PennWest president stepping down, heading to Utah Valley University
Anderson returning to native Utah to lead Utah Valley University
Courtesy of PASSHE
PennWest President Dr. Jon Anderson is leaving his position in August to become president of Utah Valley University.
Anderson, a Utah native, has led the state-owned, tri-campus university for two years and will start his new position at UVU – the largest university in the state of Utah with over 46,000 students, and the campus where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September – on Aug. 10.
The board of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education will appoint an interim PennWest president in the coming weeks, school officials said.
Anderson said serving PennWest has been one of the greatest privileges of his career.
“I am deeply grateful to the students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees and community partners who welcomed my family and worked alongside me during my time at PennWest,” Anderson said in a news release. “Together, we accomplished important work on behalf of our students and the future of this university. While this decision was not an easy one, I leave with tremendous confidence in PennWest, its leadership and the dedicated people who will continue moving the university forward.”
JD Dunbar, chair of the PennWest Council of Trustees, said in a statement Anderson guided PennWest through “a period of progress and transformation” during his tenure.
“He is as skilled and earnest a listener as he is an engaging speaker, and genuinely gives credit to others. He maintained a set of priorities – a commitment to student success, collaboration with others that demonstrated shared leadership, and a vision of institutional strengths – that have positioned PennWest University well into the future. We are profoundly grateful for his service and know he will make as significant a leadership imprint in this next chapter as he etched for us at PennWest.”
PennWest formed in 2022, with the merger of California, Clarion, and Edinboro universities.
Anderson had previously worked in leadership roles at Southern Utah University, Middle Georgia State University and the University of West Georgia. In 2024, he was recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s most influential leaders in City & State’s PA 50 Over 50.
PennWest’s next president will be the university’s fourth in five years.
Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrssonm, PennWest’s founding president who oversaw the merger, served during the 2022 to 2023 school year, and Dr. Laurie Bernotsky served as interim president in 2023-24, before Anderson came aboard in July 2024.
PennWest officials said Anderson’s leadership guided the university through a period of transformation and “created new opportunities that position the university for long-term impact and growth.”
This summer, PennWest, whose total enrollment is just over 10,500 students, finalized a new academic programming plan that eliminated dozens of majors and minors in order to realign its curriculum with high-demand workforce trends, combat declining enrollment, and address ongoing financial challenges.
Dunbar said PennWest plans to move forward “without interruption.”
“We have a clear road map for the future, and our faculty, staff and leadership team remain committed to delivering an outstanding educational experience for our students and the communities we serve,” he said.