The desk belonged to Dr. Charles Lee, my history advisor and for whom I worked as a student assistant as an undergraduate. I succeeded him as a history professor. When he passed away, his wife, Anne, gave it to me. It is still Dr. Lee’s desk – I’m just borrowing it.
The photograph of my wife, Lobie, is a larger print of a picture she sent to use for a visa application for an alumni trip to Vietnam that I was leading. It’s the first time I saw her – that radiance and joy has been my foundation ever since.
Come on in. While you probably didn't see his office on your campus tour feel free to take a sneak peek and learn more about this Dr. Pepper-lovin’ college president.
My big brother, Roy, who was participating in the U.S. Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. Roy served as a Marine in the Vietnam War, which inspired my interest in that subject.
Stones and vials of soil from Vietnam. From left: stones from Hoa Lo Prison, better known as the Hanoi Hilton, where American POWs – including Monmouth alumnus Admiral James Stockdale – were held during the Vietnam War; soil from where someone very close to our family lost his life during the war; soil from the Marine base at Khe Sanh; sand from China Beach; and soil from the firebase along the Demilitarized Zone where my brother Roy was stationed.
A gift from Lobie. As a younger person, I didn’t have the opportunity to travel abroad, but my education has since afforded me many such opportunities, and they have enriched my life.
Dr. Pepper to Dr. Wyatt.
Welcome to Wallace Hall. Follow the trail of laughter and camaraderie to the office with the Louis Armstrong and Albert Einstein portraits (painted by an alumnus), where you’ll find the offices of President Wyatt and Dean Willhardt. If you’ve spotted a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper, President Wyatt’s favorite drink, you’re in the right place.
Any member of the campus community is welcome and encouraged to stop by. Pro tip: stop by the candy dish between Jodi and Jevanie’s desks. The door is always open.
Light This Candle
“A flame of white and crimson” has lighted the way for generations of young people for more than 160 years. Through the vision, courage and generosity of the Monmouth family, that flame will burn stronger and brighter. Most of all, through the young men and women whose paths will be illuminated by the Monmouth College experience, the world will be a better place.
Through the Light This Candle campaign, Monmouth will continue to build its endowment by raising a minimum of $75 million by Dec. 31, 2022. This campaign will strengthen the College, now and for the long run, by focusing on four objectives: student financial aid and scholarships, faculty support and academic innovations, living-learning environment, a culture of philanthropy.
