News Stories

More than eight months ahead of its Dec. 31, 2022, conclusion, the College passed the $75 million goal of its Light This Candle Campaign, which was launched in March 2019. With just a few days now left in the campaign, its total has soared to $79 million. President Clarence Wyatt called the campaign’s success “an extraordinary achievement and worthy of celebration.” ... The College also had another successful Scots Day of Giving on April 6 (pictured), with more than 800 donors from all 50 states combining to contribute more than $232,000 to support students and student programming.

Ellis Dibble, the 3-year-old daughter of Jim ’06 and Anna Beasley Dibble ’05, had a front-row seat as her parents renewed their wedding vows at Homecoming to mark their 10th anniversary.

In May, the College was able to return to an in-person Commencement. A total of 208 degrees were awarded, and 189 students were present to receive their diploma from President Wyatt. A crowd of about 1,100 witnessed the ceremony, which was a happy day for more than just the graduating seniors. “This was much needed after a year like this,” said Zach Harris ’21. “It was awesome to see all my classmates walk across the stage. I couldn’t help but keep smiling.” That sentiment was also shared by theatre professor Vanessa Campagna, as she congratulated new graduate Amelia Chavez ’21.

On what was called “an incredibly historic day for our campus community” on April 29, Monmouth College dedicated the Champion Miller Center for Student Equity, Inclusion and Community, its first building named after a person of color. The building at 727 East Broadway was most recently known as the Center for Intercultural Life. The Champion Miller Center was founded to provide an array of academic and support services, fellowship, and inspiration to students of all ethnicities and backgrounds, particularly disadvantaged, marginalized and first-generation college students.

At the beginning of the M Club Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Director of Athletics Roger Haynes delivered an emotional speech as a memorial for the late Scots swim coach Tom Burek was unveiled.

There’s never been a Commencement ceremony quite like it. Monmouth’s Class of 2020 can say that not once, but twice. First, the class had a virtual ceremony in May 2020 due to being home for the pandemic. Then, over Homecoming weekend this fall, 59 of them gathered for their long-overdue in-person ceremony. “In the end, there is no substitute for the real thing,” said President Wyatt. “The (rainy) weather outside can do nothing to dampen the joy of this day.” Said Lucas Sondgeroth ’20, “It felt weird and odd to leave the way we did. It’s nice to come back and feel like home again.”

The students who made up the headline-grabbing number of twin siblings in Monmouth’s incoming Class of 2022 racked up a considerable number of accomplishments during their time on campus. A remarkable total of 12 of the 16 siblings graduated with departmental honors. “I feel honored to be a part of this group,” said Emma Poole, who received her diploma along with her sister, Nicole. “I think it’s really cool.” Morningstar CEO Kunal Kapoor ’97 delivered the Commencement address, while the Rev. Dr. Teri McDowell Ott, editor of Presbyterian Outlook and the College’s former chaplain, spoke at Baccalaureate.

When the original owners of Galesburg’s iconic Innkeepers coffee shop announced their retirement, the alumni couple Ben ’16 and Jessica Irons Ketchum ’17 stepped up to take over operations.

Monmouth’s Light This Candle capital campaign continued to flourish in 2021. Highlighting the contributions were a $1.1 million cash gift to establish an endowment to support the Center for Academic and Career Excellence and a $1 million deferred gift to support three initiatives: an endowment for junior faculty development; an endowment for student support services; and an unrestricted amount to support the College’s greatest needs. As the year winds down, the campaign stands at $69,074,746 – which is 92% of its goal to raise a minimum of $75 million for Monmouth by Dec. 31, 2022.