February 6, 2025
Dear WSU faculty, staff, and students,
On behalf of the Board of Regents, I am honored to share a historic and
exciting announcement for Washington State University. After an extensive
national search that engaged faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community
members across our six campuses, the Board has unanimously selected Dr. Elizabeth
“Betsy” Cantwell as WSU’s 12th president. She will be the first woman to serve
in this role, guiding WSU into its next great chapter.
The Board of Regents, in collaboration with the Presidential Search Advisory
Committee, developed a search process that prioritized broad participation and
inclusivity.
Dr. Cantwell embodies all the qualities we sought. She brings an ambitious
vision for WSU’s future, a deep passion for our land-grant mission, and a strong
record of leadership in higher education, research, and innovation. As president
of Utah State University, she has led a record-breaking $495 million in sponsored
research expenditures, expanded student scholarships, and played a key role in
shaping the future of collegiate athletics. Her leadership at NASA and national
laboratories has given her the ability to solve complex challenges collaboratively,
a skill that will be invaluable as WSU rises to meet the opportunities and
challenges ahead of Washington state and beyond.
We also want to recognize and thank President Kirk Schulz for his leadership
over the past nine years. His work has strengthened WSU’s foundation, and
Dr. Cantwell is eager to build upon that momentum. The transition will be
thoughtful, and Dr. Cantwell will officially assume her role April 1.
Dr. Schulz will stay on as a senior advisor to Dr. Cantwell through June 30
and the Board of Regents looks forward to celebrating and honoring him for
his tremendous contributions in the near future. We will share more about
those plans soon.
Thank you to everyone who thoughtfully participated in the process to get us
to this historic moment. This is an exciting new chapter for WSU, and we invite
you to join us in welcoming Dr. Cantwell as president of the Cougar family.
Sincerely,
Lisa Keohokalole Schauer
Chair, Board of Regents
Washington State University
