The trustees also:

• Recognized Dr. Carol Fisher Mathieson, professor of music emerita, for her 45 years of service.
• Acknowledged the hard work and diligence of the employees of Culver-Stockton in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Took a moment to remember the life of Robert F. Stone ‘71 of Hoffman Estates, Ill., a longtime trustee who died in March.
• Thanked R. Kent Clow ‘78 of Olathe, Kan., for his service to the Board of Trustees. Clow retired from the board in May.

Thompson, the 26^th president in Culver-Stockton’s 167-year history, is retiring on June 30. She has led the college for six years and was the first woman president of the college.

A resolution passed by the trustees noted that Thompson has “served the College with distinction, integrity, honor and success throughout her term.” Ronald W. Leftwich ’64 is the chairman of the Board of Trustees.

The title of “emerita” (or “emeritus” when given to a male) often is given to a person retired from professional life but permitted to retain the rank of the last office held as an honorary title.

The resolution praised Thompson for leading the “Culver-Stockton: Changing Lives!” comprehensive campaign that was designed to raise $25 million during an eight-year timeframe but far exceeded its goal, raising nearly $35 million and accomplishing most of its goals two years ahead of schedule. She also was congratulated for keeping enrollment numbers consistently strong. Total enrollment has topped more than 1,000 students for five consecutive years.

The resolution lauded Thompson for her efforts to support Culver-Stockton’s 12 plus 3 academic semester calendar and its emphasis on experiential education. Thompson also led the fundraising efforts for the Carolyn L. and Robert W. Brown Residence Center, a $3 million facility that was completed in 2017, and an experiential learning center to be built as an addition to the Gladys Crown Student Center, as well as renovations to nearly every other building on campus.

Dr. Douglas Palmer, who has served as provost, vice president of academic affairs and dean at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio, since 2015, will begin his duties as Thompson’s replacement on July 1, 2020.

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Mathieson, a soprano and professor of music emerita at ��������, has been part of the Sunday Music Series for 45 years. She has appeared frequently in the Quincy area as a singer of opera and art song. Under Mathieson’s direction for several decades, the �������� Opera Workshop performed chamber opera at the college and in local schools through opera outreach. She has received the Abbott and Burlington awards for excellence in teaching. She serves on the boards of numerous arts organizations, including the Muddy River Opera Company and the Canton Area Arts Council. A certified church musician, she is a minister of music and has been the organist at Unitarian Church since 1977.

Mixing non-traditional music with a usual blend of classics and favorites, this year’s concert showcases the artistry of faculty colleagues and friends at ��������. They will be performing in such diverse styles as a shakuhachi flute-inspired lyrical piece for soprano saxophone,  contrasted with a Brahms trio and familiar lyrical arias and art songs alternating with the freshly composed avant-garde.

Joining Mathieson will be pianist Dylan Marney, an associate professor in music at C-SC; tenor Scotty Allison, an assistant professor of music at C-SC; saxophonist Trent Hollinger, an associate professor of music at C-SC; mezzo-soprano Lisa Blake, an adjunct professor of music at C-SC; organist Rhonda Basinger; and violist David Hermann.

The Quincy Sunday Music Series is a venue for free musical recitals typically on the last Sunday of the month in Quincy churches. The public is welcomed free of charge.

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The opera will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27 in Merillat Hall in the Robert W. Brown Performing Arts Center, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28 at the Lewis Street Playhouse in downtown Canton. Admission is free. Children are encouraged to bring their parents.

Members of the cast are:

• Madison Palmer (Jack), an English major from Pittsfield, Ill.;
• Nicole Smart (Mother), a music education major from Willow Springs, Mo.;
• Logan Starkey (Storyteller), a musical theater major from Arnold, Mo.;
• Kar’Mel Brewer (Trouble Man), an elementary education major from St. Louis;
• Jonathon Williams (Garden Sprite), a music education major from Mountain View, Mo.;
• Victoria Alumbaugh (Lady Buttercup), a music education major from Neoga, Ill.
• Hali Liles (Giant’s Wife), a musical theatre major from Mountain View, Mo.;
• Matthew Scheuermann (Giant), a theater major from Quincy, Ill.

The C-SC Opera Workshop has joined with John Wood Community College and Quincy University, under the sponsorship of Muddy River Opera Company’s Opera Outreach, to bring “Jack and the Beanstalk” to local schools to promote understanding of and appreciation for opera’s foundational part in all musical theatre. JWCC and QU toured schools in Illinois with their casts in March, and C-SC’s cast will visit Hannibal on April 29 and Palmyra on April 30.

Carol Mathieson, professor emerita of music, directs the C-SC Opera Workshop, and Liles is the assistant director. Connie Phillips designed the stage direction. The production is part of C-SC’s Academic and Cultural Events programming. The Lewis Street Playhouse and C-SC are member organizations of the Canton Area Arts Council, a non-profit organization associated with the Missouri Arts Council and the Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies. Muddy River Opera Company is a non-profit organization associated with the Illinois Arts Council.

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