In moving from his role as university provost to university president at PLNU, Dr. Kerry Fulcher is leaving a position he has loved to serve in a new way. While he knows there is much to learn, he and his wife, Robyn, are also excited for what lies ahead.
Every new role President Fulcher has accepted has required a step of faith. He hasn’t moved up because of dissatisfaction with where he has been. Rather, he has taken new positions even when he has been happy with his work to follow God’s prompting and to serve others.
Fulcher grew up in the Church of the Nazarene. His father passed away when Kerry was four, but Fulcher was inspired by his father’s interest in science. Fulcher entered college at Northwest Nazarene College (now Northwest Nazarene University) with the goal of becoming a high school science teacher and basketball coach. While Kerry was at NNU, he met Robyn, who was majoring in elementary education.
For both Kerry and Robyn, college was not only a time of academic learning but also a season of self-discovery and spiritual growth. Robyn’s father was a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene, but it was at NNU that she said she really made her faith her own.
“I really flourished and grew as a person and individual,” she said. “Those are some of the fondest memories of my life. I was ready to [move] out of my house and learn and grow and explore. It was hard on one level, breaking away and making the transfer of my parents’ faith to my faith and saying, ‘I really do believe this. I’m all in on living this Christian walk.’”
Fulcher’s college experience was enhanced by his relationships with faculty mentors as well as with his basketball coaches at NNU. He was especially impacted by Christian ministry professor Irving Laird and science professor Leon Powers, who he said, “was just a wonderful professor who shaped my own understanding of how to be a professor.”
Both Kerry and Robyn graduated from NNU in 1985 — Kerry with a bachelor’s degree in biology and Robyn with a degree in elementary education. The two married shortly after their graduation.
Through his experiences at NNU, Fulcher had come to believe teaching at the college level might be right for him. To that end, he went on to graduate school at the University of Idaho. He earned his doctorate in zoology in 1990. During that time, the Fulchers’ first daughter, Jordanne, was born. From there, Fulcher accepted an NIH post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina. While there, the Fulchers’ second daughter, Hailey, was born.
Kerry was three-and-a-half years into a five-year fellowship when he received the call to serve as a biology professor at PLNU. This proved to be the first time that God had something in mind for the Fulchers they hadn’t imagined.
“I had always assumed I would go back to NNU,” Fulcher said. “Robyn and I weren’t [initially] interested in moving to California, but we thought I could get experience interviewing. Once we started the process, God changed each of our minds individually.”
“Something happened when we were there, and we had this sense that God might have this place be our new home,” Robyn said.
For Kerry, visiting Point Loma showed him “a very good biology department that was doing undergrad research — it was a perfect blend of quality academics along with laboratory-type research. At that time, there were only three or four faith-based schools in country that had that sort of thing going.”
However, it was during chapel that Fulcher truly felt God telling him that Point Loma was where he wanted him to be. “It was a total change of heart,” he said.
Teaching Years
In 1994, Kerry, Robyn, Jordanne, and Hailey moved into Flex Housing at Point Loma as Kerry started his teaching career. A year and a half later, the position of resident director for Flex became available, and Robyn was encouraged to apply.
“That began just this beautiful, interesting, complicated journey of 16 years of working with young adults,” she said. Robyn was able to bring to bear her teaching and organizational skills to serve PLNU students and her family.
“These four years are such a pivotal moment in a young person’s life around dreams, goals, decisions,” she said. “It was a beautiful relationship of me just pouring into these students’ lives. At the same time, motherhood was such a joy for me in raising my kids, and we were able to incorporate our family life into this role. The soccer field was our kids’ playground. They could roam safely around campus. Our third daughter, Maddy, was born while we lived in Flex. She literally grew up on campus. All our kids say they had the best childhood.”
“Dr. Fulcher brings a wealth of higher education experience, understands the growing challenges and complexities that universities are facing, and is committed to making the PLNU community a welcoming and thriving place for all of its students, faculty, and staff.”
– Doug Pierce, PLNU Board of Trustees Chair
Robyn noted that all of her daughters are involved in church ministries, and the influence of their growing up in a Christian community played a role in that.
Like Robyn, during his years as a biology faculty member at PLNU, Fulcher found his interactions with the students to be among his most rewarding experiences. He also enjoyed the process of learning how to best help students in the classroom and lab.
“We were able to attract really good students, and one of the things I learned early on was that not every student has the same learning style,” he said. “It ignited a desire and fire within me to learn how to be a better professor. How could I teach in such a way that no matter the student’s learning style, they could learn? I became interested in the pedagogy of teaching science.”
He also appreciated the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team when he was part of the integrated semester for freshmen project.
“Each class isn’t just an island unto itself,” he said. “It was deeply rewarding to help students think in an interdisciplinary way and to be involved with colleagues. It helped to get me to think in an interdisciplinary way as well.”
Fulcher also enjoyed working with the summer research students, serving as a mentor and teacher.
“I found the student advising process rewarding,” he said. “You were able to walk with a student on their own journey of discovering what their own vocational calling might be and navigate that with them. You asked them questions to help them figure out what God’s calling on their life might look like.”
Administration Years
By 2008, Fulcher was chair of the biology department. Then-provost John Hawthorne asked him to consider serving as the Dean of Arts and Sciences when Dr. David Strawn retired.
“To be honest, I absolutely didn’t want to do it,” Fulcher recalled. “It was a difficult journey to go from something you love doing to something you don’t know. But I realized God kept bringing the idea back into my life and heart. I felt like if I ever wanted to sleep again, I should entertain the idea!”
Once Fulcher accepted the position, he began to see ways in which he might make a positive difference. He adopted a “development first” philosophy. “What was of value was creating environments where other people could thrive,” he said.
“I’ve seen firsthand not only his steadfast commitment to the growth and well-being of our university but also his genuine care for those around him.”
– Holly Irwin, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Academic Administration
However, leaving the classroom was still a difficult transition for Fulcher.
“For me, the most shaping times [of my life] have been times of difficulty — the dark night of the soul so to speak,” he said. “God was able to show me that I had begun to place my significance in my role as being a professor rather than placing my significance as a loved child of God who wanted to follow and walk in obedience no matter what. The transition to leave the classroom and go into an administrative role coincided with challenging times within our family. But ultimately, I developed a healthier attitude toward work — not to strive or grasp but to see an opportunity to serve in those capacities. That was the biggest shift in my own life. In terms of spiritual growth, I wanted to follow Christ no matter what the circumstances might be — to walk in daily obedience there.”
In January 2010, God called Fulcher to another step of faith. Fulcher was asked to take on the role of interim provost. He had been in a discernment process over a chief academic officer position at another university, but he felt he was meant to stay PLNU, especially during a time of provost transition. When the search process was complete in February 2011, he was named PLNU’s provost. In that role, which he held until being named president this summer, Fulcher oversaw all academic programs as well as graduate enrollment and student services.
“I have enjoyed being stretched to think bigger,” Fulcher said. “In each role, I felt like I had a pretty good understanding of the university, but with each change, came a better understanding of the totality of the university.”
During his tenure as dean and provost, Fulcher continued to focus on faculty development. He worked with Dr. Jo Clemmons to expand and enhance the Center for Teaching and Learning, making “thinking about teaching and pedagogy front burner.”
“I enjoyed the changing of culture around department chairs and school deans from seeing themselves as managers to seeing themselves as leaders,” he said. “Ultimately, if your goal is to offer the highest quality student learning experience, you need to invest in faculty.”
As provost, Fulcher also enjoyed helping grow PLNU’s graduate programs and offerings for adult undergraduates. “Our mission is a strong, durable mission that is very applicable to adults,” he said.
Fulcher has played a key role in PLNU’s strategic planning and will continue to do so as president.
“I’ve always enjoyed [strategic planning],” he said. “As a scientist, I enjoy problem solving and thinking of how things can be better, how we can build on the strength we currently have so we can become even stronger.”
Alongside changes in Kerry’s role at PLNU were changes for his family. After many years of living on campus, the family moved to an off-campus home around 2012. As Robyn completed her long service as an RD, she began to ask God what His next plans for her were.
“I always had a leaning toward spiritual formation and contemplative spirituality,” she said. “I felt this nudge and urge to further my education, so I enrolled in a spiritual direction program of two years. Spiritual direction is a process of prayerfully listening and discerning the movement of God in the life of another. It is, in a way, spiritual midwifing, seeing what God is birthing in them spiritually speaking.”
Robyn’s deep desire to see people grow in knowledge and personal experience with God led her into a practice of mentoring young moms.
“I had a group of grads who were new moms, and they really wanted a mentor mom to come alongside them,” she said. “We started a women’s Bible study, and for the last 10 years, we’ve developed five or six studies just out of Point Loma students coming into the community after graduation. I’ve been helping find other mentor moms to lead these young women. It has been a beautiful thing God has grown.”
The Presidency
Fulcher’s passion for his role as provost and chief academic officer initially caused him to hesitate in applying for PLNU’s presidency. He had previously had several opportunities to apply for presidential roles at other universities but had chosen to stay where he was. However, when Dr. Brower announced his upcoming retirement, Fulcher had many people in his life encourage him to consider applying.
“I began praying and trying to discern that process,” he said. “The further I got along in the application and interview process — the more conversations I had with the search firm, committee, and board of trustees — the more I began to see the possibilities and get excited. The interview process was both affirming and confirming for me.”
“The role [of president] is just a continuation of what we have already been doing,” Robyn said. “We are 30 years into calling Point Loma home. It’s become more than a job, more than a calling. We both have been very committed for the long haul. We love this community, and it’s poured a lot into our family. Obviously, there has been so much good, and there have been challenging moments as well. It has stimulated our growth in God even more as we have felt His hand on us. He has us here for a reason. We’re all in.”
“Already during his short term of service, we have seen ways that he and his wife, Robyn, have been intentionally connecting with students that inspires us and leaves us feeling loved! ”
– 2024 ASB Board
With Kerry’s deep experience on the academic side of the university and Robyn’s long service in the residential life and spiritual mentorship side, the Fulchers are excited to bring their experiences together to lead well.
“We want to really be all-in on pushing the academic and also the spiritual development of our students,” Robyn said. “We want them to become whole, well-rounded, complete people with a solid spiritual foundation who know who they are as beloved daughters and sons of God. At Point Loma we get to engage in both of those [academics and spiritual growth] in deep and critical ways.”
Kerry began his duties as president in August, and his inauguration will take place on February 14. He has continued his work on strategic planning and fostering a community of respect and open dialog as well as learning from people across the university.
Robyn is joining him in coming alongside students to offer support as well as to foster a healthy, positive community atmosphere.
“Regardless of a student’s background or journey, we are here to represent every student,” she said. “Our hope and prayer is that all students feel they have a place at Point Loma’s table to be seen and heard. I think that’s the heart of Jesus. Our goal is to create a welcoming environment so that healthy conversations and challenging ones can be done in a spirit of respect and community, and the hard stuff that comes up is done in relationship.”
Despite his experience and long tenure at PLNU, Fulcher is embracing humility as he takes on this new role.
“I know I have a big learning curve ahead of me,” he said. “I know and have learned that all the resources and giftings I have won’t be enough. I need God’s grace, guidance, and wisdom.”
Everyone in the PLNU community is invited and encouraged to pray for the Fulchers and for PLNU during this exciting time of transition.
