DECATUR, Ill. — Millikin University was recognized during Monday’s Decatur City Council meeting as the City of Decatur officially proclaimed April 30, 2026, as “Millikin University Day” in honor of the institution’s 125th anniversary.
Lori Kerans, Vice President for Athletics and Community Engagement, read the proclamation during the meeting, highlighting the University’s longstanding contributions to the city and region.
Issued by Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe, the proclamation recognizes Millikin’s role as a “steadfast and transformative anchor institution” in Decatur for more than a century, citing its impact on education, cultural enrichment, workforce development, and economic growth.
Founded in 1901, Millikin has served generations of students through its Performance Learning approach, which integrates classroom instruction with hands-on, real-world experiences. The proclamation notes that this model prepares graduates for professional success, civic engagement, and meaningful lives, while maintaining strong ties to the Decatur community.
As “Decatur’s University,” Millikin continues to play a vital role in the city’s cultural and civic life through performances, exhibitions, service initiatives, and partnerships with local organizations. The City’s recognition also acknowledges the University’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to higher education and preparing future leaders who will contribute to the vitality of the region and beyond.
The designation of “Millikin University Day” coincides with the Founder’s Day celebration on April 30 and serves as a key milestone in its 125th anniversary year. The proclamation also comes on the heels of the inauguration of Millikin’s 17th president, Dr. Dean Pribbenow, marking a period of continued momentum and renewed vision for the University.
The proclamation’s full text is as follows:
OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION
CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS
WHEREAS: Millikin University has been a steadfast and transformative anchor institution in the Decatur community for 125 years, contributing significantly to the region’s educational enrichment, cultural vitality, workforce development and economic strength, and
WHEREAS: Founded in 1901, Millikin University has served generations of students through its distinctive Performance Learning approach, preparing graduates for professional success, democratic citizenship in a global environment, and personal lives of meaning and value while remaining deeply rooted in the Decatur community, and
WHEREAS: Serving as Decatur’s University, Millikin has empowered students to combine knowledge with practice throughout the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Fine Arts, College of Professional Studies and the Tabor School of Business, producing alumni who make lasting contributions locally, nationally and around the world, and
WHEREAS: Millikin University enriches the cultural and civic life of Decatur and the surrounding community through performances, exhibitions, lectures, service initiatives and community partnerships that reflect its enduring commitment to collaboration and shared progress, and
WHEREAS: As it celebrates its 125th anniversary and the recent inauguration of its 17th President, Dr. Dean A. Pribbenow, Millikin University honors the vision of its founders, the dedication of its faculty and staff, and the loyalty and generosity of its alumni and friends whose collective support has sustained and strengthened the institution across generations, and
WHEREAS: Millikin University remains committed to expanding access and affordability in higher education, fostering innovation and opportunity, and shaping the next generation of leaders who will contribute to the vitality of Decatur and beyond,
NOW THEREFORE, I, Julie Moore Wolfe, Mayor of the City of Decatur, do hereby proclaim April 30, 2026, Millikin’s Founder’s Day, as “Millikin University Day” in honor of their 125th anniversary.
Done on this day, April 20, 2026.
