Meet 11 men who changed the course of area colleges

Here's a look at the 11 presidents who served the longest at Dayton-area four-year schools:

Rees Edgar Tulloss, Wittenberg University (1920-49)

Tulloss graduated from high school at 15 and then captained the Wittenberg football team. He was 39 when he became Wittenberg's seventh president after earning a Ph.D. from Harvard and being ordained. He also served as president of Springfield's First National Bank during his tenure at Wittenberg's president.

Paul H. Dixon, Cedarville University (1978-2003)

Dixon was Cedarville's eighth president, joining the school after 14 years as an evangelist following his graduation from Tennessee Temple University and Temple Baptist Theological. He helped Cedarville grow from 1,185 students to more than 3,000, and from 60 faculty members to more than 200.

Wilbert Renwick McChesney, Cedarville University (1915-40)

McChesney was the first professor at Cedarville when it opened in 1894, and he was associated with the school for 46 years. He was Secretary of the Faculty, Vice President and Dean before he became the school's second president.

Samuel Sprecher, Wittenberg University (1849-74)

Sprecher served at Wittenberg's second president after the death of first president Ezra Keller of typhoid fever at age 35.

James T. Jeremiah, Cedarville University (1954-78)

Once the pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Dayton, Jeremiah helped Cedarville College merge with Baptist Bible Institute of Cleveland. He then took over leadership during a time of struggle for the school, helping guide it back to health.

Raymond L. Fitz, University of Dayton (1979-2002)

Fitz earned an electrical engineering degree from UD before furthering his education in New York and returning to Dayton as a professor in 1969. He later became UD's longest-serving president. He became known during his tenure for his vision of future development and his interest in building community.

James B. Unthank, Wilmington College (1881-1903)

Unthank arrived at Wilmington as a professor of language and history in 1874 because a friend, Benjamin F. Trueblood, became Wilmington's second president that year. Unthank later became Wilmington's fourth president.

David McKinney, Cedarville University (1894-1915)

A graduate with a Doctorate of Divinity degree from Wittenberg, McKinney was Cedarville's first president and worked at the school while also traveling to Cincinnati to work with his congregation there.

William Kinnison, Wittenberg University (1975-95)

Kinnison began the Campaign for Wittenberg, a $16.7 million capital campaign, in November 1979. When the campaign came to an end in 1982, it had raised $20 million. During his tenure additions and upgrades were completed on the HPER Center, Weaver Chapel, the Thomas Library, and the Benham-Pence Student Center.

Raymond A. Roesch, University of Dayton (1959-79)

Roesch started at UD in the psychology department before advancing to the presidency. His tenure included the construction of many notable buildings on the campus, including the library that bears his name, and the reopening of UD's graduate and law schools.

Rembert E. Stokes, Wilberforce University (1956-76)

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (center) watches as his father Dr. Martin Luther King Sr. (right) received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Dr. Rembert S. Stokes, president of Wilberforce University June 9, 1965. DAYTON DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE

Stokes introduced advancements at Wilberforce including a program in engineering in collaboration with the University of Dayton, a four-year mandatory cooperative education program and an exchange program with the University of Hull in England.

All university presidents