Washburn University Names Marshall Meek as Interim President

The Washburn University Board of Regents announced that it has selected Marshall Meek as interim president until it hires a replacement for retiring President Jerry Farley.  Meek has served as president of the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation since 2017. 

“I am honored to serve in this capacity during a time of transition for the university,” Meek said.  “As an alumnus, I know Washburn is a very special place, and I look forward to giving the university my best until a new president is selected.”

Meek will take the helm of Washburn University when President Jerry Farley officially retires from the position on September 30, 2022.  Farley will remain with the university as president emeritus after his retirement concentrating on fundraising and international student recruitment.

“The Regents have had a great working relationship with Marshall for the past five years, and he has our complete confidence that he will help maintain a strong educational culture for our students during this time of transition,” said Shelly Buhler, chair of the Washburn University Board of Regents.

Meek said he will not be a candidate for the permanent position and that he is confident the university will continue to run smoothly as the board searches for Farley’s replacement.

“Washburn boasts strong leadership, faculty and staff teams with many years of experience,” he said.  “I know those teams will continue to function at a high level throughout the interim period with the focus on continuing to make Washburn a place where our students learn and are provided exceptional opportunities.”

Meek joined the Washburn Alumni Association and Foundation in 2015 as the executive director of major and planned giving.  He was named president of the organization in 2017.  In that time, he has also served as a member of the University’s executive staff and worked with the president of Washburn and the Board of Regents to identify fundraising needs. While he is serving in his interim capacity, Meek will continue to hold the title of president for the Alumni Association and Foundation, but will turn day-to-day responsibilities over to Gina Stewart, executive director of administration at the organization.

Before coming to Washburn, Meek was the executive director of the St. Francis Health Foundation and was the senior development officer at the First Hand Foundation at Cerner Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri.  He has also served on a number of community boards including the United Way of Greater Topeka.

Meek is a graduate of Kansas State University and earned his master’s degree in business administration from Washburn.   He resides in Topeka with his wife, Amy, and their five children.  Together, they have served as licensed foster parents and as a support family for YouThrive, a program which helps foster children who have aged out of care.