Jennie Sanders has been named chief academic officer and senior vice president of Purdue Global, an online university affiliated with Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. As chief academic officer, Dr. Sanders will oversee all academic schools and student success units, student affairs and support services, faculty support areas, and curriculum development.
“Purdue Global was created to provide access to high-quality education to working adult students for whom online learning is the best modality. I am delighted to start working with Purdue Global leadership, faculty, and staff in expanding educational opportunities to more students,” said Dr. Sanders. “The future of education is full of exciting possibilities, especially as we look at AI and other emerging technologies in the classroom. We can leverage a masterful mix of technology and human connection as we work with students to prepare them for the changing workforce and help them achieve their goals.”
Most recently, Dr. Sanders served as vice president of experiential product management and interim vice president of product and technology at Western Governors University. She held several key leadership roles throughout her 13-year tenure with Western Governors, including vice president of instruction, vice president of faculty experience and academic services, director of faculty experience, faculty manager, and senior manager of instructional faculty.
A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Sanders earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Utah and her Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.