DANA PRESIDENT TO RETIRE AFTER 19 YEARS

Dana College President Myrvin Christopherson announced to the Dana College campus community this morning that he is retiring after 19 years in office.

Christopherson will continue to serve the college in his current capacity until he assumes the title of President Emeritus on July 1, 2005, when his existing contract expires. As President Emeritus he will carry a reduced load with selected responsibilities in fundraising, community relations and board development. He will be assisted in many of these duties by his wife, Anne, who serves as Dana’s Director of Special Events and Projects and has been the coordinator of the popular “Sights and Sounds of Christmas” festival and smorgasbord for many years.

“ Myrv and his wife, Anne, are much loved at Dana. They have been a Godsend to the growth and development of Dana,” said Dana Board of Regents Chairman Richard Vierk. “Their mark is everywhere on the Dana campus and community. Their legacy is rich and deep. We are delighted that they will continue to serve Dana even if it’s on a reduced time basis.”

Christopherson’s retirement was accepted by the Board of Regents at their fall meeting last weekend.

At the announcement to the Dana faculty and staff this morning Christopherson said, “I’m looking forward to a reduced load and more time for family. Anne and I have had a wonderful experience here and are very proud of Dana College. We hope to be able to continue to make a contribution without having the fuller load we’ve enjoyed for the past 19 years.”

Vierk announced that a search for a new President will begin immediately in hopes that a successor can be found to assume duties on or about July 1 when Christopherson vacates the office.

The search committee will include Regents and members of the faculty and staff. Applications and nominations can be directed to the Presidential Search Committee at Dana College until the search is complete.

Christopherson, 65, came to Dana as President July 1, 1986, from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point where he was Associate Dean of Communication and Fine Arts. Prior to that he taught at Purdue University where he received his master’s and doctoral degrees in philosophy and communication, and at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, his first full-time teaching position after the Ph.D. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Dana College in 1961.

Under Christopherson’s leadership Dana has grown from 396 to 622 full-time students. This fall Dana reported its highest enrollment since 1970 when scores of students enrolled to escape the Vietnam draft.

During his presidency, the endowment has grown from about $1 million to more than $12 million today. In total nearly $100 million has been secured in current and deferred gifts for scholarships, endowment, and campus improvements.

Buildings completed include the Margre Henningson Durham Center and Trinity Chapel, the Art addition to the Madsen Fine Arts Center, the Gardner-Hawks Center and the Cooperman Atrium, a new all-weather track, a competition soccer field, football and soccer practice fields, significant upgrades of science and art facilities, and many renovation and beautification projects. During his Presidency Dana has taken a lead in technology enabling Dana to advertise “the most wireless campus in Nebraska.”

Academic programs have also grown under his leadership. He facilitated creation of the annual presidential scholarship competition, the Morton Scholars Program for honors students, new or revised academic programs in accounting, psychology, criminal justice, special education, computer science, graphic design, e-studies, interactive media, and sports management. Sports programs have also grown during the Christopherson administration with the addition of both men’s and women’s soccer and women’s golf.

Christopherson’s leadership at both the state and national level has been extensive. He has served as a past chairman of both the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Nebraska (AICUN), and the Nebraska Independent College Foundation (NICF), and is a past member of the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. He currently serves as Chairman of the Nebraska Educational Finance Authority (NEFA), as Chairman of the Council of Presidents of the Great Plains Athletics Conference (GPAC), and nationally he is Secretary of the Foundation for Independent Higher Education (FIHE). He is also a member of the Board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and of the Council of Presidents of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

He is currently the longest serving president among the 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He is past president of the ELCA Presidents Council and of the Lutheran Education Conference of America (LECNA), the greater fellowship of Lutheran Colleges in Canada and the United States. Wartburg Theological Seminary awarded Christopherson an honorary doctorate of divinity degree in 1998 to honor his service to the church and higher education.

Higher education accreditation has been among Christopherson’s special interests. For several years he has been a consultant-evaluator and team chair for The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, the entity responsible for accrediting colleges and universities in a 19-state region. He also served as an officer and board member of the Palmer Chiropractic University with colleges in Davenport, Iowa, Santa Clara, Calif., and Port Orange, Fla. Christopherson is listed in “Who’s Who in America” and “Who’s Who in the World.”

Dana College was founded by Danish pioneers in 1884 and Christopherson has been active in maintaining relations between the college and Denmark. During his administration the Danish Immigrant Archive at Dana College has prospered, and Dana’s Lur Publications, under the leadership of Dr. John W. Nielsen, has published a dozen books relating to the immigrant experience. In addition, the Dana Chorale has made three tours to Denmark and Germany, January Discovery Term students have studied in Denmark, and Dana’s men’s and women’s basketball teams have been invited to play and teach basketball skills in Copenhagen. This fall 32 Danish students from the Vejle Business College came to study at Dana. In 1997 Queen Margethe II of Denmark made Christopherson a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog.

In January, the Blair Chamber of Commerce honored Anne and Myrv Christopherson with their annual “Community Service Award” for their active promotion and support of Blair.

Board Chair Vierk said, “Anne and Myrv have been a team at Dana, and that’s a rare find. We’re delighted that Dana has been the beneficiary of their service for so many years.

“ We’re poised for continued growth and development. I think Myrv and Anne now deserve a lighter load. It’s a good time to seek a new president.”

For more information, contact Carrie Reed, Director of College Relations and Marketing, 402-426-7385

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