Office of the President
Dr. Kristi Mindrup, President
The 13th President of Western Illinois University is Dr. Kristi Mindrup, who had been serving as interim president of WIU since April 1, 2024. On December 6, 2024 the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Mindrup as the permanent President, making President Mindrup the first female president to serve the University in its 125 years of rich history. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Mindrup served as the Vice President for Quad Cities Campus Operations. Dr. Mindrup has nearly 28 years of experience in higher education, focused on organizational leadership, strategic planning, academic affairs and student services program and partnership development, inclusive campus environments, and campus operations. Mindrup provided leadership for the planning and establishment of the WIU Quad Cities Riverfront Campus in Moline.
Dr. Mindrup has served higher education at the national and state level. As a 9-year member of the Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, she served as a functional area expert for the transformation of the national assessment standards for Post-traditional and Commuter Student Programs. Dr. Mindrup served as president of the Illinois Association for Institutional Research, and taught in the classroom in the College Student Personnel program at WIU, and as an adjunct instructor with Eastern Iowa Community College District.
As the first woman to ever serve as Western Illinois University’s president, Dr. Mindrup is committed to the evolution of WIU during a changing time in higher education with a focus on financial sustainability, increased access and opportunity for first generation and traditionally underserved populations, expanding into new markets of students including adult and online learners, increasing student retention through engagement and closing equity gaps, and fostering inclusive campus environments by promoting a “culture of kindness that allows everyone to thrive together”. Her interest in, and sensitivity to, the wide range of people who work and study at the 125-year-old institution is apparent to those who interact with her.
Mindrup earned a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa, master’s degree from Western Illinois University, and two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Northern Iowa.
Dr. Kristi Mindrup, President
Sherman Hall 209
Telephone: (309) 298-1824
E-mail: President@wiu.edu
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