Reese Hill began her college search with certain expectations. She sought a safe, small campus, a place where she can find resources or get to help to find them, and a place where she can pursue her passions for theatre and education. Monmouth College was one of two schools that "checked all the boxes," says Hill, who is from Kansas City, Missouri. Hill, who has an older sister, is a theatre education major with an art endorsement.

 

Monmouth College and the city that bears the same name, have been ideal, she says. "I love it here at Monmouth," Hill says. Since the sixth grade, Hill has been involved in theatre. "When I saw that Monmouth had a theatre education program, I said 'well there’s two of my biggest things that I love put together,' so I figured that being a theatre education major, I could, in turn, help future students discover their love and passion for theatre that I have."

 

Robert DiMeo, right, chairman of Fiducient Advisors, said he and his wife, Terri, left, "are honored to help launch this important initiative which carries potential to meaningfully impact student athletes at our ACI member schools. We sincerely appreciate PROLIFIC's tailored approach, and the efforts and creativity put forth by ACI leadership," he added. Robert DiMeo is also an ACI board member.

 

"We firmly believe that when student-athletes receive the same level of coaching and community support during their transitions away from sports as they did while playing, they excel at a high level and achieve remarkable heights," said Nosa Eguae, founding partner, PROLIFIC Institute. "In partnership with ACI, our objective is to act as a strong launching pad for the 10 fellows selected into our program. We are thrilled to offer our support to ACI's member schools and their student-athletes." He also thanked the DiMeos for their support.

 

PROLIFIC Institute is a development firm that offers services to help transition athletes from collegiate athletics into meaningful careers. The firm assists college athletes with coaching, training with content provided by former professional athletes, access to resources and guidance, and job placement services.   

Five presidents of ACI-affiliated colleges and universities, plus a corporate board member and April Arnold, ACI executive director, attended this year's annual Midwest Roundtable on Talent. There, they heard inspiring speakers in business and higher education, and discussed ways to advance student outcomes through cross-sector dialogue and collaboration.

 

"I was impressed by the conversations that took place around a student’s life design, and also by the creative ideas expressed by our ACI-member presidents,” said April Arnold, ACI executive director.

 

Held July 25-27, at Mackinac Island, Michigan, the event drew 70 college and university presidents, plus corporate leaders from 20 states, according to the Michigan College Alliance, which hosts the annual gathering. ACI-affiliated college and university presidents attending were from Dominican University, Elmhurst University, Judson University, McKendree University and Trinity Christian College.

 

Also attending was ACI Corporate Trustee Robert DiMeo, Fiducient Advisors. ACI was one of eight regional partners for the Roundtable, and Fiducient Advisors was an event sponsor for this year's meeting. 

 

The board of trustees of Principia College, Elsah, Illinois, appointed Dr. Daniel Norton, right, as the college's president effective July 1. He succeeded John W. Williams, J.D., who led the college since 2019 as interim president and later, president.

   

Norton has a deep background in higher education that includes serving as associate provost/associate vice president for international programs at The University of Southern Mississippi, where he directed the Center for International Education, according to a Principia College news release. He previously was associate dean of international studies at Goucher College; director of international programs at Stephen F. Austin State University; director of international programs at Muskingum University; and assistant professor of English at American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

 

"I’m so impressed with what Principia does and am very optimistic about its future as an influential global institution," Norton said. "As the parent of a Principia School and Principia College graduate, I have firsthand knowledge of the transformative power of a Principia education." His daughter, Caitlin (Norton) Howe, and son-in-law, Colby Howe, are both Principia graduates. Norton is married to Carolyn McIntyre Norton.

 

Norton earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of South Florida, where he also received a master’s degree in applied linguistics. He earned a doctorate in English/composition and applied linguistics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

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Williams will take a sabbatical before returning to the classroom.

Please consider joining ACI’s monthly giving program to help students in need all year long. For more information, visit https://acifund.org/giving and select "monthly" or call Barbara Jolliff at 312-263-2391, ext. 5 for further assistance.

 

ACI gratefully recognizes the commitment of these foundations, individuals and organizations that contributed to our mission. THANK YOU!

 

 

In her new position, Gomez, who joined ACI in September 2021, will oversee operational efficiency across the organization and continue to manage the scholarship distribution process for ACI. She previously was ACI's director, events and scholarships. In that role, she was responsible for planning and execution of events, such as ACI's Benefit Luncheon and ACI's Professional Development Conferences. She also managed distribution of scholarships to ACI's member colleges and universities, which she will continue.

 

"My passion is to help students get one step closer to graduation with the help of ACI's scholarships," Gomez said. "I also love hearing from students about the impact that ACI has had on their lives."

 

Her professional background includes event management experience in higher education working at ACI-member Aurora University and logistical experience working with Hub Group. She earned both a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from Aurora University. 

 

A team from Knox College debuted its winning entry in the second 150 Media Stream/ACI Digital Arts Contest. The entry, "Full-quieting," explored the evolution of artmaking within mass visual culture, with a combination of paint-on-glass animation, claymation and video elements, according to a description from 150 Media Stream.

 

Team members were James Adamson, left, Elk Ridge, Utah, a junior studying studio art, graphic design and computer science, and Ingrid Wasmer, center, Chicago, a 2022 graduate with a bachelor's degree in studio art and psychology. They worked with Faculty Advisor Tim Stedman, right, Knox College assistant professor of art, to create the video wall display. A public reception and program was held May 3 at the 150 Media Stream display in Chicago. The display is scheduled through Oct. 15.

 

 

In this month’s ACI newsletter, Graystone Consulting, the institutional investment consulting and OCIO business of Morgan Stanley, is pleased to provide, "Endowment Management in the Age of Declining Enrollments and Lower Returns," from our Global Investment Office. The article outlines the exceptional climate endowments higher education currently faces, ranging from declining enrollments to navigating post-Covid. These challenges, coupled with reduced market expectations and increased market headwinds, negatively impact every organization – whether a $10 million or $500 million endowment. As ACI members know all too well, the task is tough to deliver: "Do more with less!"

 

The function of today’s endowment, especially for private schools, has evolved from an important financial asset to an essential lifeline for today and the future mission of the institution. As pressure continues to mount with decreased enrollments, strained budgets, decreased funding and lowered assumptions for future donors, the role of good governance increasingly comes into focus for institutional boards and trustees looking to weather the storm.

 

At Graystone, these challenges are addressed through several tools and initiatives. One is to seek increased long-term returns and better manage risk by strategically deploying less liquid alternative assets to access the "illiquidity premium" (increased returns for owning assets that are not highly liquid). As noted, for schools with greater than $250 million endowments, this is a complex and tailored process. However, Graystone can implement a similar approach for smaller endowments by accessing more liquid ("evergreen") alternative strategies in hedge strategies, infrastructure and private equity (co-investments, secondary and direct).

 

We invite you to review the article and welcome further conversation on how we collaborate with clients to unlock the true potential of your endowment to maximize impact and achieve long-term sustainability and success.

 

For more information, contact:

Robert J. Dow

Executive Director, Impact Investing and Alternative Investment Director

Graystone Consulting

(630) 573-9697 | Robert.J.Dow@msgraystone.com 

 

 

 

Please join us today with a gift, monthly or weekly. Every gift is appreciated in helping a student. Thank you for your support.

 

P.S. Inflation is a challenge for everyone right now, especially for college students. Will your company match your generous gift to double its impact?