Pledges to ‘forge a path toward a future filled with promise, innovation and opportunity.’
Monmouth College celebrated the 15th president in its 171-year history on Friday afternoon, inaugurating Dr. Patricia H. Draves in a ceremony on the plaza in front of Wallace Hall, a building named in honor of the college’s first president, the Rev. David A. Wallace.
“I am filled with immense gratitude and a profound sense of responsibility,” said Draves. “It is not just a privilege to be your president; it is an honor to be entrusted with the legacy of Monmouth College — a legacy built on the ideals of scholarship, leadership, community, service and transformation of students.”
In a message titled “Rooted in Legacy, Growing Our Future,” Draves shared her vision for the college, all the while noting that it will be a group effort.
“We must cultivate a vision that honors our past while embracing the possibilities that lie ahead — together,” she said. “I envision a Monmouth College that is a beacon of academic excellence, celebrates the Monmouth experience, takes advantage of our outstanding location, and is a place where students from all backgrounds come together to learn, grow and challenge one another to reach their full potential.”
Five priorities
A Rhode Island native, Draves is a former member of Monmouth’s faculty, serving alongside her husband, Jeff Draves, in the chemistry department from 2002-06. Jeff is also an alumnus of Monmouth, graduating in 1985.
After an extensive national search, Draves was the unanimous choice of the college’s presidential search committee and took office in July. Before that, she was president of Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, for the previous seven school years.
In her address, Draves said her top priorities are:
* increasing enrollment;
* a continued emphasis on integrating the overall Monmouth experience for students with the college’s excellent academic programs;
* expanding Monmouth’s “culture of connections” to “expand our classroom for our students”;
* keeping a Monmouth education affordable while delivering a quality education;
* and a “digital transformation” that will equip Monmouth students in an increasingly connected world.
“As we tackle these priorities, we come from a position of strength,” said Draves. “We have an abundance of blessings here that so many other campuses do not enjoy. Let us remember that while we honor our history, we must not be bound by it. Monmouth College is a living, breathing entity, one that has the power to adapt and grow. Together, we will forge a path toward a future filled with promise, innovation and opportunity — a future that is rooted in our legacy while embracing the boundless potential of what is yet to come as we grow into our future.”
That abundance of blessings includes a generous, loyal and supportive alumni base and a strong relationship with the surrounding community — a relationship noted in their time at the podium by Monmouth Mayor Rod Davies, a 1974 graduate of the college, and by Richard Giese, Monmouth’s former president and Draves’ mentor at the University of Mount Union, where she was vice president of academic affairs.
Another of the speakers who welcomed Draves was Kamea Graham ’26 of Chicago, who spoke on behalf of the student body. While she was staying on campus this year as a participant in the Doc Kieft Summer Research Program, Graham met the new president.
“I found out how hilarious President Draves is, and also how refreshing her energy is,” said Graham. “She truly loves the students here.”
Founded in 1853 and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Monmouth College offers 44 majors, 41 minors and 14 pre-professional programs. A residential liberal arts college that is the birthplace of the women’s fraternity movement, Monmouth empowers students to realize their full potential, live meaningful lives, pursue successful careers, and shape their communities and the world through service and leadership.
***Courtesy of Barry McNamara, Monmouth College***
