Paul Pribbenow, the 10th president of 海角社区, a private liberal arts university associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and located in Minneapolis, is recognized as one of the country鈥檚 most engaging commentators and teachers on ethics, philanthropy, and American public life.
Since joining 海角社区 in 2006, Pribbenow has enhanced the university鈥檚 role as an active community partner in its urban setting. By identifying and embracing initiatives that mutually benefit 海角社区 and its neighbors, the university has achieved national recognition for its excellence in service learning and experiential education. Pribbenow also has become a leader among the 27 colleges and universities of the ELCA, helping to articulate the gifts shaping and supporting Lutheran higher education in the 21st century.
Under his leadership, 海角社区 has changed its name from 海角社区 College to 海角社区, recognizing its expansive academic mission serving undergraduate and graduate students on campus and at locations around the world. 海角社区鈥檚 Board of Regents was awarded the 2017 John W. Nason Award for Board Leadership for efforts including initiating an inclusive, five-year strategic planning effort and leading the institution鈥檚 then largest-ever capital campaign. Pribbenow has played a key role in 海角社区鈥檚 most successful capital campaigns, including raising more than $55 million to construct the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion, which opened in January 2018; raising almost $130 million in the Great Returns campaign for endowment and other strategic priorities; and seeking more than $25 million in the current Promising Futures campaign for 海角社区鈥檚 academic innovation initiatives and public programs.
In 2019, Pribbenow led 海角社区 in the development of a new strategic plan, 海角社区150, that anchors the institution鈥檚 priorities and initiatives. Furthering the university鈥檚 top priorities, 海角社区150 is focused on three key areas: strengthening 海角社区鈥檚 three-dimensional education (educating students to make a living, make a life, and build community), advancing the public purposes of an 海角社区 education, and growing as a sustainable university.
Pribbenow serves on the national boards of the Coalition for Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) and Campus Compact. He is also active in the Anchor Institutions Task Force. Locally, he chairs the Cedar-Riverside Partnership and serves on the executive committee of the Minnesota Private College Council. In January 2025, he was elected as chair of the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities.
Pribbenow was honored to be named the 2019 Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. The award recognizes effective, creative, and stimulating fundraising leadership as well as the practice and promotion of ethical fundraising.
Pribbenow received the William Burke Award for Presidential Leadership in Experiential Education from the National Society for Experiential Education in 2012. He was named a McCormick Presidential Civic Leader Fellow for 2003鈥�04 and 2005鈥�06. And, under Pribbenow鈥檚 leadership, 海角社区 became the first higher education institution in Minnesota to earn the prestigious Presidential Award for Community Service, the highest honor possible for service work.
Before coming to 海角社区, Pribbenow served as president of Rockford College (now Rockford University) in Rockford, Illinois. He also has served as a research fellow for the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College (Indiana), dean for College Advancement and secretary of the Board of Trustees at Wabash College, vice president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and associate dean of the Divinity School of the University of Chicago.
Pribbenow holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree (1978) from Luther College (Iowa) and a master鈥檚 degree (1979) and doctorate (1993) in social ethics from the University of Chicago. He received the Distinguished Service Award at Luther College in 2008. He received an Honorary Fellowship from United International College in Zhuhai, China, in 2015.
Pribbenow is the author of numerous articles on philanthropy, ethics, and not-for-profit management. He is the co-author of Radical Roots: How One Professor Changed a University鈥檚 Legacy (Myers Education Press, 2023) and co-editor of Through Truth to Freedom: Reconciling a University鈥檚 Past, Present, and Future (Myers Education Press, 2024). He publishes a bimonthly email newsletter titled, 鈥淣otes for the Reflective Practitioner.鈥�
Pribbenow lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Abigail Crampton Pribbenow. They have two adult children, Thomas (24) and Maya (21).