Dr. Toby J. Arquette — President
About President Arquette
Dr. Toby J. Arquette serves as the 19th President of Columbia College. A first-generation college student, he understands firsthand the transformative power of education and the impact a single mentor can have in opening doors. That experience shapes his leadership and his commitment to expanding opportunity for students from all backgrounds.
Dr. Arquette brings more than two decades of experience in higher education leadership, academic administration, and institutional strategy. Most recently, he served as Vice President for Strategic Growth, Marketing, and Digital Transformation at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. In that role, he aligned brand strategy, enrollment performance, and digital innovation with long-term financial sustainability and student access.
Over the course of his tenure at St. Ambrose, he led a comprehensive brand revitalization, guided enrollment and financial aid teams through the FAFSA simplification rollout and a rapidly shifting policy environment and helped execute two institutional mergers that expanded access and strengthened institutional capacity. His leadership focused on pairing strategic growth with disciplined financial stewardship.
Prior to St. Ambrose, Dr. Arquette spent 15 years at Aurora University, rising from faculty member to Dean of both the College of Liberal Arts & Business and the Dunham School of Business & Public Policy. He also served as Department Chair, Director of the University Honors Program, and Chair of the Faculty Senate. His record includes launching new academic programs, improving student retention and success, growing enrollment, and leading through significant challenges including a multi-year state budget impasse and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout his career, Dr. Arquette has focused on aligning academic excellence, market relevance, and financial discipline to ensure institutional vitality. He believes strong colleges are built through shared governance, clear priorities, and sustained commitment to mission.
Dr. Arquette holds a Ph.D. in Communication from Northwestern University, an M.A. in Communication Studies from Baylor University, and a B.A. in Economics from Wayne State University. He completed the Harvard Management Development Program and the Executive Leadership Academy through the Council of Independent Colleges and has served as a team chair and peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission.
He and his husband, Mark, are proud to call Columbia, Missouri home.
EducationPh.D., Communication — Northwestern University
M.A., Communication Studies — Baylor University
B.A., Economics — Wayne State University
St. Clair Hall, Room 102
Phone: (573) 875-7200
Email: president@ccis.edu
