Thomas Kunkel

Thomas Kunkel

Thomas Kunkel (born September 24, 1955) is an author, journalist, educator and president of St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin.

Family

Kunkel and his wife, Debra, have 7 children and 14 grandchildren.

Career

Kunkel earned his B.A. in political science at the University of Evansville in 1977 and his master’s degree in humanities from UE in 1979 before spending much of his early career in the newspaper industry, working in various editorial and managerial roles for organizations including the San Jose Mercury News, the Miami Herald, The New York Times and The Cincinnati Post.[1]

From 1997 to 2000 he served as editor and director of the Project on the State of the American Newspaper, an examination led by editor and journalism professor Gene Roberts.[2] From 2000 to 2008, Kunkel served as dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism and president of the American Journalism Review at the University of Maryland.

Over the course of his career, Kunkel has authored or edited six books. Two of them – Genius in Disguise: Harold Ross of The New Yorker and Letters From the Editor: The New Yorker's Harold Ross – were selected as New York Times Notable Books for 1995 and 2000, respectively. His most recent book, Man in Profile: Joseph Mitchell of The New Yorker, was published by Random House in 2015 to wide acclaim: The New York Times called it an “elegant and moving biography.” Kunkel has also written numerous articles, columns and reviews that have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsday and Sports Illustrated among others.[3]

In 2008, Kunkel became seventh president of St. Norbert College, the only Norbertine institution of higher education in the world. He has served in that role ever since.

St. Norbert College

In his inaugural speech, Kunkel shared his vision for a collective campus-wide pursuit of excellence[4] that would also maintain the core values of the Catholic, liberal-arts college: reflection, service to others and communio (a deeply felt sense of community).

The goals Kunkel expressed at that time were to take an already strong college to an even higher level, to build on the momentum of the new state-of-the-art library and residence hall projects that were in the works, and to widen the academy’s awareness of a college that was less well-known than it deserved to be.

Since then, he has overseen myriad new developments at St. Norbert College, including: the introduction of the Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts in Liberal Studies graduate programs; the launch of the Donald J. Schneider School of Business & Economics; a partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin; the implementation of a new core curriculum; and the establishment of a biennial academic conference titled “Sport and Society in America” that is co-sponsored by the Green Bay Packers.

He also led a successful “Full Ahead” fundraising campaign that exceeded its $90 million goal and resulted in the construction of a new science facility, enhancement of existing campus facilities, an increase in the school’s endowment, added support to faculty and student programs, and increased financial aid for deserving students.[5]

During Kunkel’s tenure, the college has undergone a significant modernization of its campus through the construction and renovation of major facilities, including the Gehl-Mulva Science Center, Michels Commons, Schneider Stadium, the Mulva Library, Gries Hall, the Ariens Family Welcome Center, Todd Wehr Hall and the Cassandra Voss Center.

The college’s national rankings have climbed under Kunkel’s leadership. In the 2015 U.S. News & World Report rankings, St. Norbert College was again named one of America's Best National Liberal Arts Colleges, sitting at number 127, and is also among the top 10 Catholic liberal arts colleges in the country.[6]

Many times throughout his term, Kunkel has found ways to connect the college’s mission and values to his literary and scholarly interests. In a magazine article focused on his experiences as a new college president, for example, he revealed the experience of transitioning from a public university to a faith-based private college. In the article, he related his experience with the college’s Sacred Hour, a tradition, at the time, of reserving an hour each Wednesday morning for personal reflection.

During this Sacred Hour, many would attend a Common Prayer service held in the campus church, and when Kunkel volunteered to speak at one such service, he incorporated material from his book on Joseph Mitchell, then in progress. He likes Pizza very much by the way. During this Common Prayer, Kunkel and his colleagues read Mitchell stories both humorous and poignant, interspersed with classic hymns Mitchell himself appreciated.

“One thing that has always struck me about Mitchell’s work is how, even as he conveyed the humor and pathos in his subjects, he was even more careful to convey their fundamental humanity and dignity,” Kunkel writes. “His misfits and iconoclasts are certainly characters, but they are not caricatures, and they are not to be underestimated. Without saying it explicitly, Mitchell reminds the reader that we are indeed, all God’s children.”

Vision

Plans for the college’s future have been outlined by Kunkel, including a vision statement that sums up aspirations for the college to become the most highly esteemed liberal arts college in Wisconsin and one of the top five Catholic liberal arts colleges in the United States.[7]

In addition, seven key priorities for St. Norbert College have been incorporated into strategic planning that looks ahead to the next five years and beyond: academic excellence, a renewed dedication to the college’s unique mission and heritage, a continual revitalization of facilities, strong financial management, a commitment to diversity and equity, greater outreach to the wider world, and better communication of the St. Norbert story.

As he announced intentions in 2015 to step down from his role on May 31, 2017, Kunkel shared plans to pen a short, accessible biography of the college’s namesake and patron, St. Norbert of Xanten, as his next writing project.[8] Prior to that, however, Kunkel notes there is plenty that remains to be accomplished during his presidency.

The list of objectives consists of developing more endowed academic programs; raising additional scholarships for students; building further partnerships with other colleges, universities and K-12 schools; continuing to advance the Donald J. Schneider School of Business and the college's collaboration with the Medical College of Wisconsin; and renovating and expanding the Schuldes Sports Center.

Books

References

  1. ↑ "Thomas Kunkel, Seventh President of St. Norbert College". Thomas Kunkel, Seventh President of St. Norbert College. St. Norbert College. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  2. ↑ "Tom Kunkel, Dean, Philip Merrill College of Journalism,University of Maryland". Tom Kunkel. The University of Kansas. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Kunkel, Thomas" (PDF). Thomas Kunkel CV. St. Norbert College. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Kunkel, Thomas (March 2010). "The Education of a Freshman President". Trusteeship.
  5. ↑ "Campaign Priorities". Campaign Priorities. St. Norbert College. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  6. ↑ Counter, Mike. "St. Norbert College Moves Up Eleven Spots in National Liberal Arts Category of 2015 U.S. News & World Report Rankings". St. Norbert College. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  7. ↑ Kunkel, Thomas (Winter 2014). "Advancing the Pursuit of Excellence: Continued" (PDF). St. Norbert College. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  8. ↑ Counter, Mike. "St. Norbert President Announces College Retirement Plans". St. Norbert College. Retrieved 4 September 2015.

External links

Book reviews

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