The University of St. Francis announced its new president as Eastern Illinois University’s provost on Feb. 18, according to a USF press release.  

Ryan Hendrickson will serve as USF’s 10th president starting June 1 following current USF President Arvid C. Johnson’s retirement in May.  

While Hendrickson is excited to move on to a new chapter in his life and career in higher education, he finds things to be bittersweet. He said he has many great memories and friends at Eastern.  

“I’m going to miss so many people. It’s hard to capture [the memories],” Hendrickson said. “I just have lifelong friends, and you can’t replace that.”  

Hendrickson was chosen to be USF’s next president out of a pool of over 50 applicants, according to the USF press release.  

USF’s vice chairperson and presidential search committee chairperson Steven Hernandez and President of the University’s founding/sponsoring congregation the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate Jeanne Bessette both expressed high hopes for working with Hendrickson in his new role thanks to his experience and knowledge in higher education, according to the USF press release.   

Hendrickson served Eastern for 26 years. He spent 16 years as a faculty member in political science before taking up the role of three different deanships and the role of the provost in the past 10 years.  

These deanships included the L.M. Hamand dean of the graduate school, acting dean of the college of health and human services and acting dean of Booth Library, according to a USF press release.  

Despite the various titles held by Hendrickson, he said he considered professor to be his favorite.  

“I loved working with students,” Hendrickson said. “I love doing research, and I love sharing my research with students.”  

Hendrickson’s research was primarily focused on the United States’ use of force abroad, NATO and leadership.  

USF attracted Hendrickson’s attention due to its Catholic Franciscan mission, he said.  

“I love its mission,” said Hendrickson. “I’m Catholic, and it has a Catholic Franciscan mission, so that was very attractive to me.”  

The Franciscan religion is one of the orders under the Catholic faith that is shaped in the model of Saint Francis of Assisi featuring four key values.  

These four key values are respect, integrity, service and compassion, all of which Hendrickson said he wants to advance with USF.  

“I like that I can be a president who can advance those ideas and principles,” he said.  

He also said he was fond of the university’s location as USF is located in Joliet near Chicago. 

Hendrickson said this was perfect for his family as his wife is from Chicago and they have a daughter in Chicago as well.  

Hendrickson said EIU has been a great university to him with great leadership, and it’s been a pleasure to serve in a leadership role as provost.  

A formal induction event is planned to take place later this spring, according to the USF press release.  

A nationwide search for Eastern’s new provost is set to begin within the coming weeks in accordance with IGP #12 and Eastern’s Board of Trustees, according to an email sent to faculty members the morning of Feb. 18. 

Luke Brewer can be reached at 581-2812 or at lsbrewer@eiu.edu.