President's Office

A commitment to outstanding academics

When Dr. Abernathy joined Alma College in 2010, the college had not launched a new major in 17 years. Since then — and with a steady focus on the needs of society, now and in the future — the Bachelor of Science in Nursing has been introduced, and several new majors have been added. A new core curriculum was launched to better-emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of a liberal arts education. The business program was revamped, allowing students to focus on in-demand areas of the job market.

Alma College in 2021 launched the first graduate program in its history with the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree. Since then, its graduate degree offerings have expanded to include special education, communication and information technology and mental health counseling. Under Dr. Abernathy’s leadership, more graduate degree programs are expected to follow.

Investing in Alma

Thanks to the successful “Our Time is Now” philanthropic campaign, which raised more than $120 million, Alma College has renovated or replaced several key buildings during Dr. Abernathy’s tenure, including student housing facilities, the Hamilton Commons dining hall, the Hogan Center for athletics, the Wright Leppien Opera House, and the Greg Hatcher Learning Commons.

Dr. Abernathy has worked to ensure that every student has opportunities for success at Alma College. This is evident through the Alma Venture program, which provides students with resources and professional support for a meaningful junior or senior year experiential learning opportunity, as well as the Julius Chatman Living Learning Community, which provides space to support students of color.

More students than ever — upwards of 70 percent of all incoming first-year students — participate in athletics and Dr. Abernathy has worked to benefit their interests as well. Since the beginning of his tenure, nine new intercollegiate varsity teams have been added, bringing the number of sports teams at Alma to 30.