Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell has been appointed the 12th president of Washington State University following a nationwide search according to a press release issued by WSU. Cantwell will begin on April 1. She will succeed Kirk Schulz, who has served as president since 2016 and will remain on as a senior advisor to support the transition through June 2025.

The WSU Board of Regents unanimously selected Cantwell as the next president following a national search that indentified over 260 potential candidates.

“We are energized by Dr. Cantwell’s ambitious vision for the future of WSU. She is a passionate advocate for student success and a champion of our land-grant mission,” said Lisa Keohokalole Schauer, WSU board chair. “Her experience in leading university systems and national research labs, combined with her tenacity and leadership will be invaluable as we navigate the complexities of the modern higher education landscape. Dr. Cantwell understands the challenges and opportunities facing WSU and is positioned to guide our university to new heights.”

The release stated that Cantwell joins WSU from Utah State University (USU), where she currently serves as president of the university system composed of 30 campuses and centers across the state of Utah and online. Cantwell has also successfully navigated the challenges of intercollegiate athletics and played a key role in the revitalization of the Pac-12 conference.

“I am deeply honored by the trust the Board of Regents has placed in me to lead this incredible institution,” Cantwell said. “To be selected to lead this esteemed institution as its 12th president is a profound privilege. I’ve long admired Washington State University, and a couple of years ago my family’s connection to the university deepened when my daughter became a Coug, enrolling in one of WSU’s graduate programs. This opportunity to serve WSU as president is truly a dream come true.”

Cantwell holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, a doctorate in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree in human behavior from the University of Chicago. She has recently served as a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on NASA Critical Workforce, Technology, and Infrastructure; a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Industrial Science and Technology; a board member of the International Space Station National Laboratory; and chair of the Space Telescope Science Institute Council.