Commencement originally was scheduled for Saturday, May 16, but it was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ceremony now will be a part of homecoming weekend, which begins Friday, Oct. 23 with the Alumni Honors Banquet and the Blue and White Mixer.

Thompson said she discussed with the Senior Leadership Group a number of proposed dates for a rescheduled commencement.

鈥淭hen we decided to survey our seniors and ask what they thought, and more than half of them agreed that they would love to come back for homecoming weekend,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always such a wonderful weekend with the parade and the football game.鈥�

Thompson added that their survey revealed that more than half of the students would bring eight people or more to the Oct. 25 ceremony.

President-elect Dr. Doug Palmer, who begins his duties on July 1, 2020, said he will allow Thompson to be 鈥減resident for the day.鈥� She will confer the degrees and congratulate students as they come across the stage.

鈥淐larke and I will do everything in my power to be here for that weekend,鈥� she said.

The Senior Dinner for the Class of 2020 will be on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 24 in the Dining Hall at the Gladys Crown Student Center. A dedication of the Wildcat Plaza is scheduled for that night as well. The plaza, located between the Gladys Crown Student Center and the Carl Johann Memorial Library, will serve as a gathering area for students. A groundbreaking for the plaza is scheduled for the end of June.

Funds for the plaza were raised as part of the annual senior class challenge, which was created in 2011 by Ron Leftwich 鈥�64, chairman of the Board of Trustees, and his wife, Susie. The Leftwichs match every dollar donated by the senior class toward a gift to the College. The wildcat statue that was the gift of the Class of 2017 will be the centerpiece of the new plaza.

Thompson, the 26^th聽president in Culver-Stockton鈥檚 167-year history, is retiring on June 30, 2020. She has led the college for six years and was the first woman president of the college.

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Leftwich, who lives in Houston, Texas, is the chairman of the Board of Trustees at 乱伦社区. He and his wife have been collecting the bears for many years. Their collection offers a wide variety of sizes from miniscule to life size. It also includes an array of styles and techniques, from local and hand-made to ones that have received international acclaim.

Grote, an art teacher with the Bowling Green School District, created Lewis-Grote Illustrations in Frankford in 1995.聽 She apprenticed at the Muny in St. Louis with the outdoor paint crew and assisted in the creation of theatrical scale scenery. She has taken on a wide variety of commissions in illustration and murals along with her full-time teaching position.聽 The oil paintings for her exhibition at Culver-Stockton are part of a series titled 鈥淏aby Barn Art.鈥�

Both exhibits are free and open to the public. A reception will be from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, with a talk by the artists at 2:30 p.m.聽 Gallery hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment.

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Thompson told the Board of Trustees at a meeting on Friday morning, then informed faculty, staff and students at a campus-wide meeting afterward in Merillat Hall.

Thompson, the 26^th聽president in聽Culver-Stockton’s 166-year history, joined the campus community in 2014 from Barton College, another Disciples of Christ institution. Among the accomplishments during Thompson鈥檚 tenure include a 30 percent enrollment increase, the building of a new fully-funded residence hall, the addition of women鈥檚 lacrosse and Esports, and master鈥檚 programs in education and athletic training.

During Thompson’s tenure, the College has differentiated itself in higher education by nationally certifying the faculty in experiential learning pedagogy. Renovations have been completed in nearly every residence hall and academic building, and plans are in place for the Dining Hall renovation this summer. 聽The College has raised nearly $20 million as part of its comprehensive campaign, “Culver-Stockton Changing Lives!”聽

Thompson is the first female president of 乱伦社区. She has served as the chair of the Council of Presidents for the Christian Church Disciples of Christ from 2016-19; recently was a Council of Independent Colleges delegate to the U.S. & Mexico Presidents鈥� Summit in Chicago, and will serve as chair of the Council of Presidents for the Heart of America Conference during the 2019-20 academic year.

鈥淲hat I take greatest pride in is our students of promise and our amazing faculty and staff at 乱伦社区,” Thompson said. “They truly embrace the opportunity for a quality education and are leaders on campus and in the community. I know our students are going to do great things in their positions in business, healthcare, education, entrepreneurship, the ministry and so many other areas. Our experiential learning sets them apart from other college graduates.”

Thompson believes her last year will be the most exciting year yet.

“We have much to accomplish and so much momentum,” she said. “I鈥檓 eager for us to engage in a new strategic planning process and continue to position the College as a national leader in experiential education. I can鈥檛 wait to get started.鈥�

Ron Leftwich ’64, chairman of the Board of Trustees, announced a national search for Thompson’s replacement will begin this summer, with plans to have a new president in place by July 1, 2020.

鈥淜elly Thompson has provided leadership and recognition at the national level,” Leftwich said. “She personalized every area of the College and is so proud of everyone鈥檚 successes in and out of the classroom.聽 She has accomplished great things. There is not an area on campus that has not been positively impacted by her leadership. I hope we can make this next year the best yet.”

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