DE PERE - A group of Monroe residents made their way to De Pere Oct. 11 to watch as Monroe High School graduate Brian Bruess was inaugurated as the president of St. Norbert College. He is the college's eighth president and the second alum to hold the post.
"It's pretty dreamy to go back to your alma mater and to a place that's meant so much to you," Bruess said.
It was a moment that also thrilled his parents, Clarence and Mary Lou, who went with family friends, and past co-workers, a few of whom were Bruess' high school teachers. About 800 people were present for the inauguration.
"It's the first time in my life people from all phases have come together," Bruess said. "It felt like a big reunion."
He attended St. Victor School until middle school and is a 1986 MHS graduate.
"Monroe is such a close-knit community," Bruess said. "I have great memories from St. Vic's and the parish life."
Bruess met his wife, Carol, at St. Norbert College where he started as a business major before becoming more interested in his sociology and psychology courses. Once he graduated, the college dean approached him to ask if he had ever considered higher education.
"It really was his inquiry that got the ball rolling for me," Bruess said. Within the year, he made it his goal to be a dean of students. He earned master's and doctoral degrees in college student personnel/research and evaluation from Ohio University. He spent 22 years at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, in a variety of roles, most recently as the executive vice president and chief operating officer.
"After 22 years at St. Catherine, I learned a lot about how to work in higher education," he said.
About 15 years ago, mentors in his life encouraged him to look into the presidency, Bruess said.
He said it took a decade of thought, in part, because of his family. His wife, Carol, is an accomplished professor and writer in Minnesota. They have two children. His son, Tony, is a senior at Stanford University and his daughter, Gracie, a senior in high school.
"I took my time," he said.
Ultimately, Bruess made the decision to return somewhat prematurely once his predecessor retired.
Mary Lou said the news of her son taking the presidency for the college was a proud moment. She described him as a fun child with good friends who joined every club he could. His father, Clarence, is a retired athletic director, coach and teacher of 30 years.
"He's always loved St. Norbert," Mary Lou said. "I think it's always been a dream of his to get back there."
Bruess said the college is in a strong position with stable enrollment but has upcoming plans and strategic initiatives in place. Last week, the college received its largest contribution of $30 million.
"There are a lot of exciting, and frankly, inspiring things happening," Bruess said. "My predecessor did a fantastic job, and the college is in a healthy position. I'm not here to change, but to enhance and amplify."
He said he was lucky to be a part of a family that valued education. He visits his parents in Monroe whenever he can find time and enjoys fishing with his father and helping his mother. He also enjoys spending time with his three sisters and their families.
The Monroe group that attended the inauguration included Earl Brockman, another St. Norbert graduate, with his wife, Inge; Jim and Geri Bartholf; Pat and Will Klippel; and Jim and Mary Finley.
"Having the Monroe contingents here was delightful," Bruess said, noting the late Monsignor Tom Campion, also a St. Norbert graduate, is a special part of their family and played an integral role in encouraging Bruess to attend school there.
In 2006, Bruess was invited to the Council of Independent Colleges Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission Program for prospective college presidents and, in 2010, was invited to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Rome Seminar. He has also been honored for his contributions to higher education with the Minnesota College Personnel Association's 2005 Lud Spolyar Distinguished Service Award and the 2002 Linda Schrempp Alberg Award.
St. Norbert College is a four-year liberal arts college that graduated its first class in 1904. Enrollment is about 2,200 students. St. Norbert College was named "The Best in the Midwest" by the Princeton Review in 2017, and it has been included among the top 10 Catholic liberal arts colleges in the nation.
"It's pretty dreamy to go back to your alma mater and to a place that's meant so much to you," Bruess said.
It was a moment that also thrilled his parents, Clarence and Mary Lou, who went with family friends, and past co-workers, a few of whom were Bruess' high school teachers. About 800 people were present for the inauguration.
"It's the first time in my life people from all phases have come together," Bruess said. "It felt like a big reunion."
He attended St. Victor School until middle school and is a 1986 MHS graduate.
"Monroe is such a close-knit community," Bruess said. "I have great memories from St. Vic's and the parish life."
Bruess met his wife, Carol, at St. Norbert College where he started as a business major before becoming more interested in his sociology and psychology courses. Once he graduated, the college dean approached him to ask if he had ever considered higher education.
"It really was his inquiry that got the ball rolling for me," Bruess said. Within the year, he made it his goal to be a dean of students. He earned master's and doctoral degrees in college student personnel/research and evaluation from Ohio University. He spent 22 years at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, in a variety of roles, most recently as the executive vice president and chief operating officer.
"After 22 years at St. Catherine, I learned a lot about how to work in higher education," he said.
About 15 years ago, mentors in his life encouraged him to look into the presidency, Bruess said.
He said it took a decade of thought, in part, because of his family. His wife, Carol, is an accomplished professor and writer in Minnesota. They have two children. His son, Tony, is a senior at Stanford University and his daughter, Gracie, a senior in high school.
"I took my time," he said.
Ultimately, Bruess made the decision to return somewhat prematurely once his predecessor retired.
Mary Lou said the news of her son taking the presidency for the college was a proud moment. She described him as a fun child with good friends who joined every club he could. His father, Clarence, is a retired athletic director, coach and teacher of 30 years.
"He's always loved St. Norbert," Mary Lou said. "I think it's always been a dream of his to get back there."
Bruess said the college is in a strong position with stable enrollment but has upcoming plans and strategic initiatives in place. Last week, the college received its largest contribution of $30 million.
"There are a lot of exciting, and frankly, inspiring things happening," Bruess said. "My predecessor did a fantastic job, and the college is in a healthy position. I'm not here to change, but to enhance and amplify."
He said he was lucky to be a part of a family that valued education. He visits his parents in Monroe whenever he can find time and enjoys fishing with his father and helping his mother. He also enjoys spending time with his three sisters and their families.
The Monroe group that attended the inauguration included Earl Brockman, another St. Norbert graduate, with his wife, Inge; Jim and Geri Bartholf; Pat and Will Klippel; and Jim and Mary Finley.
"Having the Monroe contingents here was delightful," Bruess said, noting the late Monsignor Tom Campion, also a St. Norbert graduate, is a special part of their family and played an integral role in encouraging Bruess to attend school there.
In 2006, Bruess was invited to the Council of Independent Colleges Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission Program for prospective college presidents and, in 2010, was invited to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Rome Seminar. He has also been honored for his contributions to higher education with the Minnesota College Personnel Association's 2005 Lud Spolyar Distinguished Service Award and the 2002 Linda Schrempp Alberg Award.
St. Norbert College is a four-year liberal arts college that graduated its first class in 1904. Enrollment is about 2,200 students. St. Norbert College was named "The Best in the Midwest" by the Princeton Review in 2017, and it has been included among the top 10 Catholic liberal arts colleges in the nation.