Rachelle Keck

Rachelle Keck
14th President of Grand View University
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 2022
Preceded byKent L. Henning
President of Briar Cliff University
In office
2018–2022
Personal details
Born
Rachelle L. Karstens

1969 or 1970 (age 54–55)
Children4
EducationWartburg College
University of Iowa
Drake University

Rachelle L. Karstens Keck (born 1969/1970) is an American lawyer and academic administrator serving as the fourteenth president of Grand View University since 2022. She was president of Briar Cliff University from 2018 to 2022.

Life

Keck was born in 1969 or 1970 to Gene and Miriam Karstens.[1][2] She has eight siblings.[2] Keck lived in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and graduated from high school in Clinton.[1] Keck earned a B.A. in psychology, summa cum laude, from Wartburg College.[3][4] She completed a J.D. with distinction from University of Iowa College of Law.[3] Keck graduated with a Ph.D. in education from Drake University in 2020.[3] Her dissertation was titled, Sensemaking & Rainmaking: A Phenomenology Examining the Fundraising Experiences of Presidents at Private, Nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education.[3] Robyn M. Cooper was her doctoral advisor.[2]

Keck worked as an associate attorney in Montezuma, Iowa from 1995 to 1998.[3] She was an assistant prosecutor in the Poweshiek County attorney's office from 1995 to 1999.[3] She was a general counsel at Johnson & Johnson from 2000 to 2014.[3] From 2014 to 2015, she served as the director of planned giving at the University of Iowa Foundation.[3] Keck was the executive director of philanthropy and alumni relations at Indian Hills Community College from 2015 to 2017.[3][4]

Keck joined Briar Cliff University in 2017 as its chief of staff and university counsel.[5] She was also an executive president and acting vice president of enrollment management.[3] She served as president from 2018 to 2022.[3] She was succeeded by interim president Patrick Jacobson-Schulte on July 1, 2022.[6] In 2022, Keck became the fourteenth president of Grand View University, succeeding Kent L. Henning.[1] She is the first female to lead the university.[1][7]

Personal life

Keck is married and has four children.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Joens, Philip. "Grand View University hires Iowa native Rachelle Keck as new president". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  2. ^ a b c Karstens, Rachelle L (2020). Sensemaking & Rainmaking: A Phenomenology Examining the Fundraising Experiences of Presidents at Private, Nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education (Thesis).[page needed]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Keck, Rachelle Karstens (2022). "CV" (PDF). Grand View University. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  4. ^ a b c Day, Connor (2022-03-22). "Grand View University names Dr. Rachelle Keck as new president". weareiowa.com. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  5. ^ Rushing, Ty (2017-06-11). "Karstens named chief of staff and attorney for Briar Cliff". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  6. ^ "Briar Cliff University announces interim president". www.ktiv.com. 2022-04-12. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  7. ^ Yamada, Caitlin (2022-03-22). "Briar Cliff President Rachelle Keck bound for Grand View University job". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 2023-12-25.