Elmhurst University’s Dean Pribbenow Prepares for Role as President of Millikin University

Dr. Dean Pribbenow followed his father’s camping advice: “We want to leave this place better than how we found it.”

That wouldn’t be difficult for Pribbenow, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Elmhurst University, who joined the institution at a most unfortunate time: the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the afternoon of March 12, 2020, Pribbenow’s first day at EU, he sent an email to faculty introducing himself…then asking them to leave campus. He would not see the full faculty until August 2021, 17 months later.

“I do my work through relationships with people, and that’s how I feel like I’m an effective leader, is by building strong relationships,” said Pribbenow, who assembled and co-led a large task force with Vice President for Student Affairs Phillip Riordan during the pandemic.

Pribbenow’s tenure at EU also saw the university’s historic name change, a year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of its founding, and the university’s designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, which allowed him to write a $3.4 million Title V DHSI Grant.

Now, having been with EU for just over five years, Pribbenow has been selected to become the 17th president of Millikin University, a private university in Decatur, Ill., and will be departing from EU this summer.

President Troy VanAken announced Pribbenow’s departure in an email sent to students and faculty on March 10.

“I am excited for Dean, knowing what it means to be given this rare opportunity to champion a mission, execute a vision and make a significant impact on behalf of an institution of higher education,” wrote VanAken, who highlighted Pribbenow’s work co-chairing the COVID task force, aiding with EU’s name change, and leading the Advisory Council for Strategic Planning. “Please join me in congratulating Dean and wishing him all the best in his next endeavor.”

Prior to coming to EU, Pribbenow served a very similar position as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean at Edgewood College in Madison, Wis. He has a combined 12 years of experience between Edgewood and EU.

“When I was looking for a new opportunity, I was looking for a place that was bigger and more diverse and would offer some new opportunities for me,” said Pribbenow. “And Elmhurst represented that.”

Pribbenow was able to see this firsthand during the pandemic.

“I saw faculty and staff stepping up to meet students where they’re at, and to be flexible with policies and the way we did things and just make sure we were doing everything to support our students from there,” said the dean.

Pribbenow also received the opportunity to serve as acting president of EU from July to August 2023, which helped him further understand and appreciate the work of the other vice presidents. “It was a nice opportunity, and I think it just, it helped to affirm that becoming a president was something I wanted to do,” he said.

Pribbenow added that he believes his new role will require him to balance an internal focus and an external focus, maintaining an active presence on campus while also being involved with outside activities like forming community partnerships, meeting with alumni, and fundraising.

Pribbenow encouraged his successor to focus on student learning and success, as well as supporting and empowering faculty. “Without the students, there’s no university,” he noted. “That is clear.”

“My message to students is to keep bringing your passion, keep bringing your ideas, keep bringing the things that you care about,” Pribbenow continued. The dean also thanked the faculty for working alongside him through both good and challenging times.

“It is a community, and the gratitude I feel is the opportunity to have been a part of this community,” Pribbenow said. “And I feel like it’s taught me a lot of things, and it’s made me a better person and a better leader, and I hope I can take the lessons that I’ve learned here and apply those moving forward.”

Pribbenow’s tenure at Millikin University is set to begin on July 1, 2025.