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 Robert
M. Wilkes assumed his responsibilities as Interim President of Brigham
Young University-Idaho on December 1. He succeeds Elder David A. Bednar who
now moves full time to his calling as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles.
President
Wilkes spent his first day “trying to organize myself to handle the
flow of information and business that comes into this office. It comes from so many different
sources. I need a structure to handle it.”
His
first tasks will include meeting with all the vice presidents in their
weekly meeting. He’ll
also attend Grad Night December 2.
“Grad Night started about three years ago. It creates an
opportunity for the President, in a less formal setting, to meet with the
graduates, wish them well and speak to their future relationship with
BYU-Idaho.”
President
Wilkes, age 64, a resident of Rexburg and a native of Afton,
Wyoming, came to Ricks
College in 1970 as a teacher in
the religion department. He
served five years as chairman of the Department of Recreation Education and
five years as chairman of the Division of Religious and Family Living, and
four years as chairman of the Division of Education. He served as vice president of
Student Life from January 1999 to December 2003. He was awarded the BYU-Idaho
Man of Excellence Award in February 2004.
He
has served as a bishop twice, a counselor in a stake presidency, a high
councilor, stake president, regional representative, and as president of
the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission from 1995 to 1998.
He
and his wife Estella are the parents of six children - three girls and
three boys. At present time,
they have 19 grandchildren.
It’s
been just one year since President Wilkes retired from BYU-Idaho.
“This does not interrupt my retirement, although it changes it a
little,” he said. “I’ve been given a second chance to
come back and be around the students. That excites me.”
His
love for the students and his wealth of experience and service make him
uniquely qualified to step into the role of president for whatever period
of time he may serve.
President
Wilkes has one item on his agenda. “My job is to hand over to the
next president the same university that Elder Bednar left behind. That does not imply the status quo
or a lack of motion. It means
to carry on what has been put in place, which was put there by the Board of
Directors.”
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