ST. CLOUD -- The Minnesota State Board of Trustees has named the next president of St. Cloud State University, Robbyn Wacker.

Her appointment was unanimous.

Wacker was one of four finalists for the spot, needing to be filled after Interim President Ashish Vaidya accepted a position as President of Northern Kentucky University. His last day at SCSU will be June 30.

Minnesota State Chancellor Devinder Malhotra says SCSU staff were very impressed by Wacker's credentials.

"One staff member said, of all the candidates, she had the best response about student success. Focusing on how the university could provide the "scaffolding" of success for students."

When it comes to the future of SCSU in her hands, Malhotra says it should be bright.

"She's a strategic thinker, a visionary leader and organizational innovator. She understands both the challenges and opportunities for a regional university like St. Cloud State."

Wacker says when she see's the challenges of a major university, like affordability, closing the achievement gap and preparing students, as opportunities.

"When we embrace these challenges as opportunities, we open ourselves to re-invention, new ways of thinking, to risk-taking and being bold about how to deliver on our promise of delivering high-quality education."

She says she's committed to ensuring students have at least the same, if not better opportunities than her.

"I'm sitting here today prepared to serve as St. Cloud's next president because of a high-quality education that changed the arc of possibility for me, and prepared me for my professional journey. I'm committed to making sure our students have access to the same opportunity to change the arc of their possibility."

Wacker becomes the university's first permanent female president. Previously, SCSU has had one interim and one acting woman president in its 150-year history.

She's served in several senior administrative positions since 1990 at the University of Northern Colorado. Wacker is also a tenured professor and a previous Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. She has her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Northern Colorado. Wacker graduated with her doctorate degree from Iowa State University.

Wacker's first day on the job will be July 1, she'll be on campus during a welcoming event Thursday from 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. in Atwood Memorial's Cascade Room.

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