WELCOME FROM THE PRESIDENT

CHAD BENSON ’90

Dear Morningside Community,

It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the 14th President of Morningside University—the institution that shaped my life as a student and instilled in me the enduring belief that education has the power to transform lives, families, and communities.

Morningside’s strength has never been defined by buildings or programs alone. It is defined by people—students who arrive with ambition, faculty and staff who dedicate themselves to mentorship and excellence, alumni who carry forward the values of this institution, and a community that believes deeply in the power of education to change the trajectory of a life.

Because of that foundation, Morningside stands at a remarkable moment of opportunity.

Higher education is changing rapidly, and the institutions that will lead are those willing to move forward with clarity, discipline, and purpose. At Morningside, we embrace that responsibility with confidence. We are committed to strengthening academic excellence, expanding opportunity for students, and aligning our work with the needs of our region and the future of the students we serve.

The future of Morningside will be shaped together—by the dedication of our faculty and staff, the ambition of our students, and the enduring commitment of our alumni and supporters.

Our direction is clear: Morningside in Motion.

This commitment reflects our determination to build a university that is both grounded in its values and bold in its ambitions. It means advancing high-impact academic programs, investing in the student experience, strengthening partnerships across Siouxland and beyond, and stewarding the university with long-term financial responsibility.

At the center of everything we do is a simple belief about our students:

Your Ambition. Your Purpose. Your Experience.

Every student arrives with a story, and our responsibility is to help them discover the direction, confidence, and opportunity to write the next chapter of that story with courage and conviction.

My leadership philosophy can be expressed in four commitments: Listen. Learn. Lead. Love.

Listen to the voices of our community.

Learn from the extraordinary work happening across this campus.

Lead with clarity, integrity, and accountability.

And love the mission that calls us to prepare the next generation of leaders.

I am deeply grateful to the Board of Directors for their trust and to the entire Morningside community for the partnership that lies ahead. Together, we will build on the strong foundation that has defined this institution for more than a century while preparing Morningside for the opportunities of the next century.

And together, we will keep Morningside in Motion.

Chad Benson ’90

14th President