Greetings from North Central College! I’m grateful for this opportunity to introduce myself to Positively Naperville readers.
It is an honor to be in my second year serving as president of this wonderful institution. For nine years prior, I was the College’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, and for more than a decade, my family has proudly called Naperville home. My wife, Jennie, and I have raised our children here. Our daughters are currently North Central undergraduate students, and I have a third daughter who is in North Central’s nationally-ranked MBA program.
I grew up in Southwestern Nigeria and came to the U.S. about 45 years ago to attend the University of Michigan, where I earned my doctorate degree in English language and literature. I have since worked at several institutions of many sizes and in many settings, both private and public.
With the benefit of my range of higher education experience, I can tell you that we have something very special here in Naperville and at North Central College. In many ways, our institution and its hometown offer the best of both worlds: big opportunity and close-knit community.
Naperville’s higher education institution—North Central College—is a place where undergraduate students find mentorship and support from inspiring faculty while they pursue a high-quality education that intentionally integrates the liberal arts with pre-professional and professional studies. At the graduate level, we offer a broad array of options, including advanced practice health care programs. Naperville’s status as one of the country’s premier cities affords our students countless possibilities to develop hands-on experience through research, internships, clinical placements and other enriching career-preparation opportunities.
Upon graduation, our alumni are ready to build productive and purposeful lives. Many find that Naperville is the best place to do just that. North Central College alumni teach in local schools, own businesses, manage nonprofits, serve as health care providers, and run for local office—including Mayor Scott Wehrli, class of 1991.
In the months ahead, I look forward to sharing more about North Central College!
