served as president of State College of Louisiana, Bacon College in Kentucky, and the University of Missouri before coming to Christian University in August 1856. He served as president until his death in 1859. Presidents and their years of service are: James Shannon (1856–1859) Benjamin Harrison Smith (1865–1875) Winthrop Hartley Hopson (1875–1877) Reuben Lindsay Cave (1877–1881) John Clopton Reynolds (1881–1883) Oval Pirkey (1883–1886) John Huffman Hardin (1886–1888) Thomas Franklin Campbell (1888–1889) Simpson Ely (1889–1893) Perry O. Powell (1893–1894) Benjamin H. Smith (1894–1895) Clinton Lockhart (1895–1900) David Roberts Dungan (1900–1902) Carl Johann (1902–1914) Earl Marion Todd (1914–1917) John Hepler Wood (1917–1937) Walker Harrison McDonald (1937–1950) Leslie Edward Ziegler (1950–1956) Fred Helsabeck (1956–1973) Harold Charles Doster (1973–1977) Robert Windsor Brown (1978–1989) Walter Swanson Reuling (1989–1992) Edwin Batton Strong (1992–2003) William L. Fox (2003–2009) Richard D. Valentine (2009–2014) Kelly M. Thompson (2014–2020) Douglas B. Palmer (2020–present) Richard Valentine, a 1970 graduate of Culver–Stockton, served as the 25th president of Culver-Stockton from 2009 to 2014. He was the school's dean of admissions from 1977 to 1986. In 2012, Valentine launched the first capital campaign in 20 years which increased the endowment from $15.8 million in 2009 to $21.0 million. Kelly M. Thompson became the 26th president of Culver–Stockton College on July 1, 2014. She was the college's first woman president. Highlights of her tenure were the construction of the Carolyn L. and Robert W. Brown Residence Hall and the completion of a comprehensive campaign designed to raise $25 million in eight years, but it only took six years to raise $34 million. Enrollment grew from 752 in 2011 to 1,134 in 2017. Douglas B. Palmer became the 27th president of Culver–Stockton College on July 1, 2020. Campus Buildings Most of the buildings on today's Culver–Stockton campus have been built since 1937. Much construction and complete renovation of the major buildings on campus have taken place since 1980. Henderson Hall The first building on Culver–Stockton Campus was Old Main, known today as Henderson Hall. Construction began in 1853 and was completed in 1855. The building was destroyed by fire on March 23, 1903. In keeping with a tradition that carries on today, students didn't miss one day of school. Officials organized classes in local churches. College President Carl Johann resolved to rebuild; and within 10 days of the fire, the citizens of Canton raised $15,000 for a new building. The college collected $8,000 from insurance