Bold, ambitious, patient… and impatient. 

That’s how Northern Kentucky University President Cady Short-Thompson described President Emeritus James Votruba at his celebration of life Wednesday evening.

Hundreds of community members gathered in the James C. and Rachel M. Votruba Student Union for the celebration, following the fourth president’s death on March 18.

The celebration took place on what would have been his 80th birthday. 

Rachel Votruba, wife of the former president, was adamant that the event should—in fact—be a celebration. At the end of the night, the entire ballroom joined in singing “Happy Birthday” to “Jim.”

After an introduction by Rachel Votruba, Short-Thompson led off with her tribute. She spoke in memory of her beloved mentor, whom she knew as Jim. 

She framed her comments around a famous quote from poet Maya Angelou that while people may forget what you did or what you said, they will never forget how you made them feel.

Short-Thompson reframed the quote to fit Votruba: “People will remember what he did, people will remember what he said and people will remember best how he made them feel.”

What he did

There had never been anyone as capable of pleasing everyone, Short-Thompson said. From students to parents to alumni to community members and beyond, Votruba delighted them all. He became president of the university when Short-Thompson was in her second year as a professor. She recalled how he treated every faculty and staff member as a peer. 

“He mentored us, never talked down, never forceful, but always wise with humility and gentle humor,” Short-Thompson said.

Votruba used his visionary leadership style to solidify NKU’s identity as a leader in student-centered education and regional engagement. It was during his tenure that NKU was catapulted onto the national stage, Short-Thompson said. Votruba was known on a national level as well.  

Short-Thompson recalled how almost every year, the campus community held its breath to see if Votruba would be recruited elsewhere. This was especially true when his alma mater, Michigan State University, launched a national search for a new president in 2004.

“It was such a compliment to Jim that we were so worried,” Short-Thompson said.

The Votrubas were adamant, however, that they had laid down roots in Northern Kentucky.

The fourth president argued that university leaders had the potential to make a much bigger impact if they committed themselves long-term to a regional institution—rather than climbing the ladder every few years.

Short-Thompson listed statistics of Votruba’s 1997-2012 tenure as a testament to that philosophy: 34% increase in enrollment, 107% growth in campus square footage, 600% increase in doctoral and master’s degrees and certificates.

“As I look back, I believe that he captured the essence of who we were, and, more importantly, who we could become,” Short-Thompson said as audience members nodded in agreement.  

What he said

Short-Thompson called the president emeritus a “masterful communicator.”

“Over the years, I developed a real fondness for his speech patterns, which I call ‘Votruba-isms,’” she joked.

When Votruba had an important point, he would repeat it twice for emphasis. Now, Short-Thompson finds herself doing the same thing… and smiling.

During commencement ceremonies, faculty and staff began playing a game known as “Votruba Bingo.” When the president would say one of his coined phrases, like “student-centered,” “private school value at a public school cost” or “dreamers are welcome here,” the faculty members would slowly cross off their Bingo cards.

The president emeritus was well aware of the faculty members’ game, and in true Votruba fashion, he played into the mischief.

“He always smiled broadly after saying some of his famous lines, and he would nod at us, like, ‘Did you hear it?,’” Short-Thompson recalled.

Rachel Votruba joked about Votruba Bingo later, saying the former president was just glad none of the faculty members yelled out, “Bingo” during the ceremony. 

“Everyone in his life felt special… because of him.”

Anna Hogan got to know the Votrubas at a Presidential Ambassadors volunteer event, which took place at the Votrubas’ home.

“We were so nervous to go there and be at the president’s house,” Hogan remembered. 

But when the students arrived, the Votrubas couldn’t have been more humble—chatting with the students and getting to know them personally.

At the end of the reception, Hogan was talking with another student about shoes and fashion.

“Rachel [Votruba] was like, ‘Oh my God, come to my closet,’” Hogan recalled.

So the students found themselves sitting on the closet floor with the president’s wife, looking at her shoes and bonding together. President Votruba found them some time later—still chatting from within the closet.

“I just thought it was such a huge deal,” Hogan said. “But they didn’t make it feel that way at all.”

From then on, Hogan remembered seeing Votruba on every part of campus, always talking to students. There were many times, she recalled, a staff member pulling him away for a meeting or important event.

“We all felt like we had really special individual relationships—I mean thousands and thousands of students… That’s nearly impossible to do,” Hogan said.

“We will never forget…”

Even well after his departure from NKU, Votruba continued to make an impact.

He was present for the announcement of Short-Thompson as NKU’s seventh president in October 2023, and he spoke at her investiture ceremony in April 2024. 

More recently, he attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Herrmann Science Center last semester, and he was even at this year’s homecoming events. 

Emily Votruba, daughter of the former president, said even in his final days in the hospital, he offered advice and hope for the future to each of his grandsons. 

“His legacy extends far beyond building names in his honor. It lives in the countless lives he touched… and students who found their purpose,” Emily Votruba shared.

The speakers urged audience members to remember Votruba’s mission and keep making the community—and the world—a better place. Emily Votruba promised to continue her father’s vision and keep empowering dreamers.

As Short-Thompson said, “We will never forget what Jim did, what Jim said or how Jim made us feel.”