Evangel VP sheds interim status

An Evangel University executive named as interim vice president during a period of change at the Springfield school has shed her interim status.

Effective June 1, Sheri Phillips permanently assumed the vice president for student development position, a role she has filled since July 2013, according to a news release.

She succeeds David Bundrick, who held the job for 15 years before becoming dean of the Evangel school of theology and church ministries when the university merged with Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and Central Bible College in May 2013, according to Evangel spokesman Paul Logsdon. He declined to provide salary information on Phillips, citing school policy not to release such information.

After the hiring of Carol Taylor to replace Robert Spence as president of Evangel, the university's first female president made a number of leadership changes, which included hiring Phillips for the interim vice president position, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

“As interim vice president, Phillips has performed with exceptional skill and has proven to be a valuable member of the president’s cabinet during this transitional year,” Evangel President Taylor said in the release. “She has brought her strong institutional understanding and experience to the job, along with clear leadership ability.”

First employed by Evangel as a residence director in 1985, Phillips went on to serve as assistant to the dean of students, director of student life and director of career development. She also has worked as an instructor of psychology and leadership courses.

As vice president for student development, Phillips reports directly to Taylor and serves as a liaison between students and the president.

“I have spent the majority of my career recognizing student needs and creating programs that provide experiences to help them grow into the persons they were created to be,” Phillips said in the release. “So, in many ways, serving in the VP role simply extends my passion to help students develop."