93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Funeral services are about to begin this (Tuesday) morning for longtime Columbia College president Dr. Gerald Brouder, who died last week at the age of 79.
He served as Columbia College’s president from 1995 to 2013. Columbia College political science professor Terry Smith, who served as executive vice president under Dr. Brouder, noted that his theme was we respect teaching and learning.
“We (Dr. Brouder’s philosophy) want to provide our students wherever they are, and they were literally all over the world, with the very best education possible. And also reach out to students who are underserved,” Smith says.
Funeral services begin this morning at 10 at Columbia’s Our Lady of Lourdes church.
One of Dr. Brouder’s top goals when he arrived as Columbia College in 1995 was strengthening the sciences. Professor Smith tells 939 the Eagle that the science building in 1995 was a former infirmary that wasn’t suitable for science instruction. The state-of-the-art Gerald and Bonnie Brouder Science Center opened in 2013, after years of hard work and fundraising.
“We have the best undergraduate forensic science program in the state. Not possible without that wonderful building and all of its equipment and the great instructors, and the fine curriculums,” says Smith.
Professor Smith says President Brouder had high standards for everything, whether it involved landscaping, facilities, academics or ethics.
