Sterling College

 The Sterling College Board of Trustees announces that Dr. Paul J. Maurer has accepted the presidency of Sterling College. Dr. Maurer will become Sterling’s eleventh president February 2, 2009.

“Dr. Maurer brings tremendous passion, energy, and compassion to Sterling College’s presidency. His commitment to Sterling’s mission will accelerate our unprecedented growth that began with Dr. Douglas’s appointment in 2005,” Chairman of the Board Tony Thompson said.

Dr. Maurer brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Sterling College, having led Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL, as its Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement and President of Trinity International Foundation for the past six years. As a member of the president’s executive team, he helped shape strategic planning, policy, and operational decisions for the University. Gift income grew, including the most successful capital campaign in Trinity’s history. Maurer also serves on the Advisory Board of the Carl F.H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding.

Prior to Maurer’s work at Trinity, he was on staff at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA, where he directed a successful $57M capital campaign. During his tenure at Westmont, Maurer was involved in the early formation of Westmont’s Gaede Institute for the Liberal Arts.

 “It’s an honor to be chosen to serve as President of Sterling College,” says Maurer. “I believe the primary role of a Christian liberal arts education is to develop students’ maturity of intellect, character, interpersonal relationships and Christian faith. Christian education has the unique opportunity and responsibility to develop the whole person. A comprehensive education is not only a better education for the individual student, but serves the Church and broader society.”
 
Maurer received his Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science from the School of Politics and Economics at Claremont Graduate University, where he was named an H.B. Earhart Fellow. Dr. Maurer also earned his Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1989, and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Cincinnati in 1983. He has published in Presidential Studies Quarterly and contributed to a volume entitled The Moral Authority of the Government. Maurer is currently working on a book on the religious rhetoric of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.

Maurer and his family are members of Christ Church Lake Forest in Lake Forest, IL, a non-denominational church. Maurer’s wife, Joellen, serves as Director of Spiritual Growth at the church. Dr. Maurer has been active in teaching and in the formation of the small groups ministry.

Maurer and his wife Joellen have four children, Jon (17), Elizabeth (16), Daniel (13) and Sarah (8).