John Priest Greene Society

• Personalized Brick: First-time members of the John Priest Greene Society receive the prestigious honor of having a brick bearing the donor’s name placed in the Circle of 1849 the border of the walkway that encircles the Quad. As future generations of students make their first and last ceremonial walk around the Quad, they will be surrounded by the names of committed Jewell supporters.
• Annual Reception: During the morning of Homecoming each year, members gather in Pryor Learning Commons for a coffee reception, group photo and brick dedication for new members.
• Quarterly Newsletter: We keep members informed about everything happening on The Hill through a quarterly member newsletter. In addition. members receive the president's Jewell Insider enewsletter every two months, designed to keep our closest friends up to date on all facets of the College and our Strategic Priorities.
• Recognition in our annual Honor Roll of Donors

William Jewell’s longest serving president, Dr.  Greene’s devotion to the College for 30 years as president and 20 years as a Trustee has had a paramount influence on William Jewell’s emergence as a premier national liberal arts learning institution.

A distinguished pastor in St. Louis, Dr. Greene became the president of William Jewell in 1892. Many of his strong ideals for the College remain central to today’s mission: a sound academic program, democratic in standards and practice where economic and social status do not exist, comfortable facilities for living and learning, loyalty to the ideals of Christ and an adequate endowment to ensure operation in challenging times.

His administration was marked by steady progress, leading William Jewell into the 20th century and through World War I. Under his direction the endowment more than doubled, women were admitted as students, and living conditions were improved with the addition of conveniences such as running water, central heating, electric lights, roads and sidewalks. The landscape of the Hill changed as well, growing to a full campus with two additional classroom buildings, the first gymnasium and library, a second dormitory and the president’s home.

The native Missourian was known as much for his unquestioned integrity and belief in hard work as he was for his genuine love for people. He was respected for developing personal relationships with faculty, and he knew every student by name. Dr. Greene adopted the College motto still in use today: Deo Fisus Labora means “trust in God and work,” and that’s exactly how he lived his life.