October 20, 2023

Dear fellow members of the IWU community,

I have notified Tim Szerlong, the Chair of our Board of Trustees, that I will be stepping down from the presidency of Illinois Wesleyan at the conclusion of this academic year. This marks my fifth year at the university. When I came to the university in 2019, in a one-year interim position, it was a great honor to be asked to continue to serve as the 20th president of Illinois Wesleyan. I have deeply appreciated the confidence the Board has placed in me. 

At IWU, I have been blessed with wonderful colleagues in the senior administration, as well as a tremendously supportive board of trustees. I have cherished every opportunity to meet with our amazing alumni—who are so grateful for their IWU education and so effective and successful in their chosen paths after graduation. My interactions with current bright and engaging students convince me that they, too, will accomplish great things.

The Bloomington/ Normal community has also been very welcoming to my husband, Tom Scherer, and me. The relationship and collaboration among the three higher education institutions in the twin cities and other community organizations is a special treasure—not always found elsewhere. I have enjoyed especially the opportunity to serve on the board of the outstanding McLean County Historical Museum.

The past decade has been the most difficult time for colleges and universities in my lifetime. I say this from the perspective of 50 years in higher education, 20 of those as a college president. Social, political, cultural, and economic changes and trends have all contributed to these challenges. In my years at IWU, I have tried to navigate these choppy waters as well as possible, to position the university for future success. I firmly believe the tide will eventually turn, and that Illinois Wesleyan has many strengths that will lead to future success. 

The university is embarking on a comprehensive fund-raising campaign. It is especially important to note that this is not “the president’s plan”; it is the plan that, in the current educational context, offers the greatest opportunity for Illinois Wesleyan to enhance its strengths and evolve into areas of growing interest among students and growing need in our world. I will continue to devote my energies to the achievement of those goals.

Georgia Nugent