when I returned to the States,”
he said. “Through this grant, the students will be able to
develop their own microenterprise and earn money to
support themselves and their families.”
In the School of Education, faculty and students are
demonstrating a heart for service as they inspire the next
generation of learners both locally and globally.
School of Business:
Growing through Community Involvement and Hands-On Experience
In the School of Business, McKendree University students
and faculty are finding new ways to make a difference in the
community while applying what they learn in the classroom.
In existence for only one year, the McKendree Marketing Club
has already allowed business students to use their skills outside
of class and see their work implemented by actual organizations.
The first major project the club undertook was to provide
advertising and fundraising consulting for the Chakota
Therapeutic Horse Ranch in Germantown, Ill. Offering
occupational therapy to children and adults with disabilities,
Chakota is a nonprofit that relies solely on donations and 20
volunteers each week to provide services to families.
They researched strategies that other established, successful
nonprofits used to increase their number of volunteers and
donations and adjusted those to work for Chakota.
As a result, the club members presented Chakota’s owners with
a 10-page business proposal on marketing strategies for social
media, as well as how to partner with other organizations and
spread awareness among McKendree students. Other projects
the Marketing Club has accomplished include redesigning the
webpages for the School of Business and conducting marketing
research for the McKendree Gallery of Art.
Along with the efforts of the Marketing Club, faculty leading
a host of business courses are also giving their students
opportunities to practice what they learn in class while
benefitting local businesses and organizations. In the spring
of 2015, students in Assistant Professor of Sport Management
Elisabeth Erickson’s sports management class planned and
executed two fundraising events to support Lebanon Kids,
a non-profit offering after-school tutoring for grade school
children. More than 20 local businesses joined in to support
the students’ fundraising events.
Assistant Professor of Marketing Halimin Herjanto’s special
topics class in tourism marketing involved a partnership with
Rend Lake Hotel in Mt. Vernon, Ill. In this course, students had
the chance to offer their own marketing strategies to an actual
business practitioner. After conducting observations and
interviews with related business units, each student created a
marketing report to present to the hotel manager for feedback.
Students in the School of Business are discovering that, at
McKendree, they can use the skills in their major even before
earning a degree through innovative classes and extracurricular
activities that give back to the community in the process.
699 degrees
were conferred…
including 530
bachelor’s… and 169
master’s and doctoral
degrees
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National Recognition,
July 1, 2014 to June
30, 2015:
• U.S. News & World Report’s 2015 “Best Colleges” edition
continued to rank McKendree University in the top tier of
Midwest regional universities.
• McKendree’s online programs were listed among the top 100
in four categories of U.S. News’ “Best Online Programs” for
2015.
• Innovative learning opportunities earned recognition among
the nation’s “Colleges of Distinction” for excellence in studentfocused higher education.
• Once again named a “Great College to Work For” by The
Chronicle of Higher Education, McKendree was one of 42 colleges
and universities on the 2014 Honor Roll and the only Midwest
institution in the medium-size enrollment category.
• McKendree University’s commitment to volunteerism, servicelearning and civic engagement earned it a place on the
President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
• Victory Media designated McKendree a “Military Friendly
School” for a sixth consecutive year, placing it among the top
15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that
embrace military students’ educational needs.
• A national study focusing on workplace diversity, staffing and
work environment in higher education named the University
among the 17 “Most Promising Places to Work in Student
Affairs” for the second consecutive year.
• McKendree is one of “30 Most Technologically Savvy Online
Schools” in the U.S., according to OnlineSchoolsCenter.com,
an independent online web publication.
• The University was designated a 2015 STEM Jobs Approved
College by Victory Media, one of 125 elite schools offering
education in science, technology, engineering and math for
students who aspire to STEM-focused careers.
• The University was the sole Illinois institution among
“America’s 100 Best College Buys®” in 2014 for providing
the highest quality education at the lowest cost.
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Notable Highlights:
• A 2,500 pound bronze Bearcat statue was installed at the center
of the quad on Sept. 2, 2014.
• CEO Andrew Puzder discussed the Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. fast
food restaurant business model and marketing strategy on Oct.
8, 2014 as a guest of the Wayne E. Lanter Lecture Series.
• The University partnered with Hardin Memorial Hospital in
Kentucky in October 2014 to provide on-site classes for HMH
employees seeking a BSN degree.
• A Leadership and Service Academy hosted on Feb. 7, 2015
offered students a chance to learn from experts in the field and
to connect with peers from local colleges and universities.
• The second annual Academic Excellence Celebration
showcased the scholarly and creative work of more than 400
undergraduate students on April 23, 2015 at the Lebanon, Ill.,
campus.
• The Showstoppers Show Choir made its long-awaited debut,
performing “Marilyn” in two sold-out shows on April 25 and
26, 2015 at the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts.
• A $2.5 million gift from an anonymous donor—the fifth or
sixth largest donation in McKendree history—moved the
University closer to its planned $18 million renovation of
Voigt Science Hall.
• A $2.73 million gift from the estate of Patricia and Charles
“Chuck” Leemon established a $500,000 endowed scholarship
for business students, and contributed over $2.2 million to help
fund the science building renovation. Mr. Leemon, who passed
away in 2007, was a trustee from 1982 to 1991.
• The region’s top young spellers competed on the Hettenhausen
Center stage in the 29th Annual St. Louis Post-Dispatch Spelling
Bee in March 2015. The winner, Gokul Ventakachalam of
Chesterfield, Mo., went on to become the Scripps National
Spelling Bee champion!
• Makiko Tanaka, president of the Tanaka Memorial Foundation,
accepted the 2015 Friend of the University Award on her
family’s behalf. For over 20 years, the vision and generosity
of Dr. Kenji Tanaka and his family has enabled more than 200
McKendree students to receive the annual Tanaka Scholarship;
sent 71 students and several professors on two-week
exchanges to Technos International College in Japan; and
awarded the Technos International College Prize to 24
McKendree students for their outstanding academic
performance and multicultural understanding.
• The Class of 2015 graduates received their diplomas during the
175th commencement exercises on May 9, 2015 at the Lebanon,
Ill., campus and June 6, 2015 at the First Christian Church in
Elizabethtown, Ky. They included the first three to receive a
Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Curriculum Design and
Instruction. Graduates hailed from 20 states and three
countries.
• The University conferred a Doctor of Humane Letters
honorary degree on Daniel Dobbins ’81, outgoing chairman
of the Board of Trustees, for his insight, leadership,
philanthropic support and commitment to his alma mater.
He was board chair for eight years.
Faculty, Staff and Alumni
Highlights:
• Outstanding alumni were honored at the annual Alumni
Awards dinner on Oct. 25, 2014. Retired school teacher Donna
(Roper) Dosier ’56, of Belleville, Ill., received the Peter Akers
Award for professional success, outstanding service and
loyalty. Gregory Snyder ’70, of Clarksburg, N.J., received the
Loyal Service Award. Academy of Excellence awards were
given to businessman Kenneth Cope ’68, of Swansea, Ill.;
former teacher and historian Carol Klopmeyer ’71, of
Mascoutah, Ill.; nursing administrator Debra Turpin ’90, MSN
’07 of Jerseyville, Ill.; and banker Jeffrey Thornton ’88, of
Lebanon, Ill. The 2014 Rising Stars were family and sports
medicine physician Dr. Brian Klostermann ’04, of Breese, Ill.;
OB-GYN physician Dr. Sara Rubenacker ’06, of Springfield,
Ill.; and attorney Courtney Logan ’08, of East St. Louis, Ill.
• Entering the McKendree Bearcat Sports Hall of Fame in 2014
were Tom Pile ’65, alumni coach and sports professional;
members of the 1999–2002 women’s indoor track and field
teams; Emily (Hart) Meyer ’08, women’s basketball; and Kyle
Jahn ’09, men’s wrestling.
• Dr. Richelle Rennegarbe ’92, nursing division chair, received
the 2014 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award for her
commitment to nursing students, the nursing program, and
health education. Six other McKendree graduates or former
students were among the 99 St. Louis area educators receiving
Excellence in Teaching Awardees in 2014: Erica (Johnson)
Schreffler ’04, a grade 6-8 teacher at Bayless Junior High
School in St. Louis, Mo.; Brian Papa, MAED ’12, a grade 6-7
science teacher at Madison (Ill.) Junior-Senior High School;
Karen (Biver) Truran, MAED ’10, a special education teacher
at Dorris Intermediate School in Collinsville, Ill.; Beth
Twenhafel, an eighth grade social studies teacher at
Mascoutah (Ill.) Middle School; Bethany (Vogt) Kazmierczak
’00, Wolf Branch School District 113 in Swansea, Ill.; and
Brad Gotshall, MAED ’13, response to intervention-school
improvement coordinator at Pontiac Junior High School
in Fairview Heights, Ill.
• Internationally acclaimed opera soprano Christine (Burchyett)
Brewer ’76 gave a master class for vocal music students on Jan.
26, 2015 at the Hett. She received a star on the St. Louis Walk
of Fame on April 29, 2015.
• Chris Cunnings ’06 received the 2014 Illinois Science Teachers
Association/Exxon Mobil Outstanding Teacher of Science
Award. He is a physics teacher at Wilmington High School
in Wilmington, Ill.
• Dr. Karee Orellana, assistant professor of special education
and coordinator of special education, received the 2015
Outstanding Educator Alumni Award from Auburn University
College of Education, her alma mater.
• Dr. Dawn Hankins, chair of the School of Health Professions
and professor of athletic training, received the 2015 United
Methodist Church Board of Higher Education Exemplary
Teacher Award.
• Associate Faculty Awards for Excellence in Teaching were
presented to Stephanie Fawcett-Colby, who lives in Japan
and teaches online courses in astronomy, and earth and
astronomical science; and George Kruse, of Bartelso, Ill.,
principal instructor for the Accounting for Managers course
and the Corporate Finance and Investments course in the
online MBA format.
• The Reverend Dr. Tim Harrison, chaplain and director of
church relations, became the second recipient of the President’s
Award for Professional Excellence, presented at the 2015
Honors Convocation.
• Dr. Ann Collins, associate professor of political science, was
announced as the 2015 William Norman Grandy Faculty
Award winner at commencement.
• Outstanding Faculty Awards were presented at the Kentucky
commencement to Sara Bolten, a certified nurse educator and
full-time nursing instructor; and Donna Ulrich, a human
resource management instructor at the Radcliff, Ky., campus.
96% of
undergraduates and
99% of graduates are
employed or in graduate
school within 6 months
of their graduation
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Student Highlights:
• Lindsay Hansard ’15, of Belleville, Ill., an English and
philosophy double major with a perfect 4.0 grade point
average, was the 2014 Student Lincoln Laureate for excellence
in curricular and extracurricular activities.
• The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Awards,
given on Jan. 22, 2015, honored Ranodore Foggs, director
of public safety; Taylor Cope ’15, of Bloomington, Ill.; and
Jeremiah Wilkins ’16, of St. Louis, Mo.
• Two teams of business students at the Louisville, Ky., campus
earned a Global Top 100 ranking in GLO-BUS, an online
exercise in which “companies” created by student teams
compete against each other.
• The cheer team competed in the Small Coed Division II at the
National Association of Cheerleading Nationals Competition
in Daytona Beach, Fla., in April 2015.
• Participation in the study abroad program reached an all-time
high. Studying at London’s Birkbeck University were Alexis
“Lexi” Sauerwein ’16 and Abby Haida ’16 of Belleville, Ill.,
and Maria Foehner ’16, of Breese, Ill. Hannah Valpert ’17,
of Granite City, Ill., attended the University of Limerick in
Ireland; Liz Gilman ’16, of Town and Country, Mo., was at the
University of Glasgow in Scotland; and Taylor Rossi ’17, of
Petersburg, Ill., was the first McKendrean to study in Lima,
Peru.
• “McKendree Recollections,” a coffee table book of more than
350 photographs documenting academics, the arts, student life,
athletics and the influence of war throughout the University’s
187-year history, was published. The collaboration was a labor
of love for history majors Andrew Olden ’15, Meghan
Dohogne ’14 and Tim Rose ’14.
• The speech and debate team won two championships and 20
other awards at the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament on
March 11–15, 2015, and gave excellent performances at the
National Parliamentary Debate Association Championship
Tournament, the National Parliamentary Tournament of
Excellence, and the American Forensic Association National
Individual Events Tournament in spring 2015.
• Acadia Reynolds ’17, an elementary education major from
New Orleans, La., was one of 201 student leaders nationwide
chosen as a 2015 Newman Civic Fellow for commitment to
community service.
• Victoria (Tori) Cook ’15, a Spanish and psychology dual major
from Highland, Ill., accepted the 2015 Technos International
College Prize for academic achievement and multicultural
awareness on April 23, 2015.
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• Lisa Hinton ’15, of Elizabethtown, Ky., received the “Spirit
of McKendree Award” for academic excellence, character and
community mindedness. She is the student success advisor,
financial services coordinator and VA certifying official at the
Radcliff, Ky., campus.
• McKendree topped the Great Lakes Valley Conference with
28 athletes earning the 2014–15 GLVC Council of Presidents’
Academic Excellence Award. One-hundred-eighty-six Bearcat
athletes were named to the 2014–15 Academic All-GLVC
Squad.
• A.J. Johnson ’15 finished second and took home $25,000 at
the U.S. Bowling Congress Masters in February 2015. He won
six straight bracket play matches to earn the top seed in the
nationally televised stepladder finals but lost in the finals to
the two-time defending champion.
• Arela Williams’18 was named the 2014 American Volleyball
Coaches Association NCAA Division II Midwest Region
Freshman of the Year and Great Lakes Valley Conference
(GLVC) Volleyball Freshman of the Year.
• Lucky Baar ’17 was named the 2014 GLVC Football Defensive
Player of the Year and was a member of the Associated Press
Little All-America First-Team.
• Cameron James ’17 finished fifth in the 60-meter dash finals
at the NCAA Division II Indoor Men’s Track and Field
Championships.
• Ryan Pearce ’18 earned Great Lakes Valley Conference
“Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year” honors by winning the
shot put and finishing as runner-up in the discus and in fourth
place in the javelin.
• Several student leaders and organizations were commended
at the second annual Leadership and Service Awards Banquet
on April 26, 2015. Entering the Student Hall of Fame were
Andrew Olden ’15, a history and philosophy major from
Edwardsville, Ill., who was also named “Outstanding Student
Employee”; Acadia Reynolds ’17, an elementary education
major from New Orleans, La.; Jennifer Melusky ’15, a
computational science major from Indianapolis, Ind., and
Fairview Heights, Ill.; Caitlin Schlueter ’15, a marketing and
management major from Aviston, Ill.; and Spencer Marcum ’15,
a speech communication and theatre major from Centralia, Ill.
• ACES (Active Collegians Engaged in Service) Awards for
volunteerism, sponsored by the Lyn Huxford Center for
Community Service, went to Britani Beasley ’15, a speech
communication from St. Elmo, Ill.; and Alayna Gillespie ’15,
a sociology major from Highland, Ill.
2014 Fall Enrollment
Breakdown
All shared a common trait as academic achievers, with
an average grade point average of 3.4 and an average ACT
score of 23. Half graduated in the top 25 percent of their high
school graduating class and 83 percent received an academic
scholarship. Adding to the impressive numbers is a 27 percent
increase in students accepted into the University’s honors
program.
The University welcomed 421 first-year students and 118
transfer students in 2014. The majority of the incoming class—
75 percent—came from Illinois, while 21 other states were
represented coast to coast. International first-year students came
from Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Germany,
India, Jamaica, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria and United
Kingdom. Eleven percent continued a McKendree family legacy
through a parent, grandparent or sibling.
Incoming Student
Enrollment
Of the new first-year and transfer students, 1,100 resided in
campus housing. To accommodate this growth, additional
apartments were built at the McKendree West complex on
College Road.
2500
2,282
2,095
2000
1,936
1,919
1,776
1500
Applied
Admitted
1,236
1,433
1,339
1,287
1,191
1000
Enrolled
500
526
512
440
548
537
2013 – 14
2014 – 15
0
2010 – 11 2011 – 12
3,032
3,027
669
610
3,250
3000
3,131
3500
3,327
Student Enrollment
Statistics
2012 – 13
2012 – 13
2013 – 14
2014 – 15
2010 – 11
2011 – 12
2,521
1500
2,358
Undergraduate
2,224
2000
2,356
Graduate
2,355
2500
Total
500
808
894
972
1000
0
The Magazine for
Mc. Kendree
27
15.6%
Finance
Through the generosity of donors, McKendree University
continues to serve as a best investment for its students and the
region.
Endowment
by Designation
23.2%
In fiscal year 2015, alumni, foundation, corporation, and church
giving was up, with alumni giving increasing by more than
double.
61.2%
Scholarships
Restricted Use
General
Total: $37,030,053
14.4%
5.3%
34%
2.4%
Revenue
Gifts by
Source
49%
Alumni
Tuition and Fees
Parents/Friends
77.8%
Government Grants
17%
Foundations/
Corporations/
Churches
Private Gifts,
Endowment Income,
Other Revenue and
Income
Total: $3,685,811.47
Auxiliary Revenue
Total: $66,118,288
8%
20%
Gifts by
Type
26.4%
34.6%
Expenses
17%
55%
Annual Restricted
8.8%
Academic Related
13.9%
16.3%
Auxiliary and
Public Services
Student Services
Institutional Support
Scholarships
Total: $65,633,625
28
www.mckendree.edu
Annual Unrestricted
Capital Projects
Endowment
Total: $3,685,811.47