Western Illinois University has selected Kristi Mindrup to serve as interim president effective April 1 following the retirement of current president Guiyou Huang.
Roughly 5,300 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students are enrolled at Western Illinois University. Women represent 57 percent of the undergraduate population.
Dr. Mindrup has been serving at the university’s Quad Cities campus as vice president of operations. She has been with the university for 27 years, holding numerous administrative leadership positions such as assistant vice president of academic affairs and assistant vice president of Quad Cities and planning. Earlier in her career, she taught for two years at Eastern Iowa Community College as an adjunct instructor.
“I am grateful to President Huang for his steady and thoughtful leadership and his many accomplishments. I look forward to working with the university community and our partners to align Western Illinois University’s present and future with a shared vision that positions this great institution to become increasingly responsive to opportunities to serve our students, our region and beyond in an ever-changing world,” Dr. Mindrup said.
Dr. Mindrup received a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a second bachelor’s degree in social studies and secondary education from the University of Northern Iowa. She received a master’s degree in instructional design from Western Illinois University and a Ph.D. in educational policy and leadership studies from the University of Iowa.