Kapoor '97 to give Monmouth College Commencement address on May 15; former chaplain the Rev. Dr. Teri Ott to deliver Baccalaureate sermon

by Barry McNamara

Monmouth, Ill. (05/03/2022) — Due to the pandemic, Monmouth College hasn't held what would be considered a "normal" Commencement weekend since 2019, and even that year's schedule was altered due to rain, which moved the Commencement ceremony indoors.

But the College is planning for a more traditional schedule the weekend of May 14-15, as it welcomes back a former student and a former staff member to help Monmouth's Class of 2022 celebrate its graduation.

Kunal Kapoor '97, chief executive officer of Morningstar Inc., will deliver the Commencement address at noon on Sunday, May 15, on the Wallace Hall Plaza

At 2 p.m. Saturday, May 14, the Rev. Dr. Teri McDowell Ott, who recently served as Monmouth's chaplain for 10 years and is now the editor and publisher of Presbyterian Outlook, will present the Baccalaureate sermon in Dahl Chapel.

Since joining Morningstar in 1997 as a data analyst, Kapoor has held a variety of roles at the firm, including leadership positions in research and innovation. He served as director of mutual fund research and was part of the team that launched Morningstar Investment Services, Inc., before moving on to other roles including director of business strategy for international operations and, later, president and chief investment officer of Morningstar Investment Services.

During his tenure, he has also led Morningstar.com and the firm's data business as well as its global products and client solutions group.

After graduating from Monmouth with a degree in economics and environmental policy, Kapoor earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Kapoor received Monmouth College's Young Alumnus Award in 2005 and delivered the College's Wendell Whiteman Memorial Lecture in 2017.

In her chaplain role with Monmouth College, Ott raised funds to support the Lux Center for Church and Religious Leadership, which provides leadership and service opportunities for students at the College, and the Lux Summer Theological Institute for Youth, which gives high school students a chance to engage in theological inquiry and to explore vocation.

In addition to her new role with Presbyterian Outlook, Ott recently authored the book Necessary Risks: Challenges Privileged People Need to Take, which encourages readers to value risk-taking as the path toward a more equitable and just world.

Ott earned her undergraduate degree from Alma College in Michigan; a master of divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary; and a doctorate in ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

In addition to Baccalaureate, other events on Saturday include the Honor Walk at 3:30 p.m. and the Senior Send-Off at 8 p.m. For the latter event, the graduates will gather at April Zorn Memorial Stadium, where the Alumni and Development Office will welcome them to the Monmouth Alumni Association. A ceremony there will include a congratulatory toast and conclude with fireworks.

The Commencement and Baccalaureate ceremonies, as well as the Honor Walk and Senior Send-Off, will be streamed on the College's social media platforms.

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