Introducing President Mark DeMichael & First Lady Kim DeMichael
When Dr. Mark DeMichael stepped to the podium at his inauguration as the 14th president of Northwest Nazarene University, the words that framed the evening were not ambitious slogans or sweeping promises. Instead, they reflected a posture of humility rooted in Christ and courage shaped by calling.
The theme, Humble in Heart, Bold in Mission, was not chosen to describe an aspiration. It named a way of leading that Mark and his wife, Kim, have practiced for decades in Christian higher education, ministry and community life.
For the NNU community, Mark and Kim’s arrival represents both continuity and renewal. They bring deep experience, a shared faith and a relational approach to leadership that resonates with NNU’s historic commitment to forming the whole person spiritually, academically, socially and personally. Their story is not one of seeking prominence, but of answering a call with faithfulness and trust.
When Mark and Kim first encountered the presidential posting for NNU, the decision to explore it was not driven by ambition or advancement. It was alignment. As lifelong participants in Christian higher education, both sensed something familiar and compelling in NNU’s mission. The language of transformation, truth, community and service echoed values that had shaped their own lives since their undergraduate years.
“The biggest draw initially was the alignment and connection we experienced with the NNU mission statement,” they shared. “The more we learned about NNU, the more it felt like home.”
That sense of homecoming is rooted in shared theology and shared practice. NNU’s Christ-centered foundation, its emphasis on formation and its commitment to preparing students for lives of service reflect the very spaces where Mark and Kim have invested their lives.
Mark: A Relational Leader Formed by Service
Mark’s path to the presidency has been shaped by nearly every corner of campus life. Before coming to NNU, he spent more than 25 years at Indiana Wesleyan University, most recently serving as Vice President for Student Development and Athletics. In that role, he provided strategic leadership for nine departments, overseeing student success initiatives, campus life and a nationally competitive athletics program.
Under his leadership, IWU experienced record-high student retention and secured millions of dollars in grants and contributions that strengthened student engagement and campus resources. Yet Mark is quick to point out that metrics, while important, are never the mission. For him, data serves people, not the other way around.
Before his years at IWU, Mark served as a faculty member and head baseball coach at Eastern Nazarene College, his alma mater. Coaching and teaching shaped his understanding of leadership in formative ways. “When you’re coaching, you’re investing in the whole person,” he has said. “You’re teaching discipline, resilience, teamwork and integrity; lessons that carry far beyond the field.”
Those years also gave him a grounded understanding of faculty life. Having spent 14 years teaching and coaching, Mark understands the rhythms, pressures and joys of academic vocation. That perspective informs his commitment to shared governance and collaborative decision-making.
From his earliest days on campus, students and employees alike noticed something distinctive about Mark’s presence. He listened first. He asked thoughtful questions. He showed up—not just in offices and meetings, but at campus events, student gatherings and everyday moments of life together.
This humility is not passive. It is active attentiveness, a commitment to understanding before acting. Mark often describes leadership as stewardship, a sacred trust shaped by prayer, discernment and responsibility.
If humility defines Mark’s posture, boldness defines his vision. His confidence comes from deep trust in God’s faithfulness and in the mission of Christian higher education.
Kim DeMichael: Educator, Mentor and Partner in Ministry
While Mark’s role as president places him in visible leadership, Kim DeMichael’s influence is equally formative. An educator at heart, Kim served for 28 years as a faculty member in teacher education.
“I’m a teacher by training and disposition,” Kim shared. “I believe in God’s good purpose for each student, meeting them where they are and developing their God-given talents for life and learning.”
Kim brings deep empathy for faculty and students alike. At NNU, she looks forward to supporting and encouraging the community through hospitality, listening, prayer and relationships.
Together, Mark and Kim embody a shared commitment to the NNU community, its faith and its formation.
A Shared Story Rooted in Faith
Mark and Kim met as students at Eastern Nazarene College. Their time there shaped their spiritual lives, work ethic and worldview. Together, they have raised two daughters and remain deeply connected as a family rooted in Christian higher education.
In their first season at NNU, the DeMichaels have been intentional about listening. They are committed to building strong relationships across campus and within the broader Church.
Their prayer for NNU is simple and profound: that students, faculty and staff would experience the transforming love of Christ and be equipped to serve faithfully in the world.
“We love to laugh, experience life on campus and walk with people wherever they are,” they shared. “Our hope is that people see us as approachable, mission-driven and committed to the work God is doing at NNU.”
As Northwest Nazarene University enters this new chapter, the theme Humble in Heart, Bold in Mission serves not only as a guiding phrase, but as a lived commitment.
