President Cureton and his wife, Gayle

Alan S. Cureton, Ph.D
President

In January 2002, Dr. Alan Cureton was inaugurated as the eighth president of Northwestern College & Radio. Under his leadership Northwestern has established academic, fiscal, and program strength while holding firm to its Christ-centered, biblical foundation.

Northwestern continues to embrace its spiritual legacy while enhancing academic excellence. Three recent graduates were awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. Alumni attend various prestigious graduate schools, including Harvard, Columbia, and the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. Faculty have participated in academic and research programs at Oxford University, the University of Genoa-Italy, Cambridge University, Yale University, and Prison Fellowship’s Wilberforce Program. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1 and the average ACT score for incoming freshmen is 24.5.

Northwestern continues to experience record enrollment with nearly 3,100 students in all accredited programs. Continuing education is thriving and the newly established Center for Graduate Studies now offers a Master of Organizational Leadership program and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies. Northwestern offers an Associate program in applied science and Bible with a specialization in electronic media and broadcasting to Spanish-speaking students at the Christian Center for Communications in Quito, Ecuador. In partnership with Dayspring Center for Christian Studies, Northwestern College offers courses in Boulder, Colorado.

Recent building projects include the Mel Johnson Media Center (MJMC), which was completed in 2003 at a cost of $10.5 million. In 2004, the Riley gym underwent a $2.4 million renovation which added classroom space, computer labs and faculty offices. Endowment has risen over 400 percent in six years. The College remains focused on implementing the long-range strategic plan and campus master plan.

Northwestern Media owns and operates 16 AM and FM Christian radio stations in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Florida. It distributes talk programming to its stations and other affiliates via satellite. KTIS-FM consistently ranks as one of the top 3 radio stations in the Twin Cities among adults 25-54.

Dr. Cureton has more than 29 years of experience in higher education. Prior to coming to Northwestern he was vice president for university advancement at John Brown University (Ark.).

His professional affiliations include trustee and board chair for the U.S. Board for Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya; trustee for Sterling College, Minnesota Prayer Breakfast Committee and Chair of the President's Council of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.

Dr. Cureton earned a bachelor of arts (Bible and Christian education) from Sterling College. He earned a Ph.D. (double major in history and philosophy of education and in higher education) from Iowa State University. In October 2007, he received the Alumni Achievement Award from Iowa State University, recognizing his meritorious service and distinguished achievements in higher education.