Meet the New JWHA Journal Editor – Dr. Ken Mulliken
Dr. Ken Mulliken is an Artificial Intelligence Content Analyst for GlobalLogic, a company within the Hitachi Group, known for digital-product engineering. Until recently, Dr. Mulliken served as the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) at Marian University, where he oversaw 52 academic programs, both undergraduate and graduate, and supervised all faculty members. Three of the 27 departments Mulliken supervised included Marian’s Muriel Press, the Cardinal Meyer Library, and the Marian University student newspaper, The Sabre Voice. Mulliken also represented Marian University as its Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Higher Learning Commission.
Dr. Mulliken was born and grew up in Independence, Missouri. He was an Eagle Scout, served as Truman High School’s Student Council President (where he was a student of Mark Scherer), and attended Pleasant Heights RLDS Congregation. He was inspired to study church history by his mother, Frances, who published A Restoration Heritage, chronicling their family’s involvement in the Restoration Movement since the Nauvoo Era. As a college junior, Mulliken organized a 1,382-mile bicycling awareness project for Outreach International (OI) called “Trek for Africa,” which raised nearly $20,000 for OI’s comprehensive human-development initiatives in three African nations.
Mulliken’s master’s thesis at the University of Missouri – Columbia, on the Supreme Directional Control controversies in the RLDS Church during the 1920s, was added as a chapter in Let Contention Cease: The Dynamics of Dissent in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, edited by Roger Launius and W.B. “Pat” Spillman. Mulliken earned a doctorate in History at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, and his interdisciplinary dissertation, which epistemologically bridged the humanities and social sciences, earned the Mormon History Association’s Gerald E. Jones Outstanding Dissertation Award. His research is mentioned in the last paragraph of the Community of Christ’s Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_of_Christ).
For ten years, Mulliken worked as a Professor of History and Global Studies at the University of Saint Mary (USM), during which time he served as the Department Chair for seven years. Concurrently, for three years at USM, Mulliken also directed the Lawrence D. Starr Global Studies Institute, serving as its annual journal editor. At USM, he was engaged in Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society, participated as an ETS College Board Advanced Placement U.S. History Reader, worked as a Board Examiner for the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and assisted the Kansas Department of Education as a Board Reviewer. At USM, Dr. Mulliken was honored with the prestigious Sullivan Award for Teaching Excellence. During this time, Mulliken and his wife Wendy lived at the Heritage Plaza Historic Site, across the street from the Community of Christ Auditorium, giving tours of the Jones Flournoy House and the Frederick M. Smith Study. He served as the JWHA Executive Secretary from 2003 to 2005, under the leadership of Mark Scherer and Jan Shipps. In addition, Mulliken directed the Nauvoo Summer Interns for several years, inheriting the position from Alma Blair.
After ten years at USM, Southern Oregon University (SOU) hired Mulliken as the inaugural Executive Director of the SOU Honors College in 2013. During this time, in addition to developing and managing all aspects of the new Honors College, he served also as President of Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, and as President of the Western Regional Honors Council. Dr. Mulliken was actively engaged in activities sponsored by the National Collegiate Honors Society (NCHC), which included chairing three NCHC committees, among them the “Committee for Teaching and Learning.” One example of his work from this time can be seen here Breaking Barriers in Teaching and Learning: Perspectives on Twentieth-Century American Identity (unl.edu). At SOU, Mulliken co-initiated “The Democracy Project,” and organized short-term study-abroad experiences for students in over a dozen nations around the world, comparing various international models of democracy – how it is understood, implemented, and promoted.
Following his five years at SOU, Dr. Mulliken worked for three years as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education and Institutional Effectiveness at the Springfield campus of the University of Illinois (UIS). In this role, he oversaw all academic programs and departments at the undergraduate level. At UIS, he served as the institutional Accreditation Liaison Officer to the Higher Learning Commission and as a National Board Member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC). During this period, Mulliken was actively involved in Rotary, promoting a variety of literacy initiatives for elementary students, as well as serving as a judge for the annual high-school “National Public Radio – This I Believe Contest” sponsored by WUIS 91.9 FM.
Mulliken has authored 11 academic articles or book chapters, edited 15 published essays, edited 5 academic journals, reviewed 3 books, presented at 28 academic conferences, interviewed on television or radio 3 times, facilitated 6 National Endowment for the Humanities film events, and served as a script consultant for a documentary film. He has developed marketing materials, managed social-media and website content, and organized the logistics and agendas for conferences exceeding 500 participants. As the primary investigator, he has written grants that have secured over $12 Million for student support and assistance.
Dr. Mulliken considers himself to be a life-long learner and has expanded his understanding of higher education leadership through a variety of venues. Two of the most influential opportunities for Dr. Mulliken have been the University of Illinois’ President’s Executive Leadership Program, and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education Institute for Educational Management.
Mulliken considers his leadership style to be that of a “Servant Leader.” He is motivated by helping people through transformational learning and solving structural challenges. He is committed to transparent data-informed decision making that contributes to a culture of continuous improvement. He derives a great sense of satisfaction from teamwork and collaboration. Some of Mulliken’s personal interests include dogs, nature photography, snow skiing, disc golf, bicycling, and listening to a wide range of eclectic music, from Oscar Peterson to the Rippingtons, and from Garth Brooks to Rush. He loves to read, and especially enjoys travel writing. He has been influenced heavily by the writings of Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, Neale Donald Walsch, Simon Sinek, and Stephen Covey among others. Dr. Mulliken and his wife, Wendy, live happily in Independence, Missouri. They have been together since 1988 and were married in Jamaica in 2001. They have two adult daughters, and two vivacious teenage grandchildren.
Regarding the position of JWHA Journal Editor, Mulliken observes, “I could not be more pleased than to reengage with JWHA through this role. While Bill Morain’s shoes will be challenging to fill, I am grateful for the gracious support I have already been offered. I will strive to encourage research and scholarship of the highest quality that aligns to the mission of the John Whitmer Historical Association. I welcome all JWHA members to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.”
