Westminster College officials are looking toward the future a week after President Benjamin Ola. Akande and seven trustees announced their resignations.
Interim President Carolyn Perry said Friday the college, founded in Fulton in 1853, will continue to serve in its historic role.
"We can reassure the community that we are here to stay," Perry said. "We are firmly committed."
Perry has served Westminster since 1991, most recently as senior vice president and dean of faculty. She pointed to the college's track record of student success, stressing the college maintains a 96 percent placement rate.
"That means 96 percent have jobs or are in graduate school within six months (of graduation)," she said. "Not all small colleges can say the same."
Student numbers have dropped, however. Official enrollment figures will be released later this week by Westminster College officials, but current figures show a decline of total degree-seeking, on-campus students.
As of Friday, that total included 756 students, compared to 849 last year. The college welcomed 212 new students this fall, compared to 243 in fall 2016. And 544 students returned this fall, compared to 606 this time last year.
John Panettiere, chair of the college's board of directors, said he has faith Perry will lead the college skillfully until the next president is found.
"She's a proven leader," he said. "The students are truly behind her."
While serving as interim president, Perry will lead the search for a permanent president, she said.
"We spent the last few years laying the foundation for this college to live more vibrantly, and we're there now," she added. "We have the kind of people who can lead us forward. And we have every intention to holding on to the best that Westminster has to offer."
Panettiere said college representatives will proceed thoughtfully and carefully while searching for their new president.
"We would hope to start the second semester with a new president," he said, adding candidates will be vetted "clearly and completely."
The college injected new blood into the staff this week, introducing Ken Maher, who will become chief financial officer and chief operating officer. Also hired was Bomani Spell, new vice president and dean of student life.
Spell, who was one of 80 applicants for that job, comes from Tuskegee, Alabama, and is already on campus making his presence known. He is finishing work on his doctorate in higher education administration and holds other degrees from Southern Illinois University.
"As the new vice president and dean of student life, my goals are to continue to build an educational foundation of leadership, citizenship and maturation through volunteer services." he said. " My philosophy is to prepare our students for the rigors of leadership in a world in desperate need of those who are able to navigate through different customs, cultures, languages and ideals."
Spell and his wife Heather, an industrial engineer and project manager for an environmental firm, have four children and have been foster parents for more than 30 children.
Maher is relocating to Columbia from Shaumburg, Illinois, and will start Monday at Westminster. Besides maintaining a career in the financial sector, he also served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a captain in military intelligence (2001-10) and performed one combat tour in Iraq. He was awarded the Iraqi Freedom Campaign Medal, Combat Action Badge and two Army commendation medals.
"I am excited to join an organization with such a rich history in educating students and developing future leaders," he said.
Maher and his wife Deborah have one son, Colin, a freshman at the University of Notre Dame.
"We're very happy to have them," board trustee Bruce Brookby said. "They'll round out the team and bring a lot of expertise."