University presidents have an incredibly broad purview. During their tenure, nearly every dimension of a school’s life — from financial solvency, enrollment, and student morale — is, in some sense, judged as a referendum on the president’s leadership.
Those of us outside the university ecosystems have a vague sense that the presidency is an incredibly responsible job. But what we usually don’t know is how these presidents see their day-to-day activities stacking up toward priorities that shape Wesleyan higher education’s future.
Here are three key dimensions of presidential responsibility discovered in conversation with three of our five Wesleyan educational institution presidents: Dr. Wayne Lewis, Houghton University, Houghton, New York; Dr. Jon Kulaga, Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU), Marion, Indiana; Dr. William Barker, Southern Wesleyan University (SWU), Central, South Carolina.
Zooming in and zooming out
For Dr. Jon Kulaga, IWU president since 2022, daily appointments (with faculty, administrators, students and donors) become an opportunity to stay curious about how IWU is doing in fulfilling its mission.
As people tell the story of their experiences with IWU, Dr. Kulaga and others around him get the chance to discover how the IWU experience forms students in character, scholarship and leadership — zooming in on how every dimension of IWU’s culture shapes the student body.
“When I think about all we are doing at IWU — the question that keeps rising to the top is about mission. Are we integrating the winsomeness of the Wesleyan perspective of the gospel into each major, each discipline and every course? Every person we hire and program we launch comes back to the question — does this help us fulfill our mission,” reflected Dr. Kulaga.
Dr. Wayne Lewis, Houghton University president since 2021, similarly highlights the zoomed-in focus of developing excellent professionals in every major and field of study. This approach, he says, allows Houghton to develop people who see their work in the context of God’s “very good” creation and Christ’s invitation to wholeness.
“Some of our students are responding to God’s calling to ordained ministry, but most others are sensing God’s calling in other professional arenas like medicine, law, business or education,” reflected Dr. Lewis. Faculty support, made possible by low student-to-faculty ratios, along with connections to internships and alumni help students explore how their chosen careers can be a missional opportunity.
Dr. William Barker, president of Southern Wesleyan University, adds to this vision with a focus on shaping a university-wide culture grounded in biblical faithfulness and educational excellence. “I take very seriously the responsibility of my role to set and shape a university-wide culture of biblical faithfulness, educational excellence and human flourishing,” he says. His approach involves investing in people across all sectors of the university and equipping leadership at every level to pour into students. “This work begins with prayer and is sustained by prayer,” Dr. Barker emphasizes.
Stewarding the future
All three presidents see their university’s mission as the guiding influence when determining which future opportunities to embrace. Christian higher education continues to innovate, and part of their role is to help their universities remain sustainable and missionally focused.
IWU has added engineering and aviation majors while Houghton launched majors in forensic science and expanded computer science. Southern Wesleyan values the wisdom of its traditions while planning strategically for a rapidly evolving educational landscape. “New generations of students have the same needs as their predecessors,” Dr. Barker notes, “but they also arrive on campus influenced by today’s technology and cultural tides. At SWU, we plan for both the wisdom of our heritage and the future.”
For SWU, this future-focused planning also means helping students discern their vocations. “The world needs a thinking church which can engage society’s complex questions,” says Dr. Barker. SWU prepares students by challenging them rigorously in academics while cultivating their love for Christ and their understanding of scripture.
Cultivating the soil
At the heart of Wesleyan higher education is the goal of forming the whole person toward hope and holiness. Each president highlights how their institution’s mission is cultivating the soil — creating the conditions that help students become the person God is calling them to be and empowering them to step into leadership roles in the marketplace and church.
“The president has three basic jobs — state the mission, see the vision and set the tone. These are the lenses through which we view our calling, as well as our daily tasks,” said Dr. Kulaga.
For Dr. Lewis, missional fidelity is visible through leadership and communication. “I see the most important aspect of my role being the keeper of the mission and vision of the university — ensuring we never lose sight of our calling.”
For Dr. Barker, this comes to life by creating intentional spaces for conversation and prayer across the campus. By shaping a vision for the future and engaging students in dialogue, SWU is ensuring students leave equipped to impact the world with the love and truth of God in any vocational field.
For more information on Wesleyan Higher Education, visit wesleyan.org/ecd.
Rev. Ethan Linder is the pastor of discipleship at College Wesleyan Church in Marion, Indiana, and contributing editor at The Wesleyan Church’s Education and Clergy Development Division.
