MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS (May 26, 2026) — In the early days of her presidency of Monmouth College, Patricia Draves provided a directional compass for the school through the recognition of five foundational pillars.

This year's Commencement speaker, 1989 Monmouth graduate Brad Nahrstadt, shared a similar handful of advice, offering "five life lessons" to his alma mater's Class of 2026, which numbered 178 students.

A model of the inner Solar System showing the asteroids discovered by Rubin in light teal. Known asteroids are dark blue. The model shows a total of almost 12,700 asteroids that were discovered with Rubin over the span of 1.6 years: These are the August 2025 locations of the discovered objects

Be it a parade, or a home football game, or the matriculation and Commencement ceremonies that bookend the academic year, the appearance of the Pipe Band lets the audience know it's an authentic Monmouth College event

MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS (May 12, 2026) — A longtime Monmouth College trustee with a heart for the bagpipes has made a significant gift to his alma mater.

MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS (May 6, 2026) — After a career spent raising funds for major strategic initiatives, Kellie Kohler Esters, a 1986 graduate of Monmouth College, felt it was only fitting that her alma mater was included.

"I think it's important to lead by example and inspire other alumni to consider supporting initiatives that are important to them," said Esters, who has retired after a 37-year career and lives in Sun City West, Arizona.