News

Silver Lake College names new president

A vice president at a western Illinois private college has been named the first lay president of Silver Lake College, Manitowoc. Dr. George Arnold will assume his duties at the four-year, liberal arts and professional degree-granting Catholic college July 1.

The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity sponsor the college and its members have always served as president. Sr. Maureen Anne Shepard, OSF, resigned effective Jan. 1, as president after four years in that position and 20 years at the college. Sr. Paula Vanden Hogen, OSF, has been the acting president.

Dr. Arnold has served since 1996 as vice president for Academic Affairs and academic dean at Monmouth College, Monmouth, Ill.

Prior to that he held various positions, including registrar and associate dean and director of institutional research. He was a full professor of Education and History at Monmouth and chaired the Faculty Senate.

In 1990, he received the Faculty Recognition Award for Outstanding Achievement and in 1992 the Sears-Roebuck Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership.

"His colleagues characterize Dr. Arnold as a person who communicates well and works effectively with others in a collaborative style that builds support and enthusiasm," Sr. Vanden Hogen said.

"These leadership characteristics, along with his experience in moving Monmouth College forward, will serve us well as we welcome him to our campus and the region. I look forward to working with him in furthering the mission of Silver Lake College," she said.

Dr. Arnold earned a Ph.D. at the University of Maryland at College Park and completed his undergraduate degree at Buffalo State University in New York.

He recently led group sessions for the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) that helped college administrators and faculty nationwide deal with pressing issues and concerns.

At Monmouth, he says his top priorities and accomplishments were in major curricular review and renewal, marketing and fund-raising and recruiting highly qualified faculty and other personnel.

In a joint statement, Sr. Louise Hembrecht, OSF, community director of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, and Charles Deibele, chair of the college's board of directors and head of the search committee, said "We have faith and trust that Silver Lake College will be in excellent hands with Dr. Arnold's leadership and the efforts, abilities and commitment demonstrated by current faculty, staff and administrators on a daily basis."

Deibele also said, "Dr. Arnold's leadership style, coupled with his extensive experience, will serve the college well as it embarks on its next growth phase."

Dr. Rolf Wegenke, president of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU) praised the selection saying, "Dr. Arnold's entire career has focused on teaching and collaboration with the K-12 sector and with other colleges and universities. He is the perfect fit for Silver Lake and for WAICU, whose priorities are the same."

Dr. Arnold said he and his wife, Donna, "are thrilled with the offer for me to serve the Silver Lake College community and excited about the opportunity to get to know everyone (from the wider community) once we move to the area."

Monmouth is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. It was founded in 1853 and has 1,162 students - 51% female - from 20 states and 15 foreign countries. Its athletic teams play in the Midwest Conference, NCAA Division III. Monmouth is in western Illinois, 40 miles south of the Quad Cities and about 15 miles east of the Mississippi River.

Silver Lake College was founded in 1935 as Holy Family College. It enrolls 1146 students, 68% of whom are female.