PennWest President Dr. Jon Anderson has been appointed president of Utah Valley University and will conclude his presidency at PennWest in August.
The appointment follows action Friday by the Utah Board of Higher Education, the governing body for the Utah System of Higher Education.
“Over the past two years, President Anderson has helped guide PennWest through a period of progress and transformation,” said JD Dunbar, chair of the PennWest Council of Trustees. “He is as skilled and earnest a listener as he is an engaging speaker, and genuinely gives credit to others. He maintained a set of priorities — a commitment to student success, collaboration with others that demonstrated shared leadership, and a vision of institutional strengths — that have positioned PennWest University well into the future. We are profoundly grateful for his service and know he will make as significant a leadership imprint in this next chapter as he etched for us at PennWest.”
Anderson said serving PennWest has been one of the greatest privileges of his career.
“I am deeply grateful to the students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees and community partners who welcomed my family and worked alongside me during my time at PennWest,” Anderson said. “Together, we accomplished important work on behalf of our students and the future of this university. While this decision was not an easy one, I leave with tremendous confidence in PennWest, its leadership and the dedicated people who will continue moving the university forward.”
During Anderson’s presidency, PennWest made significant progress on a new strategic plan and comprehensive facilities master plan while redesigning its academic program array. The university also strengthened enrollment and fundraising efforts, expanded partnerships that support workforce development, experiential learning and student success, and continued creating new opportunities that position PennWest for long-term impact and growth.
The Board of Governors of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education will meet to appoint an interim president in the coming weeks.
“The work underway at PennWest will continue without interruption,” Dunbar said. “We have a clear roadmap for the future, and our faculty, staff and leadership team remain committed to delivering an outstanding educational experience for our students and the communities we serve.”
