Part II: President Edwards on AU's future

By Dave Stafford, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer

ANDERSON­ — With 20 years at the helm of Anderson University, James L. Edwards is currently the state’s longest-serving college leader. In the second part of a two-day installment, Edwards shares his views on the future of AU and his leadership.

Q: You have said there are big plans and big dreams for Anderson University that just don’t have the money. What are some of those things you would like to see happen?

A: “We have folks who make this campus beautiful and functional who don’t even have their own place for their tools, trucks and all that, so throw a million dollars over there. We have Macholtz Stadium that needs to be totally renewed. .... Baseball facilities and other facilities on the sports end of things.

Most of all in the plans in the future we have a communications and performing arts facility that we have not done detailed planning for but it is in our immediate future, that is, over the next couple of years we have got to put that in place. It’s a need and we are actually receiving and raising some funds for that.

We finally need to get to a distinction for this institution that has something to do with branding but it has more to do with our own sense of what the true essence of our unique mission is. We’re in a very competitive industry here, and most people who drive up and down I-69 probably don’t know there’s much difference between this Christian school and five others within an hour-and-a-half driving distance. ...

Q: The majority of students at AU are not affiliated with the Church of God. Has that changed the mission of the school?

A: “The Church of God has the largest single mass presence in the range of about 30 percent. ... That’s a large mass of students in this place and it certainly is the dominating presence. But, we’re a better institution to have 85 international students. We’re a better institution to have students here from a wide range of predominantly Christian faiths. We occasionally will have students from other world religions ... but for the most part it is the mainstream Christian faith that is on campus.

We have a great obligation and sort of a duty of the heart to our founding church family, and we feel a need to meet their need. That’s the primary mission of this school. But on their behalf, the whole thing will die if you don’t reach out.

When I was a student back here in the ‘50s, I think the assumption was, if you’re not Church of God, you’re not talking about it, you just aren’t. ...

You could probably assume that most students in leadership or taking the stage for one thing or another, (were) probably out of the church community. ... You can’t assume that today.

And I think thankfully so. I think it’s good that student government leadership, certainly has some Church of God kids in it, but it also has folks who have some other orientations, so they feel like they can give their leadership as much as anyplace else. ...

I think the underlying commitment and appreciation for and understanding of the church and the supporting church family is something that I feel I must maintain as a true stewardship of my role. And I’m very comfortable with that. I’m also comfortable with that fact that we have so much to learn from other folks.”

Q: What is the best-kept secret on campus?

A: “Probably (wife) Deanna Edwards. (Laughs) I think people know who she is. She feels a little anonymous sometimes and likes it that way. But quite frankly, she is a person of remarkable gifts and sensitivity, who bears an understanding and commitment to this thing that so enriches what I get to do. I do have somebody I can talk to, truly off the record, who’s right most of the time when I say to her, ‘I’m thinking of doing this. What do you think?’ ...

Her engagement with the broader community over these 20 years ... has been such a wonderful thing for us, for this university, for us as a family. She’s one of the best-kept secrets.

I think we have better science here from an academic point of view. We really have exceptional faculty in chemistry and biology. ... 100 percent of the students who are accepted into the advisement program for pre-med get a medical school placement.

Probably people don’t know how good our grounds crew is. ... Talk about doing much with little. We have an incredible group of folks who know how to bring life out of dirt.”

Q: What have you learned about yourself during your time as president?

A: “There is this balance for anyone who has a leadership responsibility between not taking yourself too seriously and understanding the potential of what you actually get to do. There’s a balance in there. And I am a self-deprecating soul most of the time. ... But I am reminded at times how much people pay attention to the things I say. My throw-off lines are often dangerous because people believe I’m telling them the exact gospel truth and I’m making a joke, you know? So I’ve learned a little of that about myself. ...

. There is a natural reluctance in the soul of this guy to do some things — to be always at the front, to be always on. On the other hand, I know it’s the job. It’s what I have to do. So I go for it. And I’ve learned how to do that and I’ve felt a lot of confidence about doing that. ...

My relationship with students is a whole lot more important to me, and frankly better, than I ever expected. Most people in my work would say they are the joy of the game. They are. ...

We seem to have a thing for each other. We like each other. And that’s been fantastic.”

Q: How long do you believe you’ll continue as AU president?

A: “I know that at some point that does become a question. My wife and I don’t talk a whole lot about the endgame. We have a lot of energy for what we’re doing. We feel like there are certain goals related to our campaign and related to other accomplishments that are in the queue ... that we would be best to get those done. And while we have a lot of draw to do other things with our lives, particularly on the West Coast where our kids are and our grandchildren ... It really has to do with the vibrancy of the institution.

I’ve seen this done well and I’ve seen this done — I’m talking about transition — I’ve seen it done poorly. I just think we’re watching the right things. The relationship with our trustees, what they hope I will be willing to continue to do, the encouragement of a whole key donor base that seems to really value that we are at this work, and our sense of joy in doing it and feeling great and being blessed with good health — it’s all a part of it.

I would doubt I will be setting the record for Anderson University presidents. That’s 39 years. I don’t think I have another 19 to plow into this thing ... but the endgame isn’t in sight yet.”

Q Is there anything we didn’t ask that you’d like to talk about?

A: “Through my younger years, I was so taken with this place as a student and even before I got here. My family did not go on to education, my parents were not college educated. My family always thought this would be the place because it was part of our life.

And I began thinking about having an opportunity to serve at this place when I was a student, in one way or another. I think about what an extraordinary thing it has been to be able to come here, and get to do this work, following people who I’ve so admired, with (former Presidents Robert) Nicholson and (Robert) Reardon and certainly (John) Morrison. There have only been four of us to do this particular job and to watch this and to have my opportunity to literally grow here.

My son Cory asked me, the week I became president in 1990 — he had just graduated from Anderson College ... he said, ‘You’re just going to walk in and be president?’ I thought, ‘What a great question.’ ... But I don’t think I had any idea what the layering on of experiences and relationships would mean in getting this job done over the years. To have this extraordinary opportunity to do what maybe 500-600 people in the country get to do is an amazing thing to me. ... And I know I’m blessed. I’m really blessed to get to do it.”

Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford@heraldbulletin.com

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Read the first part of this interview HERE

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