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Inauguration Inauguration I
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JAY K. SIMMONS, Ph.D.
MARCH 20, 2014
Success
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Jay K. Simmons, Ph.D. T H E I N AU G U R AT I O N O F
AS THE TWENTY-THIRD PRESIDENT OF SIMPSON COLLEGE
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A RECEPTION IN THE KENT CAMPUS CENTER W I L L F O L LOW T H E C E R E M O N Y
Simpson Simpson College College
Simpson College is a United Methodist-affiliated institution that claims among its alumni the famous scientist, George Washington Carver, who came to Simpson in 1890 after being rejected at another college because of the color of his skin. Carver said later, “At Simpson I found the kind of people who made me believe I was a human being.” Simpson has been named one of the top ten comprehensive liberal arts colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News and World Report’s America’s Best Colleges Guide, and was recently listed as one of the “Best Bang for the Buck” liberal arts schools in the nation by Washington Monthly. Additionally, Peterson’s Competitive Colleges consistently lists Simpson as one of the approximately 440 colleges and universities that the top students in the nation attend. In 2011, Simpson implemented a new ‘hands-on” approach to the foundational liberal arts component of the Simpson Experience. This new methodology builds upon the strengths of the traditional liberal arts approach to undergraduate education, but adapts it to the needs of current students and future employers. This integrative process links the historic mission of the institution to educating students to become productive, engaged citizens. John Wesley’s United Methodist legacy of commitment to social justice and the good of the general community is alive and well at Simpson. Most students take part in campussponsored organizations or projects that contribute to the more than 41,000 hours of volunteer service each year. Simpson College is in a position of strength as it welcomes new leadership in Jay and Jenné Simmons. With campuses in Indianola, West Des Moines and Ankeny, Simpson has the unique advantage of providing a small college education to its students while maximizing the many internship and career opportunities afforded by being so close to Iowa’s capital city of Des Moines. Enrollment is optimal, retention numbers are growing and the college’s endowment is strong at $82 million. The investment in new facilities like the Kent Campus Center and the Steven Johnson Fitness Center reflect the commitment to providing an environment that welcomes students to embark on their educational and personal journeys beneath the whispering maples.
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Jay Jay K.K. Simmons, Simmons Ph.D. We are pleased to receive Jay K. Simmons, Ph.D., as Simpson College’s 23rd president. He has been serving as president since June 2013.
Dr. Simmons is a scholar, educator, strategist, fundraiser and leader. His commitment to a liberal arts education – especially an education based in the United Methodist traditions, where he has spent the bulk of his career – started when he enrolled at Birmingham-Southern College and has now led him to Simpson College. In each of his professional roles, he has promoted integrative learning that prepares students for success in their chosen field, as well as instilling in them the importance of being responsible citizens in an increasingly diverse and global society.
Most recently, Dr. Simmons served as President of Iowa Wesleyan College, where he helped restructure enrollment, advancement and the college’s educational programs. Under his tenure, the college met a $3 million annual matching grant challenge, reduced the discount rate and increased the ACT average for incoming students. Prior to his tenure at Iowa Wesleyan, Dr. Simmons was Vice President for Academic Affairs at La Grange College, where he came to fully appreciate that the greatest service a college can provide its students is to offer challenging, engaging academic programs. While at LaGrange College, he updated faculty governance, expanded curriculum and program activities and increased international programs. Dr. Simmons has also served at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was Dean of Liberal Arts, and at his alma mater, Birmingham-Southern College, where he was Assistant to the Dean and later, Assistant Dean. A native of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Dr. Simmons has impressed the Simpson community with his proven leadership capability, broad academic experience, fund-raising success, ability to face challenges, work ethic and open and collaborative management style. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate from Birmingham-Southern College, he has been very involved with the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church (NASCUMC), including serving as its President. Dr. Simmons holds Master’s and Doctorate degrees in political science from the University of Alabama. He and his wife Jenné have two daughters, Samantha and Madison.
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Inaugural Inaugural Program Program
Prelude March (Sonata Breve) by Gerald Near Carl Gravander, Organist Procession Order of Procession Flag Bearers Jessalyn Holdcraft, Junior Class President Taylor Van De Krol, Senior Class President Grand Marshal Sunnie Richer, Board Chair Medallion Bearer Jazmin Rubel, Student Government Association Manager The Simpson College Choir and Chamber Singers Timothy McMillin, Conductor Simpson College Trustees Simpson College Faculty Simpson College Administrators Delegates Greeters Steven J. Griffith, Senior Vice President and Academic Dean The Reverend Julius C. Trimble, Resident Bishop, Iowa Area, The United Methodist Church Jay K. Simmons, President, Simpson College Processional in D
by David N. Johnson Carl Gravander, Organist
Welcome Invocation Invocation Response Glorious God
Sunnie Richer Chair, Board of Trustees The Reverend Philip J. Webb Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church Indianola, Iowa by Sven Lekberg
Greetings The Board of Trustees Sunnie Richer, Chair, Board of Trustees The United Methodist Church The Reverend Julius C. Trimble, Resident Bishop, Iowa Area The United Methodist Church The Faculty Fred O. Jones, Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice The Students Alexander P. Severn, Student Body President
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The Alumni Nathaniel R. Boulton, President Simpson College Alumni Association The City of Indianola Eric S. Hanson, City Manager, Indianola The Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Gary Steinke, President The Investiture of the President Choral Anthem Let Knowledge Grow Strong Son of God, Let knowledge grow. We trust it comes from Thee. Strong Son of God, immortal Love We’ve not yet seen thy face. By faith, and faith alone, embrace, Believing where we cannot prove; Thou seemest human and divine, The highest, holiest presence, thou. Our wills are ours, we know not how, Our wills are ours, to make them thine. Our little systems have their day; They have their day and cease to be: They are but broken lights of thee, And thou, O Lord, art more than they.
Sunnie Richer Chair, Board of Trustees by Michael Patterson Professor of Music We have but faith alone: we cannot know; For knowledge is of things, of things we see; And yet we trust it comes from thee, A beam in darkness: let it grow. Let knowledge grow from more to more, But more of reverence in us dwell; That mind and soul, according well, May make one music as before. God forgive these wild and wandering cries, Confusions of a wasted youth; Forgive them where they fail in truth, And in thy wisdom make me wise. Let knowledge grow, Strong Son of God In thy wisdom make us wise. - Alfred Lord Tennyson
Introduction of Jay K. Simmons
Steven J. Griffith Senior Vice President and Academic Dean
President’s Response Singing of The Red and Gold (lyrics on the back) Benediction
Jay K. Simmons President The Reverend Mara Bailey Chaplain, Simpson College
Recessional Allegro maestoso e vivace (Sonata 2) Postlude Fuga. Allegro moderato (Sonata 2)
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by Felix Mendelssohn Carl Gravander, Organist by Felix Mendelssohn Carl Gravander, Organist
Board Board ofofTrustees Trustees Jessica Braunschweig-Norris ’03
General Counsel Property Assessment Appeal Board - State of Iowa Des Moines, Iowa
Nathaniel R. Boulton ’02 Attorney Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. Des Moines, Iowa
Jay R. Byers ’93
Chief Executive Officer Greater Des Moines Partnership Des Moines, Iowa
Jordan B. Hansell
Treasurer of the Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer NetJets®, Inc. Columbus, Ohio
Phillip E. Harlow ’71
Principal Falcon Opportunity Partners Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Mark L. Hill ’78 Des Moines, Iowa
Frederick S. Hubbell
Mary Sconiers Chapman
Member Executive Board, retired ING Groep Des Moines, Iowa
D. Robert Downing ’63
President and Chief Operating Officer Care View Communications Lewisville, Texas
Steven C. Fiterman ’68
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kent Corporation Muscatine, Iowa
Barbara M. Gartner
Des Moines, Iowa
Vice President Emeritus Des Moines Area Community College Des Moines, Iowa Chairman of the Board Downing Construction, Inc. Indianola, Iowa President Ground Development, Inc. Golden Valley, Minnesota Des Moines, Iowa
Steven G. Johnson ’81
Gage A. Kent
Linda Koehn
Terrance J. Lillis ’77
Ben F. Gaumer ’75
Secretary of the Board Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Principal Financial Group, Inc. Des Moines, Iowa
Darrell J. Goodhue ’62
President and Chairman of the Board, retired Lortex, Inc. Des Moines, Iowa
Vice President and Regional Chief Medical Informatics Officer Catholic Health Initiatives Indianola, Iowa District Court Judge, retired Carlisle, Iowa
Joseph D. Hall ’58 Radiologist, retired Iowa Radiology, P.C. Des Moines, Iowa
Fred Lorber
Mary Rose Main ’53
National Executive Director, retired Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. New York, New York
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Barbara A. Miller ’64
Executive Director Center for Education in Law and Democracy Denver, Colorado
Mark C. Miller ’79
Corporate Services Director DuPont Pioneer Johnston, Iowa
Owen J. Newlin
Senior Vice President and Director, retired Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Des Moines, Iowa
Lizz S. Nichols Vice President Noble Ford Indianola, Iowa
James R. Oplt ’72
Jay K. Simmons President Simpson College Indianola, Iowa
Deanna Strable-Soethout
Senior Vice President, Individual Life and Specialty Benefits Principal Financial Group, Inc. Des Moines, Iowa
Julius C. Trimble
Resident Bishop, Iowa Area The United Methodist Church Des Moines, Iowa
Kirk J. Tyler
President Atlantic Bottling Company Waukee, Iowa
Senior Vice President, Investments UBS Financial Services, Inc. West Des Moines, Iowa
Thomas N. Urban
Nile D. Ramsbottom ’66
Senior Pastor First United Methodist Church Indianola, Iowa
Sunnie Richer
Superintendent, Central District The United Methodist Church Ankeny, Iowa
Executive Vice President Global Sales Renewable Energy Group Innsbrook, Missouri Board Chair Chairman Doextra Corporation Des Moines, Iowa
Robert G. Riley, Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer Feed Energy Company Des Moines, Iowa
Gary L. Ruble ’63
Chairperson/Chief Executive Officer Multi-Tech, Inc. Indianola, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Philip J. Webb
David A. Weesner
Richard M. Willis ’74 President Willis Auto Campus Clive, Iowa
P. Sumner Worth
President Gilcrest/Jewett Lumber Company Waukee, Iowa
Travis J. Rychnovsky ’01 Chief Operating Officer Foster Group, Inc. West Des Moines, Iowa
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Honorary Honorary LifeLife Trustees Trustees Douglas J. Barakat ’68
Vernon H. Pooley ’50
Senior Vice President, Director of Sales, retired American Republic Insurance Company Boulder, Colorado
President and Chief Executive Officer, retired Pooley and Associates, Inc. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Wayne L. Carse ’50
James M. Reed ’54
Jerry L. Chicoine
Executive Vice President, retired Principal Financial Group, Inc. Scottsdale, Arizona
Karen A. Conner ’69
Senior Vice Chairman, retired MidAmerican Energy Indianola, Iowa
President Carse Oil Company, Inc. Orlando, Florida Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, retired Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Scottsdale, Arizona Professor Emerita Drake University Scottsdale, Arizona
John B. Farnham ’43
Private Equity Investor Scottsdale, Arizona
Charles E. Rohm
Ralph F. Schlenker
H. Richard Smith ’53
Physician, retired Phoenix, Arizona
Of Counsel Ahlers and Cooney, P.C. Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Michael G. Gartner
Keith R. Swanson ’54
Chairman The Iowa Cubs Des Moines, Iowa
Robert L. Lester ’64
Senior Vice President, retired Iowa Power Indianola, Iowa
Marvin E. Mazie
Advisors Advisors
Chairman of the Board, retired Firstar Bank of Des Moines San Diego, California
Physician Atlantic, Iowa
Marilyn M. Vernon Naples, Florida
Fred W. Weitz
President Essex Meadows, Inc. Des Moines, Iowa
A. Roger Witke
Katherine C. Meredith
Of Counsel Whitfield and Eddy, P.L.C. Des Moines, Iowa
David A. McNeill ’79
James C. Spooner ’82
Marilee Scieszinski
Dennis E. Young
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa Albia, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines, Iowa
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Presidents of Simpson Presidents of Samuel Milton Vernon 1867-1868
Earl E. Harper 1936-1938
Alexander Burns 1868-1878
John Owen Gross 1938-1941
Thomas Stribling Berry 1878-1880
Edwin Edgar Voigt 1942-1952
Edward Lamay Parks 1880-1886
William Edward Kerstetter 1953-1963
William Ennis Hamilton 1887-1889
Ralph Candler John 1963-1972
Edmund Meek Holmes 1889-1892
Richard Bailey Lancaster 1972-1979
Fletcher Brown 1892-1898
Robert Edward McBride 1979-1987
Joseph Benson Harris 1898-1899
Stephen Grant Jennings 1987-1998
Charles Eldred Shelton 1899-1910
Roger Kevin LaGree 1999-2005
Francis L. Strickland 1910-1915
John Warren Byrd 2005-2013
James Watson Campbell 1916-1919
Jay Keith Simmons 2013-Present
ActingActing Presidents Presidents
John Linnaeus Hillman 1919-1936
William Ennis Hamilton February-March 1868 William Ennis Hamilton 1886-1887 William Ennis Hamilton 1915-1916
Adm. Committee: Francis Moats, Clyde Emmons, Rae Dean July-November 1938 Adm. Committee: Forrest Brown, chairman 1941-1942 Hurford Stone April-November 1953 M. Bruce Haddox 1998-1999
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TheTheRed Red andand GoldGold Come we will sing together Once more the ringing song, A strain that the coming classes Unceasingly shall prolong The praise of our Alma Mater, Dear Simpson, will e’er be told We’ll cherish thy recollections And swear by the Red and Gold
Though in the years before us, Life’s skies grow dull and gray, The friends of our youth are scattered We journey our lonely way; Sweet memories oft will linger Of those dear days of old When beneath the whispering maples We flaunted the Red and Gold
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