The Sterling College Board of Trustees recently welcomed three new members: Dr. Chris Majors of Wichita, Jason West of Hutchinson, and John Wilkey of Sterling.
Dr. Chris Majors owns and practices at a multi-doctor dental practice. He also serves as clinical professor of dentistry for the advanced residency program at Wichita State University. He, wife Michelle, and their four children attend Eastminster Presbyterian Church, where Majors serves as a deacon and teaches discipleship classes. Dr. Steven Marsh, the pastor at Eastminster, has had many conversations with Majors about Christianity and higher education, and he encouraged Majors to become involved at Sterling College. This past summer the board position became available, and Majors felt God was opening a door for him to serve at the College.
"With its Christ-centered mission and commitment to serve the students, I believe God is going to continue His work on the Sterling campus," said Majors.
Majors received his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and his doctorate in dental surgery from the University of Missouri, Kansas City School of Dentistry. He hopes this non-alumnus background will benefit the Board. "Being new to SC, I hope to bring new ideas and solutions to issues. If I can bring something to the table that will enable the College to continue impacting the lives of individuals from around the world, then I feel God will be honored by this endeavor."
Jason West is the executive vice president and general counsel for Jacam Chemical Company, Inc. in Sterling. He is also the principal attorney at the Law Offices of Jason H. West. He, wife Christy, and their three daughters (soon to be four) live in Hutchinson.
West grew up in the town of Sterling, but left after high school because he wanted to get away. "I returned after a semester, though, because I realized the College and the town are good places to be," he said. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Sterling in 1998 and a law degree from Vermont Law School in 2002 before returning to live and work in the area. "It seems natural to continue this lifelong relationship with the College as a Board member.
"I'd like to see the College get to the point at which everyone is totally comfortable with its financial health," West said when asked of his hopes for the College. "Sterling also needs to grow-in the number of students and in programs. From a small-college standpoint, if you're not growing, you're dying.
"I think Sterling can be a national leader among small, liberal arts colleges, and I'm excited to begin working with the College toward that goal."
John Wilkey has a long and deep history with the College. His parents, two siblings, wife and her sister, son Justin, and a daughter-in-law have all attended Sterling. Wilkey himself graduated from the College in 1967 with an education degree with an emphasis in math. "We're well connected with Sterling," Wilkey said. "I benefited personally-through both the individual attention I received from my Sterling professors and through playing sports-and we've also benefited as a family."
Following Wilkey's graduation he and his wife taught in the Salina area for seven years. They then returned to the family farm in Sterling where they continue to farm with their son Tanner. The Wilkeys attend the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Sterling where he is currently a teacher and elder. "Phyllis and I have tried to support the students, staff and faculty of Sterling the best we can through the years," said Wilkey. "My main goal as a board member is to simply continue that support.
"My hope is that Sterling will continue to be strong in the mission of offering a Christ-centered education while the College also seeks new ways to improve as an institution."
With these new members, the Sterling College Board of Trustees now has 25 members.
Photograph, left to right: John Wilkey, Dr. Chris Majors and Jason West