SELLARS, John D.
SELLARS
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/26/2016 at 00:50:13
BIOGRAPHY of DR. JOHN D. SELLARS
Graceland University, Lamoni, Decatur County, IowaIn July, 2007, Dr. John Sellars assumed the presidency of Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, and brought to the post a successful resume in teaching, business, community development, fundraising and academic administration. Before Graceland, Sellars served as the 15th president of Drury University in Springfield, MO, serving in that capacity for two years.
Following service in the Navy in Vietnam, for which he received Navy Unit Commendation and Vietnam Service medals, Sellars completed a BS/BA at Central Missouri State University. He worked for Butler Manufacturing as Plant Controller/CFO at its factory in Story City, Iowa. Pursuing a lifelong interest in religion, Dr. Sellars took full-time church appointment for Community of Christ as bishop (financial officer) in Kansas City where he also attended classes at the St. Paul’s School of Theology. In 1986, he completed a Master of Public Administration degree at the University of Missouri, Kansas City.
Sellars then began a two-decade career in academics. He moved to Graceland University, where he taught business and marketing courses, and later became Vice President for Institutional Advancement. In 1992, he completed a Ph.D. from UMKC. During his first Graceland tenure, Sellars assisted in Graceland’s successful purchase of SkillPath, Inc., a for-profit continuing education corporation that has increased Graceland’s endowment significantly. Sellars has also led institutional advancement teams at Michigan Technological University and Syracuse University. He completed coursework at Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management, the Wharton School in Strategic Planning and Higher Education Marketing and Harvard University’s New Presidents’ Seminar.
Throughout his long career in institutional advancement, Sellars has been a strong advocate of community economic development. Recognizing that universities depend on healthy and vital communities to attract and retain quality faculty, staff and students, Sellars has been active in numerous government and non-profit community-building efforts. He has held positions on the Cox Health Systems Board ($1.6 billion budget), the Iowa governor’s Leadership Development Institute, the Michigan Governor’s Economic Development Board, the New York Development Agency (serving 13 counties in upstate New York) and the Southern Missouri Leadership Forum. He has been a volunteer fundraiser for the Boy Scouts of America, the United Way Appeal (section chair), Rotary Clubs, Lions’ Clubs, the American Red Cross and numerous church efforts. Sellars has also served as a consultant to the University of Missouri, the Thompson Foundation, the India Institutes of Technology, Mankato State University and several national publications.
Sellars has taken an active role in community development. He has consulted with several potential business owners who are exploring opening new stores or expanding old ones, and he presented the keynote speech at the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet. He is also working with community leaders to form a coordinating committee for community development efforts.
Prior to serving as president of Drury University, Sellars was senior vice president for institutional advancement at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. He has strong ties to Missouri. He was born and raised in Independence, and received his bachelor’s degrees from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg. He continued his education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he received a master's degree in public administration in 1986 and the Ph.D. in 1992. Post-graduate studies include the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University and the Strategic Planning and Higher Education Marketing program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
In June 2006, Sellars was one of only 80 presidents of American colleges and universities to participate in the Council of Europe forum “Higher Education and Democratic Culture: Citizenship, Human Rights and Civic Responsibility.” The forum brought together 300 American and European leaders in government policy and higher education to discuss how higher education can support emerging democracies.
Sellars' term at Drury University began with high expectations, but deteriorated when he, in short succession, announced the school was millions of dollars in debt, initiated a re-examination of the university's mission, and appeared to squelch academic freedom following a controversial interview by a faculty member. On April 23, 2007, facing a likely vote of no confidence from the faculty, Sellars resigned.
One month later, on May 24, 2007, Sellars was named the new president of Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, effective July 15. The university's news release notes:
"About his new appointment, Dr. Sellars says, 'My wife, Bette, and I are excited about returning to Graceland. It is an important university for us personally and professionally. We served there previously for nine years, and all three of our children graduated from Graceland. It is also the university of our faith tradition, and we are looking forward to being a part of the Graceland community once again.'"
In June, 2009, Sellars defended the marriage of two men in a ceremony at the Graceland chapel, saying that the university "stands upon a proud tradition of openness, acceptance, understanding, the worth of all persons and the Divine's love for all humankind."
SOURCES:
Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” p. 388. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.
"GU Leadership: President John D. Sellars, Ph. D., CPA."Horizons. p. 2. Graceland University. Lamoni IA. Winter 2007.
dictionary.sensagent.com/John%20Sellars/en-en/
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016
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