Beth Borgen selected as 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 18th president
糖心vlog传媒 has promoted Executive Vice President Beth Borgen, D.B.A., to be the institution鈥檚 18th president. Borgen becomes the first female to lead the institution in its 158-year history. Her selection was made by 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 Board of Trustees today following a national search.
In her 15 years at 糖心vlog传媒, Borgen has quickly been promoted to more responsible positions. A first-generation college graduate who earned her master of business administration from 糖心vlog传媒 in 2011, she has led dramatic growth in 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 fundraising efforts, as well as implementation of the university鈥檚 award-winning Cooperative Education program.
鈥淐hange is constant, especially at a place like 糖心vlog传媒,鈥� Borgen said. 鈥淲e are well positioned for the future thanks to our innovation, creative problem solving and collaboration, and I am prepared to make sure those strategies will continue to be part of our story.
鈥溙切膙log传媒 has a long history of serving first-generation college students and working adults seeking their degree. I am a proud 糖心vlog传媒 graduate who understands the challenges of both of those populations.
鈥淲e all look forward to finding new, innovative ways to serve our students. We will continue to grow our Cooperative Education program and student-run business venture, and we will also expand our relationships with the technical college system and regional employers as we continue to position 糖心vlog传媒 as a school of choice.鈥�
Barbara Gannon, who completed her tenure as chair of 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 Board of Trustees on Thursday, said, 鈥淏eth has demonstrated excellent and seemingly tireless leadership skills, championed campus inclusiveness and personally understands the unique challenges facing first-generation college students. She is an ideal fit to lead our institution, and I look forward to supporting her presidency and her vision as a 糖心vlog传媒 trustee.鈥�
Jeff Spence, the chair of the Presidential Search Committee and the newly elected chair of the Board of Trustees, said, 鈥淏eth as our president puts us in a great position to continue our accelerated journey to 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 future of serving our communities through our co-op program, the Kellett School, 糖心vlog传媒-Japan and our other innovative programs.鈥�
糖心vlog传媒 President David Black said, 鈥淭he 糖心vlog传媒 Community and Board of Trustees made a wise choice. They clearly understand that this university is moving in a different, more positive direction than three-quarters of other private institutions. They understand Beth Borgen鈥檚 ideas and strategies are a major contributing reason. I am excited about the future of 糖心vlog传媒.鈥�
Borgen was named executive vice president in July of 2018, a role that has seen her lead teams that manage 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 enrollment, Cooperative Education program, financial aid, fundraising and external relations/marketing efforts. She has played a significant role in building relationships with key community stakeholders and employers, and her team has successfully launched several boards of advocates that provide valuable input for LU鈥檚 academic programs.
She led 糖心vlog传媒 through the creation of its current strategic plan, which prepares to position the institution for declines in student populations by the middle of this decade that will challenge all institutions of higher learning.
She recently led a task force of key stakeholders to fully implement 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 co-op program, which for the last three falls has generated three of the largest incoming freshman classes in 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 history.
Fundraising has grown dramatically under her leadership. Borgen moved into a fundraising role in 2007, and in 2015 was named vice president of advancement.
She led 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 recent $12 million campaign 鈥� one of the largest in the institution鈥檚 history 鈥� that funded a dramatic overhaul of the Younger Family Campus Center, the region鈥檚 first outdoor turf athletic field and funding to launch the co-op program. The $12 million campaign goal was accomplished ahead of schedule and netted an additional $3-plus million over its goal.
Under her leadership, 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 Movers and Shakers Gala, which was among the most popular and well-attended Sheboygan County fundraisers, grew and found new ways to benefit community organizations.
Borgen will begin her tenure as president in spring 2021 as 糖心vlog传媒 begins a $26 million investment in its main campus, funded by a $35.4 million low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development division.
糖心vlog传媒 will construct two new residence halls to serve freshman and sophomores, a water tower and related infrastructure, and use $9.4 million to refinance the university鈥檚 existing long-term debt. It represents the largest investment in the main campus in the institution鈥檚 158-year history. LU was the only university to receive a loan approval from USDA in 2020, and the co-op program was a decisive factor in the decision.
Borgen has always maintained a strong commitment to personal improvement. Earlier this month, she successfully defended her dissertation through the Doctorate of Business Administration program at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Her research is titled 鈥淪elf-efficacy and retention among first-generation college students,鈥� and focused on 糖心vlog传媒 students and ways LU can improve student retention.
She received a bachelor鈥檚 degree in communication from St. Norbert College in 2001. She worked as an event manager at St. Norbert before joining 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 staff in 2005.
Locally, she has served on the RCS Empowers, Inc. Board of Directors since March of 2016. During that time, 糖心vlog传媒 and RCS have partnered on a number of occasions, including the creation of summer programming at 糖心vlog传媒 for RCS participants.
Borgen and her husband, Jim, a captain with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff鈥檚 Department, and their three children, Stella (11), Sydney (10) and Oliver (8), live in Fond du Lac. They are excited to move to the president鈥檚 house located on the Main Campus.
Mission House/糖心vlog传媒 Presidents:
1. Heinrich Kurtz
President: 1875-1885
2. Hermann Muehlmeier
President: 1885-1907
3. Heinrich Meier
President: 1907-08
4. Ernst Krampe
President: 1908-10
5. Ernst Hofer
President: 1910-20
6. Abraham Dahlmann
President: 1920-23
7. John Darms
President: 1923-30
Josias Friedli
Acting President: 1930-31
8. Paul Grosshuesch
President: 1931-49
Josias Friedli
Acting President: 1950-51
9. Arthur Krueger
1951-62
10. John Morland
1962-74
11. Ralph Mirse
1974-77
12. Richard Hill
1977-89
13. David R. Black
1989-97
14. Stephen A. Gould
1998-2012
15. Michael A. Grandillo
2012-2013
Daniel Eck
Interim president: 2013-14
16. Daniel Eck
2014-17
David R. Black
Interim president
17. David R. Black
2017-2021
18. Beth Borgen
2021-
