While we felt that all four candidates were worthy of a position like this, Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande was a standout and should be named the next Southeast Missouri State University president in the opinion of the Arrow editorial board.

He shined above and beyond the other three candidates and showed that he cared deeply about the future of Southeast through his enthusiasm and passion. Coming from a student perspective, determination in the face of obstacles is a valuable and irreplaceable component of leadership.

Akande began his open forum by telling those in attendance about his journey from growing up in Nigeria to standing before them today. He told of moments in his childhood when he had only candlelight to study by at night. It's moments like this that define a person's character for his entire life, and it translates through his humble appreciation for education and the benefits it offers.

During his visit, Akande spoke about his idea of taking Southeast from "success to significance." While the other candidates showed that they could continue the work of Dr. Kenneth W. Dobbins, Akande left the impression that he would push students, faculty and staff to new heights. Akande said Dobbins has done an impressive job of taking Southeast on a long and successful journey, and the next president of the university needs to lead the university to even bigger successes.

Considering Dobbins has done so many things for Southeast during his 16 years as president, such as spearheading the initiative to have the River Campus constructed, having multiple new residence halls built and facilitating accredited programs around campus, we want a new president who is just as determined to leave as big of an impact (preferably bigger) during his time here.

The president is the voice of the university. Without a strong and eloquent voice, the body cannot succeed. Akande is that voice. Since Southeast was established 142 years ago it has had just 17 presidents. Each president has left a lasting impression on the university, which is why this decision should not be taken lightly by students, faculty, staff and members of the community.

We want Akande to be our next president at Southeast because we believe he would be able to leave a legacy of success AND significance.

The Arrow editorial board is made up of Logan Young, Jay Forness, Zarah Laurence, Nick McNeal and Amber Cason. This editorial reflects the joint opinion of editors who attended open forums hosted by all four presidential finalists.