By DARRIN STINEMAN

Salina Journal

LINDSBORG -- Adam Esses once took a skeptical view of Bethany College President Ed Leonard, but no more.

Esses, president of the college's student congress, was among a group who took applicants for the president's position to lunch about a year ago, he shared during Leonard's inauguration Saturday afternoon.

"As any good student whose duty and responsibility it is to question authority, I had to figure out if these candidates were telling us the truth or telling us lines to get the job," Esses said, drawing laughter from the 200 people who attended the ceremony at Bethany's Presser Hall. "It's been about a year now since I first met Ed Leonard, and my worries have subsided."

After more laughter from the crowd, Esses continued.

"In working with him this year, I've learned that he's a passionate leader and wants the best for this college and wants all of us to be successful here," he said.

After a four-month national search, Leonard was chosen from a pool of 37 candidates and officially introduced as the college's 13th president on May 31 of last year. He took over for interim president Robert Vogel on Aug. 1.

Vogel was one of 14 speakers at the two-hour event, which included words from Leonard's brother, Randy Leonard, and sister, Jennie Lee Bick.

"I would like to give you some insight into what you're getting with your new president," Randy Leonard said, inducing laughter from the crowd. "There are two qualities of Ed that I want to share with you today: determination and creativity. I believe you will find (those qualities) invaluable from the president of your college."

Speaking of his brother's determination, Randy Leonard said he memorized the Constitution at one point as a youngster, then became fluent in Latin when he developed an interest in the Bible. To illustrate his creativity, Leonard said his brother used to impress him by using cardboard to make communicators like the ones they saw on Star Trek.

"I encourage you to support him, believe in him and work with him," Randy Leonard said. "Do this, and you'll be truly amazed at the wondrous innovations he will bring to Bethany College."

The title of Ed Leonard's inaugural address was: "To Strive, To Seek, To Soar."

"My hope is that during my stewardship of Bethany College, we will do better than fine. We will soar," Leonard said. "We will -- with faith -- strive, seek, soar.

"I would suggest that our vision be framed as Bethany College will soar by delivering a valued student experience, by focusing on outcomes where we don't confuse activity with accomplishments, by assessing and improving continuously all that we do across the entire campus, and by developing, optimizing and stewarding all the resources deployed by the college."

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