Eureka College removes ‘interim’ from leader’s job title

Posted on July 12, 2017

 

Eureka College’s President, Jamel Wright. (Photo courtesy of Eureka College.)

 

By Howard Packowitz

Eureka College’s 27th president is a woman’s who’s held the office on an interim basis for the past year.

Jamel Wright was introduced Tuesday as the choice to lead the 163 year old institution, which is the smallest college to graduate a future President of the United States, that being Ronald Reagan.

Wright is credited for introducing a program called the Uniquely Eureka Advantage, in which the university pledges to graduate incoming students in four years, freeze their tuition. and provide opportunities to study abroad.

“I can have the best ideas in the world. I can be the greatest leader in the world, but if there are not people who are open-minded, who come to the table prepared to go with the team, go with the vision of the institution, then we’re going to fail every time,” said Wright.

She is a St. Louis native, and received her doctorate and master’s degrees from the University of Kansas in communication studies.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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