Dr. Rebecca Neiduski was named the 18^th Wartburg College president on March 21, 2022. She will join the Wartburg team on July 1, 2022. Keep reading to learn more about her experience, what pushes her, and her passions.

Why Wartburg? Why now?

My entire career has been built on the values of Wartburg’s mission statement. Throughout my career, I have challenged and nurtured others to reach their greatest potential and provided leadership and service at universities, in the classroom, and around the world. Being raised as a Lutheran by Lutheran school teachers instilled in me a deep commitment to the integration of faith and learning.

How have your experiences prepared you for this moment?

Being an occupational therapist (OT), the way I see the world is through the lens of opportunity. We can make our programs and our initiatives better by looking for possibilities, by adapting our thinking and our approach to optimize outcomes. I constantly ask the question, Are we doing the best we can? I’m really excited about bringing my OT skill set and way of thinking to this presidency.

As a certified hand therapist, I managed a trauma center. I had to be nimble and pivot quickly. I had to think very carefully and logically. Being able to work under high stress and being able to respond quickly and intentionally to situations has prepared me for a presidential role.

As a young academic, I was introduced to the importance of a liberal arts education by a great mentor at Maryville University who helped guide my path. I loved being a faculty member and embraced everything it took to achieve tenure — the balance of teaching, scholarship, and service, as well as advising and mentoring, which I found incredibly rewarding. Being a department chair afforded me the opportunity to learn about successful accreditation practices and how to build programs ranging from fully face-to-face to hybrid to online. At Elon University, I learned how to execute a strategic plan: how to build it, set priorities around it, and collaborate to get the work done. Elon also uses data to inform and improve initiatives on campus, and I am excited to bring my interest in data and analytics to Wartburg College to ensure we have the information we need to make great decisions moving forward.

How can Wartburg provide a meaningful experience for its students?

Being a four-year residential campus and a tight-knit community allows faculty and staff to challenge and nurture students both inside and outside the classroom. We have the privilege of helping them grow personally, emotionally, socially, and academically. College is a critical moment in their lives, the time when they will grow into the adults we know can change the world.

You have traveled extensively. Tell us more about those experiences.

I have traveled to Guatemala 18 times with the Guatemala Healing Hands Foundation. Providing sustained education, medical outreach, and service in an underserved area of the world has invigorated in me a responsibility to use my God-given gifts to serve others. Returning to Guatemala time and time again has taught me that the relationships you hold and the people you learn from can truly change your life.

I’ve also taken students to Nicaragua and have traveled to Cambodia and Haiti to provide specialized care to people who would not otherwise have access. These trips have broadened my world view through intentional service, creating in me an acknowledgment of my own privilege and the impact of health care and education on opportunities in life.

How does that translate into your diversity, equity, and inclusion work here?

When I think about inclusive excellence, I think about shared responsibility. I have spent intentional time examining my privilege and considering identities that are different than my own. The work of diversity, equity, and inclusion impels us to treat people with dignity and grace, honoring their identities, honoring our differences, and making this world a place where all of us have space to live, learn, and grow together.

What do you think is the greatest opportunity ahead for Wartburg?

I think the greatest opportunity for Wartburg lies in the willingness of the college to engage in academic innovation. While interacting with people throughout the search process and upon reviewing the strategic plan, it is clear to me that the Wartburg community is willing, ready, and able to think about the future of higher education. And that makes me very excited.

And what are the greatest challenges?

The challenge we all face in this moment is our continued commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will need to stay in the work of building a campus where every person is known by name and by story, feels like they are part of the Wartburg family, and is a beloved member of this community. We must continue to lift up all students, faculty, and staff for the identities they bring to this space.

As we move into the endemic phase of COVID-19, we will need to harness the resilience and fortitude our community has demonstrated to create energy and reinvigorate our shared commitment to higher education. Together, we will renew morale on campus, ensuring that people feel known and valued for the work they are doing, for the extra work they have done, and for the challenges we have all faced over the past two years.

Your mother and father both taught at Lutheran schools. How did they react when you told them you were going to be the president of a Lutheran college?

As Lutheran educators, my parents are both thrilled for my return to a Lutheran college. My dad has texted every day since he heard the news and almost every hour since we arrived on campus for the presidential announcement. Our families are very supportive and proud.

What is something people should know about you that they won’t find on your CV?

I am very adventurous. I have zip-lined in many countries of the world — Nicaragua, Guatemala, South Africa – and many places here in the states. I went backpacking with a group of incoming students to Elon a few summers back. It poured rain the first two days and we were soaking wet, but we couldn’t have had more fun. I love being outside, walking our dogs, and experiencing nature with them in a way I otherwise wouldn’t.