PEORIA, Ill. – Federal Judge James Shadid, who has served the Central District of Illinois, has been named the new President of Bradley University.
In a statement from the university, the Bradley Board of Trustees unanimously approved Shadid at its March 12 meeting.
Shadid graduated from Bradley University in 1979. He becomes Bradley’s 13th president in its 128 year history.
Shadid tells WMBD’s “Greg and Dan”, he’s thrilled to have the opportunity.
“This represents one of the great honors of my life, and I’m humbled by the Board of Trustees’ vote of confidence in me. I recognize the expectations that this community and the university has, and I have the same expectations, and intend to meet those expectations, and to meet all the challenges,” Shadid says.
Interim chair of the Bradley Board of Trustees and Co-Chair of the Presidential Search Committee, Matt Vonachen, says the board doesn’t think they could have made a better choice for the university.
“Jim really stood out among the finalists for his knowledge of the university and his insights into what the institution’s needs are now and into the future. And, of course, his lifetime commitment to Bradley speaks for itself.”
Shadid takes over for former President Stephen Standifird, who left Bradley last June. Bradley Board chairman and retired CEO of RLI Corp. Jonathan Michael has served as interim since then.
Michael says as he prepares to pass the torch, he’s delighted to welcome Shadid as the university’s new president.
“I have no doubt that under his leadership, Bradley will continue to thrive and build upon its legacy of excellence. It has been an honor to serve as Bradley’s interim president and to work alongside our dedicated faculty, staff, and students. During my time in this role, I have gained an even deeper appreciation for the passion and commitment that make Bradley such a special place,” Michael says.
When asked by WMBD’s “Greg and Dan” about the current state of higher education, and at Bradley, Shadid says he’s ready to face the challenges ahead.
“We have to be aware of the challenges in higher education clearly, because we have to know what’s going on with it, but in my mind, we clearly have to focus on finding the right road map for Bradley University,” Shadid says.
Shadid officially begins his new role at Bradley on April 1st.
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