Dr. Max Reams earned many distinctions during his time at Olivet Nazarene University. One of those was being Olivet’s longest tenured faculty member. Hired in 1967 to teach Geology, he retired 50 years later in 2017. At that 2017 graduation, Dr. Reams was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by Olivet.
While at Olivet, Dr. Reams founded the Department of Geology and served as its chair. He also served as chair of the Natural Science Division, the precursor to the current School of STEM. His wife, Carol, was a long-time employee in the Registrar’s Office at Olivet.
At the time of Dr. Reams’ retirement, then-University President John C. Bowling announced the goal of creating a Chair in his honor. The creation of the Dr. Max and Carol Reams Professorship is a significant step in that direction with the hope that the Chair position will be fully funded within 10 years. This Professorship will help to support Geological Sciences, currently housed in the Department of Chemistry and Geosciences at Olivet.
Special thanks to many of our alumni and friends of the program, who have decided to take the very generous step and make a gift to this worthy cause. So many people are remembering the incredible impact that Max and Carol had on their lives and choosing to honor their legacy. We are delighted and praising God for these blessings!
From the 2025 STEM Report. Read the full Issue here.
