Update: This story has been updated to say that Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande received his bachelor's degree from Wayland Baptist University. A previous version incorrectly identified the university. The Arrow regrets the error.

Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande spoke about how he has grown to appreciate the impact of higher education since he came to America from Nigeria to further his education.

"I see myself as an American story because I have had so much generosity and so much opportunity in my 30 some odd years in the United States," Akande said. "My journey to America was enabled through the generosity of an American philanthropist from Winchester, Kentucky, by the name of T. L. Beckham."

He said that Beckham met and became friends with his parents in the 70s. Akande was able to go to Wayland Baptist University, and, in 1995, he returned to Wayland as the head of its business department and professor of economics. Five years later he moved to St. Louis to work at Webster University as the dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology.

Akande was the last of four candidates for the Southeast Missouri State University presidential position to visit campus. He visited Feb. 25-26 and spoke to students, staff and the community at an open forum.

"I share with you my journey because I want to give relevance, perspective on why I'm standing here today," Akande said. "Because I am a product of what higher education can do. I am a product of what generosity is all about, and I am extremely grateful and very humbled by that opportunity."

Akande said that the world is constantly changing, and universities have to take steps to continuously improve as current practices become outdated.

"We forge new partnerships because we know we cannot overcome our challenges alone," Akande said. "We scale new heights because the air is fresher and the view of the future is clearer from above. And while the world around us may seem unpredictable at times, especially if you're a college-aged adult, Southeast Missouri State University is on solid ground."

He said that current President Dr. Kenneth W. Dobbins has strengthened Southeast's mission to empower students to succeed through improvements to the campus, online programing, increased diversity, enhanced academic programs and financial management of the institution.

"President Dobbins has taken SEMO on a long and successful expedition," Akande said. "It is the task, I believe, of the next president to build on the last 16 years and to lead SEMO to a higher ground."

He added that the president has to work with students, faculty and staff to "ensure that challenges are confronted."

"SEMO's next president must be a competent leader, a relationship builder, a cheerleader and most importantly a good listener," Akande said. "Because a successful modern university president is someone who empowers the university community to imagine new possibilities, to dare to dream what they cannot yet see and to embrace a sense of constructive impatience to make SEMO stand out as a first-choice institution."

Akande said that the core values of the institution, student success, excellence, access, diversity and community, are values that will never have an expiration date and that the university will always be able to improve and grow with them.

"SEMO does not exist for itself but to improve the lives of it's students when they are here and to continue to support them as alumni long after they've left us," Akande said.

He added that it is the university's responsibility to promise that now and in the future, no matter the challenges -- whether it's shrinking financial support from the state or increased mobilization of the student population.

"All we know for sure is that a university is a complex community of relationships and often times competing interests," Akade said. "And so the president should seek the help, the support, the feedback from members of the SEMO community and be prepared to learn from criticism. Your next president cannot lead alone."

Akande said that, together, the president and the community could build an institution that has a profound impact on southeast Missouri.

"We should seize the moment to open our door to the entire state, to the region, to our nation and to the world," Akande said.

When asked how he sees his transition from a private university to a public one would be, Akande said that his background would help with the growing need to fundraise.

"Clearly, a lot of state institutions today are being asked to function with less resources from the state," Akande said. "They're being asked to be a little bit more direct in finding other opportunities out there in terms of resources, whether it's through foundations or perhaps individual fundraising. I think I bring a greater [chance] of being able to find those resources for institutions."

Akande has had experience with raising money for scholarships and endowments for the college of business and technology at Webster and has even created an endowed scholarship in his and his wife's name for students coming to Webster from Africa.

Akande also spoke about how he has enhanced the curriculum at Webster to include consistent outcomes between each course and between the 14,000 students in his college. He has also been involved with the design and construction of a new building.

"I believe that the next president of SEMO must seek to take SEMO from success to significance. Because, you see, significance is a word that means better. Significance means you become the benchmark. Significance means that you get to move that mission of student success to a whole new demographic. Significance says to us that we're not just Southeast Missouri State University."

Akande spoke to around 100 people in Glenn Auditorium in Dempster Hall on Feb. 23. Visit southeastArrow.com/presidentialsearch for complete coverage on the four candidate and the hiring process.