From the Editor

Dear alumni, friends, and readers,

Thank you for taking the time to read this magazine and peruse its pages. I hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen in this edition and that it has reminded you of the good times you had as a student. Even before McKendree became a university, this institution has always been one to reach out and show its students that it cared and was interested in giving them the best education possible. My professors continuously challenged us inside (and outside) the classroom with thought-provoking discussions. The campus community came together to give students a break and a space to unwind with late-night pancake dinners during Stress Fest. My bandmates and I learned from our director and each other how to better our communication skills and be aware of one another through marching band drills – and we cheered our hearts out in the stands for the Bearcats as they took on their opponents.

 

McKendree has also shown its students from near and far that they aren’t alone and that they matter, both then and now. Every day as a staff member, I see the campus community reaching out to its students in both big and small ways. An international food festival is held and the students who have recreated their homeland’s beloved dishes proudly share their heritage with others. Kind professors enthusiastically answer an inquisitive student’s questions, whether during class time, out on the Quad, or during office hours. Counseling is given; prayers are shared. Even something as simple as a smile and a wholehearted, “Hi, how are you?” from others is often enough to help a student feel less homesick.

 

Think back to the time when you were a student. In what ways did McKendree make you feel engaged and heard? How did the university make you feel like your thoughts and achievements mattered? How were you and your classmates celebrated in ordinary and extraordinary ways? Email us at magazine@mckendree.edu and your answers might be featured in the next edition of The McKendrean.

 

I look forward to hearing from you soon and hope you will continue enjoying future editions of The McKendrean!

 

 

Tina (Napper) Tebbe ’08

Director of Institutional Communications