Jon Wefald, former president of Kansas State University and chancellor of Minnesota’s state universities, will discuss leadership principles at a noon Wednesday, Oct. 9, forum in the Chalberg Theatre on the Brainerd campus of Central Lakes College.
The free forum is sponsored by the Gordon Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government.
The Deerwood resident served as Kansas State University president for 23 years, from 1986-2009. His lecture is titled “The Principles of Leadership That Will Lead to Success.”
Steve Wenzel, executive director for the Rosenmeier Center, said Wefald's lecture on achieving success in life will be important for young people, young executives, entrepreneurs and others in both public and non-public service to hear.
At Kansas State, Wefald increased enrollment from 15,000 students in 1986 to 24,000 in 2009, overseeing the construction of 30 new buildings and 14 building additions. Wefald was chair of the Big 8 presidents from 1989-94 and led that organization into a partnership with four universities in the Southwest Conference that now make up the Big 12 Conference.
An $80 million building, Wefald Hall, was named after the former president.
He served as a professor at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter for five years; as Minnesota commissioner of agriculture for seven years; as president of Southwest Minnesota State University for five years; and as chancellor of Minnesota’s seven state universities for five years.
The Gordon Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government is a non-partisan organization which strives to educate and encourage participation of citizens in effective government and the political process.
