President's Perspective

Dear Millikin Alumni and Friends:

As we continue highlighting the Strategic Initiatives in our new Strategic Plan, this issue of the Millikin Magazine focuses on our third initiative, Advancing Academic Excellence. Although third in this series, clearly this is at the heart of our purpose and mission.

As I write this note in mid-March, we are already focusing on the culmination of the academic year as we organize our Commencement ceremonies. Each year, we carefully plan the two ceremonies for May and try to create an experience for our students and their guests that is emblematic of their journey through their education at Millikin.

But, suffice it to say, the journey is much more than simply awarding them a diploma at the end of their academic curriculum. Along the way, each of our students encounters a deep sense of commitment to academic excellence that takes on many forms. 

Performance Learning permeates the entire curriculum where students take the theoretical learned in the classroom and apply it to the practical. This type of kinesthetic learning provides actual practice in the discipline and helps to cement learning in a much different and elevated way. 

Faculty challenge our students to create original research and artistic performance in their respective majors to highlight both the method and the joy of scholarship. Student entrepreneurs are mentored to establish self-sustaining businesses. We have developed clinical training sites for students in our healthcare professions, as well as students in the School of Education. Each year we organize the Celebrations of Scholarship, where students can present their work and have interested parties critique what they have done. 

All of this, and much more, speaks to the commitment of our dedicated faculty and staff in creating a learning environment that is exceptional in quality. Advancing academic excellence in our context means to continue to create the space for our students to be in community with us all and to grow into their greatest potential, ultimately to go out into the world and serve others.

My hope as you read this edition of Millikin Magazine is that you’ll gain a more complete understanding of this amazing campus and the dedicated people who serve our students.

With respect for you all,

Jim Reynolds, President

Jim Reynolds, President