CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Mark U. Edwards, Jr., 53, ninth president of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., will resign from his post effective Oct. 1. St. Olaf is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
"I have been honored to serve the St. Olaf community during a time when the college has moved from strength to greater strength as one of the nation's finest residential liberal arts colleges. I am confident that the college is now securely positioned to thrive in the 21st century," Edwards told members of the St. Olaf board of regents Apr. 10.
"With an awareness of life's finitude and contingency raised by my bout with cancer four years ago, I decided it is time for me to refocuse my energies on family, scholarship and other life-long interests," Edwards said.
Edwards told the board he will remain an "'Ole' by the grace of God" and intends in the coming months to support the college's fundraising campaign. Edwards said he will remain an "enthusiastic volunteer for the college" he has "come to love."
Edwards earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., in 1968. He earned a master of arts degree in history there in 1969, and a doctorate in history in 1974.
From 1971 to 1974, Edwards was a Junior Fellow at the University of Michigan's Society of Fellows, Ann Arbor, Mich. From 1974 to 1980 he taught at Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass. He taught history at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., from 1980 to 1987, and was professor of history in Christianity at the Harvard University Divinity School, Cambridge, Mass., from 1987 to 1994.
Edwards became president of St. Olaf on July 1, 1994.
Edwards is the author of four books and wrote numerous articles on Martin Luther, a German 16th century church reformer.
In a statement from St. Olaf's board of regents, the Rev. Martin E. Marty, chair, Chicago, said, "We wish we could retain President Edwards for a longer period, so positive is his leadership; but we understand his reasons for making this move.
"President Edwards inherited leadership of a very strong college and helped make it very much stronger. We have profited most from his ability to do long-range planning and from his vision and courage to carry out the shorter-term policies that will help assure a bright future for St. Olaf. He has been particularly gifted at assembling and leading a senior administrative team, and we count on their continued leadership," the statement said.
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John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
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