James Edwards has been president of Anderson University since 1990. During his time, AU, as it’s affectionately known, has made great strides in becoming a truly international university. Edwards, who uses self-deprecating humor, would probably downplay his contribution to the soaring fortunes of AU, but he’s been instrumental in helping the university make its mark.
Edwards got the job he always wanted. In a two-part interview in The Herald Bulletin this week, Edwards told of attending AU and thinking how great it would be to return as part of the school. He got his wish, and though he knew the responsibility would be awesome, he didn’t hesitate.
His son asked him if he was just going to walk in and be president. Edwards realized the gravity of the question, but that’s exactly what he did.
It’s telling that when Edwards was asked about his greatest accomplishments, he said he wished he could take credit for some of the outstanding alumni who have earned degrees under his watch. His relationship with the students has been exemplary, and he is proud of the fact that students come from all over the world and represent other religions and denominations apart from the Church of God. Along with the diverse student body, an excellent faculty is at work in biology and chemistry, as Edwards noted, and in the renowned business school.
After 19 years, however, Edwards can still see areas in which AU can improve. He says the university is too dependent on tuition for revenue. To help in this area, he’s launched some ambitious fundraisers that have collected millions for improvements. Now he’d like to set his sights on branding for AU, that quality that sets the school apart from other church-affiliated universities. For Catholic schools, the Notre Dame brand comes to mind, the one school that people think of when Catholic schools are mentioned.
Getting that branding takes a single-minded effort toward excellence and peer respect. Edwards is certainly the man who can accomplish this. In fact, Anderson University is well on its way. But he knows that at the same time the traditions and missions that characterize AU must be strengthened. Again, Edwards is the person who can pull all this together.
He would need another 19 years to tie the 39 years of AU’s first president, John Morrison. Though he’s not thinking yet of the endgame, as he put it, he admits that would be a long haul. Still, whoever succeeds Edwards will find a university that has grown and developed its brand during his tenure. Higher education, as Edwards acknowledges, is competitive, and he realizes the importance of staying in front of the curve.
He’s done a great job since 1990, and he will continue to do so.
