On Nov. 11, North Central College installed their eleventh president, Dr. Anita Jones Thomas. This Midwest institution is more than home to a winning football team (although the fighting Cardinals have brought much notoriety to the school).  

North Central College traces its roots to the early faith movements that spread across our country. Founded in 1861, our predecessor evangelical branch of  The United Methodist Church gave rise to this strong, forward-thinking institution. Our ties as the Northern Illinois Conference to North Central College are something to claim, celebrate, and nurture.  

Founded in 1861 as Plainfield College, the school had 40 students—both men and women, in a time when coeducation was not common. This is the same year the Civil War began. The first president of the college was Augustine Austin Smith, an administrator from Oberlin College in Ohio. He and his family actively supported abolition, temperance, and women’s rights while fighting against racial discrimination.  

The college moved to Naperville in 1867 and just a few years after its founding the Evangelical Theological Seminary was also established as part of the school in 1873. One of our successor’s branches, the Evangelical Association, joined with the United Brethren in Christ in 1946 and became the Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968, the EUB and the Methodist Church merged to become The United Methodist Church. During its time in Naperville, the Evangelical Theological Seminary educated church leaders, including clergy who also became bishops. In 1974 the Evangelical Theological Seminary joined with Garrett Theological Seminary to form Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, on the Northwestern University campus.  

Through all these changes in our country, our denomination, and in higher education, North Central has remained in relationship with the UMC. Our history with North Central is a vital part of our identity as a conference.  

A valuable partnership 

At Dr. Thomas’s installation in November, North Central’s campus minister, Rev. Eric Doolittle (a UM elder), Bishop Hee-Soo Jung (Wisconsin Conference), and I, representing Bishop Dan Schwerin, were present to remember and strengthen the ties and deeply rooted commitment we have to this institution. Our prayers, blessings, and leadership solidify the connections between the college, our denomination, and our annual conference.        

The installation of the college’s first woman and first person of color was a milestone moment for the school and for all of us. Dr. Thomas is a wonderfully gifted leader. She is a mission-driven administrator and educator, researcher, and psychologist. The presence of so many United Methodists throughout the weekend participating in the celebration is a witness to our continued investment in education and our relationship with North Central College.  

The same weekend we celebrated the installation of Dr. Thomas, another North Central College graduate, Bishop Tracy Smith Malone, formerly an elder in our conference, was elected president of the UMC Council of Bishops and the first Black woman to hold that role. 

God has done amazing things over the years through the work and witness of North Central College, her students, and leaders. At this moment when Dr. Thomas has been named the eleventh president, we as a conference remain open to ways in which God is calling us to continue this long and rich relationship.