Office of
the President

Presidential History

Presidential Facts

Through the years, those who have served as president of our institution have not only served as spiritual leaders, guided the development of esprit de corps, physical plant and curriculum, but also brought sometimes-amusing personalities to the campus:

  1. Battle Creek College president Alexander McLearn never officially joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
  2. Edward Sutherland owned a boat and enjoyed the St. Joseph River. He went on to found two other Adventist colleges.
  3. Nelson Kauble was famous for his prize-winning chickens.
  4. Otto Graf completely cleared the college of debt during his presidency.
  5. Frederick Griggs sang “It’s Raining Violets” for chapel every spring.
  6. Guy Wolfkill lost his left hand in a buzz-saw accident.
  7. Thomas Steen was the first EMC alum to become president of the school.
  8. Lynn Wood had his degree in architectural engineering from the University of Michigan.
  9. While he was president, Henry Klooster took French lessons from Dan Augsburger at 6 a.m.
  10. The students nicknamed Floyd Rittenhouse “Scribbleshack.”
  11. Niels-Erik Andreasen was the first president of international birth.
  12. Andrea Luxton was the first female president.
  13. John Wesley Taylor V is one of three consecutive generations of the Taylor family to be Andrews graduates.

Former Presidents

Battle Creek College, 1874–1901
Sidney Brownsberger, 1874–1881
Alexander McLearn, 1881–1882
Wilcott H. Littlejohn, 1883–1885
William W. Prescott, 1885–1894
George W. Caviness, 1894–1897
Edward A. Sutherland, 1897–1901

Emmanuel Missionary College, 1901–1959
Edward A. Sutherland, 1901–1904
Nelson W. Kauble, 1904–1908
Otto J. Graf, 1908–1917
Clement L. Benson, 1917–1918
Frederick Griggs, 1918–1924
Guy F. Wolfkill, 1924–1930
Lynn H. Wood, 1930–1934
Thomas W. Steen, 1934–1937
Henry J. Klooster, 1937–1943
Alvin W. Johnson, 1943–1950
Percy W. Christian, 1950–1955
Floyd O. Rittenhouse, 1955–1960

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, 1937–1957
Milton E. Kern, 1937–1943
Denton E. Rebok, 1943–1951
V. E. Hendershot, 1951–1952
Ernest D. Dick, 1952–1957

Potomac University, 1957–1960
Ernest D. Dick, 1957–1959
Floyd O. Rittenhouse, 1959–1960

Andrews University, 1960–
Floyd O. Rittenhouse, 1960–1963
Richard Hammill, 1963–1976
Joseph G. Smoot, 1976–1983
W. Richard Lesher, 1984–1994
Niels-Erik A. Andreasen, 1994–2016
Andrea T. Luxton, 2016–2023
John Wesley Taylor V, 2023—

Office of the President