Davidson was born on a farm near Carthage, Illinois. He received his B.S. degree from Chaddock College in 1893, his B.A. from Wesleyan in 1894, and his S.T.B. from Garrett Biblical Institute in 1897. He later returned to Garrett as a professor of religious education for ten years. He served as president of the Board of Trustees for two years and was then executive secretary of the Commission on Life Service of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was also the Chancellor of Nebraska Wesleyan University. He assumed office in September 1922, making him the ninth President of IWU, and the second alumnus President. His term ended in 1932.

Kemp was the serving pastor of the Grace M.E. Church in Bloomington before being elected the 8^th president of IWU in 1908. He was born near Rising Sun, Indiana on April 16^th, 1868 and moved to Illinois with his parents in 1883. He graduated from DePauw University in 1893. He was an instructor at Wesleyan for a year before becoming president. His presidency ended in 1922.

Smith was born on August 4^th, 1845 in East Livermore, Maine. He was a graduate of Connecticut Wesleyan in 1871. He was later the head of the Montpelier Seminary in Vermont. Smith was an instructor at Wesleyan for two years and then went to Europe. He was elected president in 1898 and served until 1905.