There is a changing of the guard coming to several different positions at Millikin University.
The elephant in the room is the fact that Millikin University’s president, Dr. Jim Reynolds, announced his retirement earlier this year. However, that is not the only position that will be gaining a new face next year.
Longtime Athletic Director Craig White will be making his after this year, announcing his retirement after 12 years of incredible accomplishments while holding his position.
These accomplishments include the incredible Workman Family softball and baseball fields, and the highly anticipated David J. and Debra C. Rathje Athletic Center, all of which provide Millikin students with some of the best athletic facilities in the nation. White did not desire to provide a comment.
As for White’s replacement, Bryan Marshall, Millikin’s current Assistant Athletic Director for Internal Operations, will be stepping in to fill the void that White will leave, at least temporarily. Marshall hopes to aid in the process of hiring a new Director, which he realizes that the new president will assist in.
“I’m getting excited to help transition to a new person next summer when they’ve hired,” he said. “I think the current President, Dr. Reynolds, wants the new president to be a part of the selection process of the new Athletic Director. I think the two tracks will run pretty closely together.”
When Marshall first arrived at Millikin, he was a long way from becoming the Director of athletics. After two decades of service to Millikin, however, he is ready to test the waters of this position.
“When I first came to Millikin in 2000, we had a different structure,” Marshall said. “I was the Media Relations Director for the entire university, and the Sports Information Director who reported to me was not part of athletics. We were part of marketing. In 2008, we had another restructuring, and the person who was the Sports Information Director left.”
This is when Marshall’s passion for being a part of the Athletics Department was realized.
“I figured that I’d much rather go to athletics and be in sports information,” he said. “After that, they made me assistant Athletic Director. As we have gone through different Directors, my role has expanded. Prior to last year, I took over more of an internal operations role, doing budgeting and things like that.”
When Marshall arrived at Millikin, he did not originally desire to be an Athletic Director. However, he welcomes the new role and challenge with open arms.
“I have always liked what I’ve done,” he said. “I like to be able to have more contact with the athletes and be at the games, sort of working in the trenches, so to speak. I hope that over the next year, we can keep things going in the right direction. I feel like I have a caretaker’s role. I don’t want to screw anything up, but I don’t think I will.”
The athletics department will thrive under Marshall. He has already provided many years of exceptional service to Millikin, and Marshall, one of the most well-respected members of the athletics department, will do nothing but the same while serving as the Athletic Director.
