college mcp-logo-header-white mcpherson

President’s Office

Strategic Plan

Community by Design 2.0

The McPherson College culture is integrated into four strategic initiatives in the 2024-2034 Strategic Plan: Academic Program Growth Mindset, East McPherson, Wellness and Inclusion, and $1B Endowment.

Read more about these initiatives on the Strategic Plan page.

Entrepreneurship

“How do we give liberal arts value? We’re going to lift it up through the entrepreneurial mindset, because we want our graduates to be enterprising and perceptive.” – President Michael Schneider

McPherson College believes the classic concept of liberal arts is intimately tied to the modern idea of entrepreneurship and strives to weave the concepts of entrepreneurship across the curriculum and student life, regardless of a student’s chosen major.

This idea transcends any one department, giving students the room to experiment and explore – while still landing on their feet. McPherson College students discover that the only failure is the failure to learn.

About President Schneider

Michael Schneider started his first enterprise at age 7 – a museum in his bedroom. The museum ultimately closed its doors to the public. But years later, one of the collections on display – namely, (36) 1984 Topps Mark McGwire Olympic rookie cards – helped fund Michael’s education at McPherson College, where he graduated with honors in 1996.

Michael got his early career break when the partners at Summit Publishing invited him to run the company. Only halfway through his 20s, he found himself leading a company into the electronic commerce era. His list of life adventures has included earning an MBA from the University of Denver, a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, and supporting start-ups in everything from information technology to green energy.

In 2002, Michael answered the call to return to his alma mater. Advancing quickly through several key administrative positions, he helped spearhead growth to all-time highs in both charitable giving and enrollment. When Michael was named president in 2009, he was one of the youngest college presidents in the United States.

Michael’s passionate vision to lift up liberal arts through an entrepreneurial mindset has sparked the imagination of the entire campus. McPherson’s commitment to debt-free education and post-graduation placement rates is an important part of the student experience. During his tenure, job and graduate school placement rates have led the nation, while average debt per student at graduation is the lowest of any four-year college in Kansas. With niche degree programs such as automotive restoration and rural healthcare management, McPherson is reinventing itself as a significant contributor in higher education. McPherson College garnered recent notoriety for having a student-restored 1953 Mercedes Benz 300S win 2nd in the Post War Luxury Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance, the most prestigious car show in the world, and for securing a $1 billion endowment commitment , which is one of the largest philanthropic commitments in the history of higher education. One of Michael’s favorite accomplishments is McPherson College being named in the Chronicle of Higher Education as a “Great College to Work For,” nine consecutive years with honor roll recognition in more categories than any other college in the country.

Since becoming president, Michael has served the higher education community as board chair of the Associated Colleges of Central Kansas, Kansas Campus Compact, and Kansas Independent College Association; as executive committee member of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities; and as national advisory board member for Future Business Leaders of America and Distributive Education Clubs of America.

Michael and his wife Kandee have two daughters, Hayden and Perrin, and a blue 1966 Pontiac named Ruth.

News

President Schneider Receives Distinguished Alumni Award From University Of Pennsylvania

Dr. Michael Schneider, president of McPherson College, recently received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Higher Education Management Executive Doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. […]

Aaron Meis Joins McPherson College As Executive Vice President

McPherson College announces Dr. Aaron Meis will join the college as executive vice president, providing leadership for institutional strategy, planning, and execution of the Community by Design 2.0 plan. In […]

The Path to Pebble documentary

TV Legend Jay Leno Narrates McPherson College’s Historic Finish At Pebble Beach Concours D’elegance

McPherson College announced today that legendary television host and comedian Jay Leno will narrate “The Path to Pebble,” a documentary that tells the incredible story of McPherson College’s decade-long journey […]

Campus Commons construction progress

McPherson College Receives $2 Million Mabee Foundation Matching Grant

McPherson College received a $2 million grant from the J.E. & L.E. Mabee Foundation. The grant will be directed toward construction of the new Campus Commons. The Mabee Foundation grant […]

Path to Pebble: Documentary Trailer Released

Witness the thrill, excitement, and challenges McPherson College students experienced on their Path To Pebble! A 10-year project culminating at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, bringing home one of the […]

McPherson College Career Services, Amy Beckman Featured By NACE

McPherson College’s career service program was recently featured in an article published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). The article noted that 80% to 85% of McPherson […]

McPherson College Named One “2023 Great Colleges To Work For” With Honor Roll Distinction Among Small Colleges

McPherson College is a great place to work, according to a new survey by the Great Colleges to Work For® program. The results, appearing in a special edition of The […]

McPherson College Ranks In U.S. News & World Report “Best College” List

For the eighth consecutive year, McPherson College has earned recognition by U.S. News & World Report in its 2023-24 “Best Colleges” list for Regional Colleges in the Midwest. This year, […]

$1B endowment announcement on July 21, 2023

McPherson College Exceeds Double Match Challenge – Establishing A Future $1,500,000,000 Endowment

College now gets down to business in planning how it will receive and deploy funds over time to expand programs and reduce student debt   McPherson College in Kansas announced […]

Powering Today

McPherson College Meets Goals In One-Day Giving Blitz

McPherson College’s Power Day 2023 met all the goals set for the annual online giving day, raising $330,000 for scholarships and programs. In its ninth year, more than 350 alumni […]