Weimar alumnus John Wesley Taylor (class of 1983) will become President of Andrews University on July 1, 2023. Growing up in the mission field, Dr. Taylor was home schooled until he enrolled at Weimar College and began his course of study on September 21, 1980; and obtained his Bachelor of Science in Health Science and his Bachelor of Arts in Religion with a minor in Secondary Education on June 12, 1983. While at Weimar, bilingual J. Wesley Taylor (fluent in both Spanish and English) was well known as an exceptional musician and pianist, who excelled both academically and spiritually showing in every aspect of his life, the fruits of His walk with God. Through-out his academic and professional career, “Wes” as he known by his friends, maintained Weimar’s mission of being unapologetically biblical and uncompromisingly scientific.
Dr. Taylor has been a visiting lecturer at Weimar to both students and faculty. He spoke at an off-campus weekend retreat for Weimar College students in 2014 and recently spoke at a week-long Weimar University faculty training one week before the current school year began, in August 2022. During that week of training, Dr. Taylor, advanced the biblical worldview of education and promoted strategies for high-level critical and creative thinking with his main focus on nurturing the faith of students. Dr. Taylor is known as a “teacher’s teacher.” He knows how to lead quality assurance systems and authentic assessment in higher education and will work to build capacity and efficiency at Andrews University while making data driven decisions.
Weimar College started in 1978 by lay Seventh-day Adventists who had a goal of producing leaders with integrity that would carry out Christ’s 3-fold ministry of teaching, healing, and proclaiming the everlasting gospel. The leadership committee of Weimar University paused for special prayer for Dr. Taylor and Andrews University on the day he was selected. The Committee knows that Andrews University will be blessed with Dr. Taylor as it’s chief executive. Andrews University is a General Conference higher education institution that houses the church’s flagship seminary and also has programs in architecture, engineering, and physical therapy. May God bless both Andrews University and Weimar University as more transformative leaders are being educated, like Dr. Taylor, at Weimar for the future.
