Inaugural Address: "Millikin Forward: Forever Blue"

Dr. Dean A. Pribbenow

Seventeenth President of Millikin University

April 10, 2026 | 1 p.m. | Kirkland Fine Arts Center

Members of the Board of Trustees, distinguished delegates, honored guests, faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of Millikin University, welcome, and thank you for being here today. 

On the first day of classes this past fall, I greeted a student walking across campus and inquired about his day. “I’m great,” he exclaimed. “I am so blessed!” His expression captured how I felt that day and every day since. The opportunity to steward this great University is truly a blessing, and I am grateful to the Trustees and the Millikin community for entrusting me with this role and so graciously welcoming Kris and me. This is a day I will carry with me for the rest of my life … with a deep sense of humility and responsibility. 

Before I continue, I want to take a moment to do something required of all meaningful journeys — to lift up loved ones who have supported and guided me along the way. 

Watching today from Wisconsin is my father, Jerome, a 93-year-old (finally) retired Lutheran pastor. He and my late mother, Elsie, raised six children — no easy task — and modeled for us lives of faithful service. As an aside, I just hope my sons are more patient with me today than I was with my father's sermons when they exceeded 10 minutes! 

My siblings — Paul, Mark, Dawn, Beth and Brad — are here with their partners. I’m proud to be their brother and to share our family's belief that what we do in this world matters. Having Paul and Brad join me in the ceremony makes this day even more special. 

My sons — Adam, Jonah and Micah — are here. They have taught me the joys and challenges of fatherhood; their encouragement keeps me youthful, and their playful teasing of me, humble; and their forgiveness has been given when I’ve fallen short. I love you and am proud of each of you. 

And my wife, Kris — my best friend and my partner in every sense. Many at Millikin realized early on that they were getting a “2-for-1” when I was selected as president. During my early visits to campus prior to my official start, the most frequent questions I received were: “Is Kris coming with you? When can we meet with Kris again?” Kris, I’m not here without you. Your love and belief in me make me a better person and a better leader. 

To each of you, and many others, thank you. I am blessed. 

My remarks today are titled, “Millikin Forward: Forever Blue.” For me, that phrase carries both meaning and memory. Who have we been, who are we now, and to what are we called? How appropriate that we ask these questions as we launch, today, the year-long celebration of our 125th anniversary. At the heart of our responses to these questions are two forces that are throughlines in the history of Millikin University: tradition and transformation. 

Over the past nine months I’ve met with graduates from the 1960s, from the 2020s and everywhere in between. I love to hear their stories and witness their eyes light up. To a person, they share fond memories of life-long friends they made, faculty who inspired them, skills and experiences gained that prepared them for their first and fifth jobs … and, of course, the Cookie Party and Vespers! Their memories speak to that which will always be at our core — our tradition … Forever Blue. And yet, we know that the internal and external forces at play have been unique with each generation, and Millikin has responded to the needs of the time — we have transformed … Millikin Forward. 

When I began my presidency, I introduced four themes that would be guideposts for my leadership: presence, purpose, people and partnership. I also spoke often of how these themes create exquisite tensions — the delicate balancing of contrasting, but not opposing, forces. It is tradition AND transformation, not tradition OR transformation. The story of Millikin University is, in many ways, the story of how these two forces have existed together in exquisite tension across generations to shape something that is lasting and meaningful. 

Prominent philosopher and educator, John Dewey, believed that human progress often stalls because we trap ourselves in false binaries – “either/or” thinking. Instead, Dewey advocated for “both/and” approaches — approaches that keep open the possibilities for creative, reflective and meaningful progress. For example, it can be our tradition to serve first-time undergraduate students in a residential setting AND we can expand our focus on, for example, returning adult or graduate students in hybrid or online settings. We can embrace tradition AND transformation. Millikin Forward: Forever Blue. 

So, I’ve asked myself, “What traditions anchor Millikin?” and I have arrived at four truths that are expressions of our tradition. 

At the heart of Millikin University is the first truth that is both simple and profound: a deep belief in the centrality of relationships to the educational experience. From the very beginning, this has been a place where people matter. Where students are not just names in a gradebook, but individuals with gifts, aspirations and limitless potential. Where faculty are not removed from that experience, but fully present — passionate educators who invest deeply in the lives of their students. There is something innately powerful and personal about both knowing and truly being known. About being seen, not just for who you are, but for who you might become. Educator and author, Parker Palmer, describes this as teachers and students being “partners in an ancient human dance … weaving a web of connectedness” among themselves, the subject matter, “and the larger world.” Given the many conversations I have had with faculty and students, including some in this room, the centrality of relationships remains. 

A second truth is that relationships and connections do not stop at the edge of campus. We are Decatur’s University, and Decatur is our home. When we thrive, our community is strengthened. And when our community thrives, we are strengthened. When I arrived, I set a goal of 30 meetings with community partners in the first 30 days. I’m delighted to say we far exceeded that goal and have continued to build upon this foundation of relationships. Each conversation deepens my commitment to our shared work and affirms my abiding belief that Millikin must be not only IN the community but OF the community. Admittedly, though, our full participation in fostering these connections has not always met expectations — we have not always shown up in the places and spaces where we should have. And yet, we must lean in. Partnering. Leading. Serving. Showing up. We are deeply rooted not only in our educational mission, but also in the social, cultural, economic and civic vitality of this region. At Millikin’s dedication in 1903, Theodore Roosevelt said it best, drawing from scripture: “To whom much has been given, from them much shall rightly be expected.” Much has been given to Millikin University, and much is to be expected. We are blessed. 

Our belief in the enduring value of the liberal arts is a third truth. From the very beginning, this University has been a place where students are nurtured to become not only capable professionals, but thoughtful, well-rounded, engaged citizens. Where education is not narrow in focus, but expansive in possibility. While careers, industries and society evolve, the ability to think critically, communicate effectively and engage thoughtfully with the world endures. These are skills that allow our graduates not only to succeed in their chosen fields, but to lead, to adapt and to contribute in meaningful ways throughout their lives. I was reminded of this in a recent conversation with one of our alumni — a business leader and emeritus trustee — who said, “I want to hire people who can write well, speak well, and think critically and deeply. I can teach them the rest.” Millikin’s first president, Albert Taylor, would agree with that sentiment! 

That same spirit of expansive learning is reflected in a fourth truth. 

Long before it had a name, Millikin embraced what we now call Performance Learning. From our very founding, this University has been a place where instruction is not confined to the classroom but brought to life through experience. Our students are active participants in their own education. 

• Our Business students prepare tax returns for community members and run a student-managed investment fund called Tabor Investment Portfolio, whose initial investment of $100,000 has grown to over $739,000. 
• In addition to ongoing performances so many of us enjoy, our Fine Arts students run their own ventures such as Pipe Dreams Theatre and the Blue Connection Art Gallery. 
• Our Humanities students publish Burst, an annual magazine that gets readers to think about the influences among students and the external world, and other students run Millikin Creates!, a media firm that creates solutions for clients on campus or in the community.  
• Our STEM students are mentoring youth in the sciences and partnering with the Illinois Raptor Center to capture, measure, band and sample wild raptors to study their health, migration and disease. 

The list from across disciplines goes on and on. Millikin students take the ideas from the classroom and apply them: They perform. They build. They experiment. They problem-solve. They lead. They teach.  

As much as these four truths have shaped and grounded us, they have never limited us. The story of Millikin University is not just a story of tradition — it is a story of transformation. The next chapter in that story will be shaped by us! 

Like those before us, we must ask this question: 

What does this moment require of us to move Millikin Forward? 

At our founding in 1901, amidst a world reshaped by industry, James Millikin — likely with Anna’s influence — refused to follow a well-worn path. He rejected the false binary that education must be either classical or practical. He chose both. An academy for students of high school age, offering both vocational and college preparatory classes. But also, a college proper, preparing students in disciplines ranging from the technical to the expressive. He envisioned an institution where, “The scientific, the practical and the industrial shall have a place of equal importance, side by side, with the literary and the classical.” Millikin Forward. 

Fast forward a few decades: When war and social change tested us, we didn’t just survive; we expanded — becoming the first college in Illinois to offer courses via television, proving that our mission requires meeting students wherever they are. As the University celebrated its 50th anniversary, we opened doors to new populations of students and revitalized our physical and academic landscape. We expanded to meet the needs of adult degree-completion and graduate students. Millikin Forward. 

Entering the 21st century, technology reshaped how we live and work, and globalization connected communities in new and complex ways. We continued to invest significantly in our campus and curriculum. We embraced Performance Learning as a distinctive and defining model for learning. Once again, transformation — Millikin Forward. 

And now, we find ourselves in another defining moment marked by uncertainty. Marked by questions about value and access. About relevance and sustainability. Questions that demand our full attention! As those earlier leaders and groundbreakers, on whose shoulders we stand, embraced the moment and responded to the needs of the time, so must we. 

So now, at this time, how will we move Millikin Forward? 

I believe that Four Imperatives answer this question and are essential to our future: 

First, we must be student-ready — prepared to meet the needs and demands of the undergraduates who are now coming to college. 

To thrive, we must first be “student ready” — prepared for the unique demands of the traditional undergraduates entering our halls. Today’s students represent a profound demographic shift; they are increasingly more diverse, often the first in their families to attend college, and more likely to come from low-income backgrounds. They arrive with more college credit and online learning experience than their predecessors, but they also bring higher expectations for support, serious concerns about employability, and a deep-seated reticence toward taking on debt. 

Tia Brown McNair and her co-authors offer guidance: Becoming a student-ready university requires us to transform our institutional culture to meet these contemporary realities. We are already building this foundation through direct admission initiatives, tuition reduction models, and enhanced summer bridge programs. Moving forward, we must scale these efforts by ensuring our advising is seamless and coordinated, while continuously evolving our curriculum. This means developing new majors that respond to employer demands and proactively preparing our graduates for a professional landscape where AI is no longer a novelty, but ubiquitous. 

Second, we must evolve to serve new and expanding populations of students. 

Recent data from the 2026 Landscape of Higher Education Report is clear: “Institutions that cling to historic student pipelines and insist on trying to hold onto the status quo will face contraction.” Growth in enrollment will be concentrated in “adult learners seeking rapid reskilling, high school students accelerating through dual enrollment and the millions of Americans with ‘some college, no credential.’” It is no longer optional: we must expand upon who we serve and how we serve them. 

We have already begun this work by strengthening articulation agreements with community colleges, which has sparked a visible rise in our transfer enrollment. We also have some graduate programs at capacity and recently launched a new master’s offering. 

However, this is only the beginning. With graduate students currently representing less than 7% of our student population, we see immense potential for growth in areas such as Education, Business, and Health Sciences. By deepening our community college partnerships through dual admission and expanding our online and hybrid delivery models, we will meet students where they are — all while remaining fiercely loyal to our core mission and values. 

Third, we must align existing and new academic offerings intentionally designed to meet the economic and workforce needs of Decatur, Macon County and Central Illinois. 

Early in my presidency, I attended a Strategic Growth Roundtable graciously hosted for me by Kara Demirjian Huss, President of DCC Marketing and Dr. Cris Valdez, President of Richland Community College. Over 40 leaders from the Decatur and Macon County area attended, representing sectors including education, industry, manufacturing, government and others. A resounding theme emerged: the urgent need for workforce and economic development across all sectors. 

The question for us is plain: What can Millikin University do to meet these prominent needs? To be sure, we have evidence of some alignment and contributions. We already have a solid foundation, evidenced by our $72 million annual local economic impact and our targeted curricular support for partners like ADM, but the call for deeper integration is unmistakable. 

To address these needs more assertively, we are shifting from passive alignment to active partnership. Our recent scholarship agreement with Decatur Memorial Hospital is a prime example. In exchange for funding, our Nursing students commit to three years of employment at DMH, directly tackling nursing shortages. Similarly, our new accelerated Online Elementary Education Program provides working adults the flexibility to earn licensure and address the critical teacher shortage. By strengthening the professionals and industries of Central Illinois, we ensure that as our communities thrive, Millikin thrives with them. 

Finally, it is imperative that we boldly pursue external partnerships that reflect our role as an anchor institution. 

As this area’s seventh-largest employer, we have a long-term commitment to leverage our assets for the betterment of the community and region. We see this commitment in action every day: our employees serve on community boards, our students engage in local internships, and, as a specific example, our partnership with the City and Golden Rule Entertainment will bring the Decatur Bean Ballers to our Workman Family Baseball Complex beginning next month. This collaborative spirit also fuels the Millikin Market, which addresses food insecurity on campus through the vital support of the Northeast Community Fund, the United Way, Tillamook and others. These successes and others prove that our deepening engagement can serve as a powerful model for the entire region. 

Looking forward, we must ask ourselves how we can further integrate into the fabric of our community. Are there untapped opportunities for degree- or credential-based partnerships with local businesses or ways to share space with private entities? Can we play a more direct role in the revitalization of neighborhoods like Oakwood or leverage our expertise to deliver better services to local industry? Could stronger governmental relations lead to increased support for priorities? A mentor of mine reminded me often that our best work is never accomplished alone. Our pursuit of partnerships is paramount to our shared success. 

So, I ask again, at this time, how will we move Millikin Forward? 

We will be Forever Blue, anchored in these Four Truths of our Tradition: 

1. The Centrality of Relationships 
2. Community Connections 
3. The Liberal Arts Ethos 
4. Performance Learning 

We will move Millikin Forward, transformed by these Four Imperatives: 

1. We will be student-ready 
2. We will enroll new student populations 
3. We will meet regional economic and workforce needs 
4. We will expand external partnerships 

Tradition AND Transformation. 

Our 125th Anniversary theme, Forever Blue, is a celebration of our legacy. To be Forever Blue is to accept that this legacy is now ours to steward, to renew and reimagine. As poet Wendell Berry reminds us: What we need is here. 

So today, I stand before you with profound respect for the people whose commitment and passion have shaped this institution, and with great humility for the honor of serving Millikin and beyond as the 17th President of this great University. 

I stand with genuine, enduring hope in where we are going. Because if there is one other truth about Millikin, it is this: 

We will meet the moment. With courage and creativity. Moving Millikin Forward. Forever Blue. 

Thank you.