{"id":161,"date":"2017-06-22T19:45:32","date_gmt":"2017-06-22T19:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/?page_id=161"},"modified":"2025-09-19T16:29:51","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T21:29:51","slug":"president","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/president\/","title":{"rendered":"Office of the President"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:30px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:30px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_5 1_5 fusion-one-fifth fusion-column-first\" style=\"width:20%;width:calc(20% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.2 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-widget-area fusion-widget-area-1 fusion-content-widget-area\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-widget-area-1 {padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;}.fusion-widget-area-1 .widget h4 {color:#333333;}.fusion-widget-area-1 .widget .heading h4 {color:#333333;}.fusion-widget-area-1 .widget h4 {font-size:13px;}.fusion-widget-area-1 .widget .heading h4 {font-size:13px;}<\/style><div id=\"ct_jquery_3level_accordion_menu_widget-3\" class=\"widget \" style=\"border-style: solid;border-color:transparent;border-width:0px;\"><div class=\"menu-president-container\"><ul id=\"ct_jquery_3level_accordion_menu_widget-3-menu\" class=\"ctAccordion skin-SimpleLines\"><li id=\"menu-item-639\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-639\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/president\/\">Welcome<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-645\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-645\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/president\/messages\/\">Messages<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-640\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-640\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/president\/feedback\/\">Feedback<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-1017\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-1017\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/institutional-standing-committees\/\">Institutional Standing Committees<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-978\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-978\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/MWSU-Org-Chart-Feb-2026.pdf\">Organization Chart<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-977\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-977\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/presidents-cabinet\/\">President&#8217;s Cabinet<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-879\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-879\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/president\/speaking-engagement-form\/\">Speaking Requests<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-945\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-945\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/strategicplan\/\">Strategic Plan<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><div id=\"text-11\" class=\"widget widget_text\" style=\"border-style: solid;border-color:transparent;border-width:0px;\">\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p>Popplewell Hall 218<br \/>\n<a href=\"tel:+18162714237\">(816) 271-4237<\/a><br \/>\npresident@missouriwestern.edu<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"fusion-additional-widget-content\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_3_5 3_5 fusion-three-fifth\" style=\"width:60%;width:calc(60% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.6 ) );margin-right: 4%;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-1 fusion-title-center fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\" style=\"font-size:28px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:31px;\"><div class=\"title-sep-container title-sep-container-left\"><div class=\"title-sep sep-double sep-solid\" style=\"border-color:#e0dede;\"><\/div><\/div><h2 class=\"title-heading-center\" style=\"margin:0;font-size:1em;\">Welcome<\/h2><div class=\"title-sep-container title-sep-container-right\"><div class=\"title-sep sep-double sep-solid\" style=\"border-color:#e0dede;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><h3>Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy<img class=\"wp-image-941 size-full alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/ElizabethKennedy.png\" alt=\"Elizabeth Kennedy Portrait\" width=\"320\" height=\"288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/ElizabethKennedy-200x180.png 200w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/ElizabethKennedy-300x270.png 300w, https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/ElizabethKennedy.png 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/><\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy became Interim President of 大象传媒 in August 2020 and was named the University\u2019s sixth President on Feb. 25, 2021.<\/p>\n<p>As president, she has spearheaded several key capital projects, including the $15M Houlne Center for Convergent Technology, a $2.5M Student Success Hub in the Hearnes Center Library, and $2.4M in dynamic learning space improvements to the Dr. Thompson E. Potter Fine Arts Center (Potter Hall). Dr. Kennedy has led several key initiatives for the university, such as the Nursing Scholars of Promise, a partnership with Mosaic Life Care that provides financial, academic and career support to selected 大象传媒 nursing students, and a Direct Admission program with the Saint Joseph School District, the first partnership of its kind between a four-year public university and a public school district in 大象传媒.<\/p>\n<p>Under Dr. Kennedy\u2019s leadership, the 大象传媒 has developed several new, in-demand programs including bachelor\u2019s degrees in cybersecurity and respiratory therapy and master\u2019s degrees in social work and teaching\/secondary education. She has fostered the development of vital partnerships with North Central 大象传媒 College, the Saint Joseph Chamber of Commerce, the Saint Joseph School District, and many local businesses, industries, and agencies.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Kennedy was appointed to the 大象传媒 Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development Commissioner\u2019s Advisory Group in 2022.\u00a0 She is a member of 大象传媒\u2019s Council on Public Higher Education, where she was elected as vice chair (2023 \u2013 2024) and then chair (2024 \u2013 present). She serves on several boards of directors, including the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, the St. Joseph Community Alliance, Innovation Stockyard, Mosaic Life Care, Mosaic Life Care Foundation, and the MIAA CEO Council.<\/p>\n<p>Her 29-year career in higher education has included multiple roles in upper administration as well as 17 years in the classroom as a Professor of Social Science. Dr. Kennedy holds a PhD in Psychology \u2013 Applied Cognitive Aging and earned Certification in Thanatology \u2013 Death, Dying, and Bereavement from the Association of Death Education and Counseling (ADEC). She also served as a Bereavement Specialist for the Hospice of Medina\/Summit Counties in Northeast Ohio for nearly 12 years.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Kennedy has demonstrated a keen\u00a0 ability to connect with faculty, staff, and students and is deeply committed to the mission of 大象传媒 for our campus, our community, and our region. Dr. Kennedy grew up in Kansas City, graduated from Ruskin High School and has family in the Kansas City area.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Kennedy has made the City of Saint Joseph her home and is engaged in many aspects of the Saint Joseph community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_6 1_6 fusion-one-sixth fusion-column-last\" style=\"width:16.666666666667%;width:calc(16.666666666667% - ( ( 4% + 4% ) * 0.16666666666667 ) );margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"100-width.php","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/161"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161"}],"version-history":[{"count":82,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1326,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/161\/revisions\/1326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}