A Message from President Dobbins

There has been so much to celebrate at McKendree lately. For the past two years, our institution has seen the direct results of our Clear Path initiative with increased enrollment across the board. This fall we welcomed the second largest class in school history – a class that has already demonstrated its academic prowess and potential with 30 percent of our new students receiving honors scholarships. Our continued success can be attributed to various factors, especially our Clear Path initiative, which began in the fall of 2021. I’m pleased to report that we have now expanded this initiative to include a total of 63 counties in Illinois, which will show even more Bearcats in our own backyard how a McKendree education is affordable.

McKendree has also taken important steps in helping to solve the teacher shortage that is still present in Illinois with an all-new offering: the Paraprofessional+ Pathway program. This program is fully online and is perfect for paraprofessionals such as teacher’s aides and assistants to become licensed teachers at the elementary level in only two years. I am proud to say that this program has already made a positive impact on our students and the communities in which they serve.

McKendree’s School of Education has also formed a partnership with O’Fallon School District 90 through a program called TEACHD90, which offers the opportunity for selected staff members to obtain their teaching license through our Paraprofessional+ Pathway program while remaining employed in the district.

Furthermore, we are helping to fill in the educational gaps in Illinois by providing a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, which allows paraprofessionals who hold a bachelor’s degree to receive their initial licensure in elementary, middle school, and secondary education. To date, we have enrolled 71 teacher’s aides in these programs.

As our institution continues to see impressive growth and prepares for exciting improvements, McKendree stands ready to welcome future generations of Bearcats with optimism and pride, thanks to the tireless work of our faculty and staff. I am constantly inspired by their dedication in educating, encouraging, and connecting with our students, both in and outside of the classroom. You can see all the many ways our alma mater continues to shine and engage with our students and community throughout this edition of The McKendrean.

Today and always, through the efforts and support of many, I remain proud to be a Bearcat!