Trustee Reflections
David Adams ‘66
My service on the Eureka board of trustees began in 1999. I had always been close to Eureka College, first through my parents who attended Eureka and later as a student myself. But, living in Minnesota, my contact with the school was mainly through my father, Harold, who was Eureka’s development officer from 1965 to 1982. After he retired I began to lose touch with the school. So I was somewhat surprised, though certainly pleased, to get a call from President Hearne in 1999 inviting me to join the board.
I accepted with great anticipation and upon joining the board was assigned to the Finance Committee, a good spot for someone with a math degree from Eureka. In my first years, the initial excitement faded though as it became clear that enrollment was stuck at around 500 students (not much greater than when I attended in the 1960s) and that the college was operating in the red, borrowing from its meager endowment to cover operating losses. To be honest, it was a very bleak situation. Neither the trustees nor the administration seemed capable of moving the college forward.
But in 2004, with the leadership of two trustees, Duane Livingston and Rennie Atterbury, changes were made that would lead to progress and a new sense of pride at Eureka. Following President Hearne’s resignation and the interim presidency of Paul Lister, Dave Arnold took office as president in mid-2005. Bringing a determination to grow enrollment and improve development and financial management, he has led the college to a peak enrollment of nearly 800 students and financial results that have allowed the college to repay some of the borrowed money and build a respectable endowment. In his tenure we have seen improved student housing, including a new residence hall, and the first new academic building in nearly 100 years. I’d have to say that the dedication of Sanders Hall has been the number one highlight of my time on the board to this point. And I’m very proud that our group of 30 trustees contributed 25% of the cost of the new building.
During these same years, Eureka has worked to build on the legacy of leadership of its most famous alum, Ronald Reagan. For me personally, that has brought the opportunity to tour the Reagan Library and Reagan Ranch and spend 24 hours aboard the USS Ronald Reagan 100 miles out in the Pacific Ocean as its crew trained for deployment. Through the Ronald W. Reagan Society, the college has honored a number of American and world leaders. As a trustee it has been a special privilege to meet such impressive leaders as Mikhail Gorbachev, Edwin Meese, James Baker, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, General P. X. Kelley and Newt Gingrich. I’ve also enjoyed meeting a number of authors who have written about Ronald Reagan, including Craig Shirley who is now a fellow trustee. And it’s been fun in recent years to have the Eureka football team play two or three “away” games right in my back yard in Minnesota.
As I complete my 15th year as a trustee I am very optimistic about the future of Eureka College. With many colleges cutting budgets due to declining enrollment, Eureka is planning for growth in enrollment and financial strength. It’s very exciting to anticipate a new Institute for American Opportunity that will help Eureka carry out its mission of cultivating excellence in learning, service and leadership.
