Since 1994 and the installation of its former president James M. Dennis, the institution has significantly increased its enrollment. In 2001, the college embarked on a capital campaign which raised more than $20 million for the campus including the creation of a performing arts center, the Russel E. and Fern M. Hettenhausen Center for the Arts, also known as The Hett. In 2004, McKendree offered its first graduate programs in addition to its existing undergraduate programs.
