President Cureton and his wife, Gayle

Alan S. Cureton, Ph.D
President

In January 2002, Dr. Alan Cureton was inaugurated as the eighth president of Northwestern College & Radio, now Northwestern Media. Under his leadership Northwestern College is building upon its academic, fiscal, and program strength while holding firm to its Christ-centered, biblical foundation, and Northwestern Media continues to provide encouraging and uplifting music while broadcasting the truth and love of Jesus Christ. Northwestern continues to embrace its spiritual legacy while enhancing academic excellence.

Three recent graduates were awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. Alumni have attended various prestigious graduate schools, including Harvard, Columbia, and the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. Faculty members have participated in academic and research programs at Oxford University, the University of Genoa-Italy, Cambridge University, Yale University, and Prison Fellowship’s Wilberforce Program. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1 and the average ACT score for incoming freshmen is 24.5. Northwestern's enrollment is about 3.500 students in all accredited programs.

Graduate & Continuing Education is thriving, offering 10 adult bachelor degree programs and 2 graduate degree programs. In cooperation with HCJB Global, Northwestern offers an associate degree in applied science and Bible with a specialization in electronic media and broadcasting to Spanish-speaking students at the Christian Center for Communications in Quito, Ecuador.

Recent building projects include the Mel Johnson Media Center (MJMC), completed in 2003 at a cost of $10.5 million. In 2004, the Riley gym underwent a $2.4 million renovation to add classroom space, computer labs and faculty offices. During the summer of 2008, to prepare for the $19 million Community Life Commons, the campus rerouted the main road, constructed the first stage of a parking ramp and began a three-year lease of Arden Hall, which provided much-needed student housing.

The college remains focused on implementing the second phase of a long-range strategic plan and campus master plan. In 2009, Northwestern Radio became Northwestern Media, and now owns and operates 16 AM and FM Christian radio stations in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Florida, in addition to online streaming around the world. It distributes talk programming to its stations and other affiliates via satellite. 98.5 KTIS consistently ranks as one of the top 2 radio stations in the Twin Cities among adults 25-54.

Dr. Cureton is entering his 30th year of experience in higher education and his 28th year in Christian higher education. His professional affiliations include trustee and board chair for the U.S. Board for Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya; trustee for Sterling College, Minnesota Prayer Breakfast Committee and Chair of the President's Council of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.

Dr. Cureton earned a bachelor of arts (Bible and Christian education) from Sterling College. He earned a Ph.D. (double major in history and philosophy of education and in higher education) from Iowa State University. In October 2007, he received the Alumni Achievement Award from Iowa State University, recognizing his meritorious service and distinguished achievements in higher education.