Maroon and Gold: March 2026

Greetings

What Time Is It?  

 

God’s Minute 

 

I've only just a minute, Only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me, can't refuse it, Didn't seek it, didn't choose it, But it's up to me to use it. I must suffer if I lose it, Give an account if I abuse it, Just a tiny little minute, But eternity is in it. 

 

-Dr. Benjamin E. Mays 

 

Time, it is easy to quantify and hard to manage. As Dr. Mays noted that even in a tiny little minute, eternity is contained within it. Our time counts and how we spend it determines what we value. Time is so important that there are numerous biblical and literary references to time. The Prophet Moses said in Psalm 90: 12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Poet, Amira Baraka “It’s Nation Time!” Even revered Catholic Saint, Mother Teresa said, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” Finally, beloved author, Dr. Seuss shared, “How did it get so late so soon?” 

 

At the Reagan celebration on February 6, 2026, held at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, where John Morris, CEO, graciously hosted the event, Leah Smolen and Maleah Hill—current Reagan Fellows—skillfully interviewed Mark Joseph, the producer of the movie Reagan. There was one exchange that stood out and helped me to realize what time it is and whose time it is. 

Question: 

From your research, what had the greatest impact on Reagan’s development? 

 

Mark Joseph: 

Eureka College played a profound role. Reagan liked to remind people that he didn’t attend an Ivy League school, but that he learned economics and leadership in a way that was grounded in common sense and real‑world experience. 

 

There’s a moment in the film where Reagan mentions going to Eureka College in a room full of Ivy League graduates. He enjoyed that contrast. He had confidence in the education he received here. His student leadership and activism at Eureka were especially important. Those experiences showed him that organized effort could create real change. That sense of agency stayed with him for the rest of his life. 

 

This question and Mark Joseph’s answer crystallized the importance of understanding the value of supporting Eureka College students. In the audience, there were current Reagan Fellows along with many Reagan Fellow Alumni. Current students, represented by Leah and Maleah, this is their time to shine.

 

Everything that we do, all the philanthropic efforts, and all promotion of the College is geared toward the success and launching of this current generation of students. We must be vigilant in this pursuit. 

 

Ronald Reagan, and all alumni who walked the paths of this institution received tangible and intangible tools that prepared them for success. President Reagan gave throughout his lifetime and established the largest scholarship on campus. How can you make your own distinct mark on the lives of students? What doors can you open? The job of Eureka College administrators, alumni supporters, and volunteers is to make sure that all that is done in word and in deed is to lift up the experiences of current students. When I asked the question, what time is it? The answer is the time is now to support students.

 

As we approach another commencement in May and celebrate the completion of the Student Success Center Phase One, we must remember the value of being One Eureka (One Eureka is March 25, 2026). A place that is singly focused on the success of students creating an environment that nurtures their development. We exist for them, not for ourselves. Our time as students has passed. Now, we invest in the future that is embodied in the lives of students like Leah and Maleah.  

 

Eureka College was started by a group of people who were bound together by their Christian faith but also bonded together with the idea that they would democratize education— that every man, woman and person of color would have an equal opportunity to receive a college education.

 

This was in 1855 eight years before the Emancipation Proclamation and 65 years before women received the right to vote. They didn’t wait for popular sentiment to do what was right. They understood the fierce urgency of now, as Dr. Martin Luther King once said.  

 

I am thankful that the same urgent spirit exists in thousands of our alumni who selflessly invest and support current students. If you are not currently a supporter join this group by giving a gift now or during One Eureka.  

 

Those who do support students realize the quote by Albert Schweitzer is true, when he said, “I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” 

 

Thank you to all of you who recognize, “what time it is” and for serving and giving to this current generation of students. Now is the time to support them because it’s their time.

 

Dr. Arto Woodley