Message from the President: Alumni Council Application Invite

Message from Lincoln University of Missouri President Dr. John B. Moseley, sent on July 2, 2024.

Dear Lincolnites,

Your connection with the Lincoln University community first took shape during your years on campus as students – attending classes, building friendships, and preparing yourselves for the rest of your lives. The future of our University depends on the unshakable relationships that continue to endear you to your fellow alumni and our Lincoln University.

Simply put: The lifeblood of our University is the strength of our relationships with all members of our community – students, faculty, staff, administrators, and, of course, the 19,000-plus individuals who call Lincoln University their alma mater.

Therefore, I am personally asking you to consider joining an effort to strengthen Lincoln University and advance its legacy for future generations. Specifically, we are establishing a Lincoln University Alumni Council that will work with the administration and the Board of Curators to ensure that the voices of all alumni are heard as we plan for our future. We aim to include a diverse group of alumni on this council, across age groups, backgrounds, geographies, and career fields. 

All of us – and especially you, our alumni – hold Lincoln University dear to our hearts for the incredible role it has played in our lives. As one of the oldest HBCUs in the nation and also one of the most internationally diverse, with students from 34 countries, Lincoln University plays a critical role in consciously and consistently fulfilling the promise of the Soldiers’ Dream – education and empowerment for all.

We have made a great deal of progress in recent years to deliver on that promise our founders began in 1866. There is much to be proud of, including:

• The stellar academic achievements of our students, with 44.9% of our full-time undergrads making the Dean’s List in the spring of 2024.
• The record support that we have achieved from the Missouri legislature and the federal government, including receiving our full land grant match for the first time in our history, the largest salary increases on record for our faculty and staff, and $40 million in funding for the construction of a new building that will house our Health and Security Sciences Institute. This new facility will allow us to double the number of nursing majors on our campus.
• A $23 million renovation to Dawson Hall, which will provide a better on-campus living experience for residential students.
• A partnership with the Mid-Missouri Black Nurses Association to support students of color who are pursuing nursing degrees.
• Re-establishing a Music degree, set to begin in Spring 2025, and supporting additional scholarships to increase the number of students in the Marching Musical Storm.
• The hiring and promotion of key leaders to our administrative team who have a vast array of experience across higher education, including Historically Black Colleges & Universities.

But there is more work left to be done to build on that success, and we need your help. I hope you will consider applying to join the Lincoln University Alumni Council. The application can be found here, and attached to this letter is more information about the council. To date, a number of alumni have already inquired to express their interest in serving.

May we always be reminded of the sacrifices of the soldiers of the 62nd and 65th U.S. Infantries and the Lieutenants who helped establish Lincoln University. Thank you for your consideration. I wish you and your family a safe and blessed Fourth of July.

With honor in service to Lincoln University,

John B. Moseley, Ed.D.

President