For Release October 24
Board of Regents Announces New President for SDSU
BROOKINGS, SD—Today the Board of Regents named Peggy Gordon Elliott as the new President of South Dakota State University. The Board made the announcement concluding a search that began last spring.
Elliott currently is Acting Vice President for Academic and International Programs at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in Washington, DC where she is also a Senior Fellow. She has extensive higher education leadership experience at The University of Akron, where she served as president from 1992-1996, and Indiana University Northwest, where she was Chancellor from 1983-1992. Elliott has a broad range of national experience and extensive contacts in the Washington community. She is active in numerous professional and community activities. She also serves on the corporate boards of Lubrizol Corporation; NBD Bank; A. Schulman Incorporated; and Bank One.
In acceptance of the appointment, Elliott said, "It is a great honor to be selected to lead South Dakota State University into the next century. I am looking forward to working with everyone in the university, Brookings community, and the state to continue South Dakota State’s tradition of land grant excellence and service to South Dakota."
Regent James Hansen, chair of the Board’s search committee, said, "This is exciting for SDSU. Peggy Gordon Elliott’s unsurpassed energy and commitment to excellence will serve SDSU and the state well; she is an articulate leader in higher education who will be a strong advocate for SDSU."
Board of Regents President David Gienapp, offering congratulations to Elliott, said, "I am delighted with Elliott’s selection and I encourage everyone to welcome her to SDSU and South Dakota. She is a person who has a clear vision of the role of public higher education."
Peggy Gordon Elliott will assume the post of president on January 1, 1998 at the retirement of current President Robert Wagner.