Scott Pulsipher

Scott Pulsipher serves as President of Western Governors University, leading all academic and organizational functions.

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Scott Pulsipher has served as president of Western Governors听University (WGU), the nation鈥檚 premier听nonprofit听competency-based university, since April 2016, leading all academic, operational, and organizational functions.听He cultivates a听student-centric environment by听using technology and data to improve three key measures: completion, return for graduates, and equity in both access and attainment.

Scott has been named by EdTech Digest听as one of the Top 100 Influencers in EdTech, and also serves on multiple higher education and technology boards, including听as board member at the American Council on Education and Jobs for the Future, as well as chairman of the board for Presidents Forum.

Prior听to听joining WGU,听Scott听led several听technology-based, customer-focused businesses, including Amazon, Sterling Commerce, and two successful startups that traverse retail, supply chain, banking, payments, and manufacturing sectors. He holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in management from Brigham Young University and an MBA from Harvard University.听

Areas of Expertise:

Leadership, Tech Education, EdTech, Disruptive Innovation, Higher Education Access, Higher Education Innovation, E-Commerce, Product Management, Strategy, Public Speaking. Named one of听EdTech Digest's Top 100 Influencers in EdTech.

Education:

Harvard Business School: MBA, Business Administration 1999
Activities and Societies: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital / Principal Investment Clubs.

Brigham Young University: B.S., Management (Finance Emphasis) 1994
Magna Cum Laude, Phi Kappa Phi national honor society. Significant course work in finance, economics, marketing, information systems, statistics, and organizational behavior.

Affiliations:

American Council on Education (ACE)听

Member, Board of Directors鈥�

Presidents Forum听听

Member, Board of Directors鈥�

Jobs for the Future

Member, Board of Directors鈥�

Handshake

Member, Impact Advisory Board鈥€�

Salt Lake Chamber听听

Member, Board of Governors鈥�

Languages:

Polish

Areas of Expertise:

Education:

Harvard Business School: MBA, Business Administration 1999
Activities and Societies: Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital / Principal Investment Clubs.

Affiliations:

American Council on Education (ACE)听

Member, Board of Directors鈥�

Presidents Forum听听

Member, Board of Directors鈥�

Jobs for the Future

Member, Board of Directors鈥�

Handshake

Member, Impact Advisory Board鈥€�

Salt Lake Chamber听听

Member, Board of Governors鈥�

Languages:

Polish

In the Media

Featured

College enrollment dropped for the third consecutive school year after the start of the pandemic, dashing universities鈥� hopes that a post-Covid rebound was at hand.

The U.S. higher education system is at an indisputable breaking point, and its future hinges on what the government and postsecondary institutions do next.

Higher education has long been on an unsustainable trajectory, with rising costs - and subsequent debt passed on to students - hindering the ability of many to get ahead.

Other Media

Ed on the Edge, Jan. 10, 2024 麻豆传媒

Disruptive Voice, Oct. 31, 2023

The Rant, Oct. 31, 2023

WorkingNation, March 21, 2023

President Pulsipher is a regular contributor to听.

Higher Ed Dive, Feb. 5, 2024 麻豆传媒

RealClear Education, Dec. 21, 2023

Inside Higher Ed, Dec. 1, 2023

The Evolllution, Nov. 24, 2023

Trusteeship Magazine, Jan. 29, 2024 麻豆传媒

US News & World Report, Nov. 15, 2023

Campus Technology, May 22, 2023

Inside Higher Ed, April 13, 2023

Inside Higher Ed, March 9, 2023

WGU Articles

听ABC 15, June 2, 2022听 Pulsipher is encouraging the White House to do more than just cancel debt, as he believes it will just mean that in 5 or 10 years another round of cancellations will be called for.

May 25, 2022听鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about being an institution of higher education,鈥� [President Pulsipher] said, but 鈥渢he catalyst for that tidal effect of change鈥� needed to reach tens of millions of Americans who could benefit from more-affordable, more-relevant, and more-flexible educational options.

The Gates Foundation, Nov. 16, 2021听One institution that has focused on value from the time it was created is Western Governors University (WGU), which was designed with providing education that had 鈥渁 path to opportunity,鈥� says WGU鈥檚 president,听Scott D. Pulsipher.

The Hechinger Report, Aug. 9, 2021听Whether higher education leaders are on their way to the largest conference focused on innovation or staying at their home schools, they must prepare themselves for a new reality: Nearly two-thirds of students who responded to听听said higher education is not worth the cost.

Work Shift, Aug. 11, 2021听WGU president Scott Pulsipher talks about policies that can help expand access for working learners and whether CBE might finally have its moment.

Education Dive, Nov. 30, 2020听The forum asserts that the pandemic's impact on students heightens the need for colleges to develop policies that serve diverse learners.听

EdSurge, Nov. 19, 2020听Should it really be a diploma that points the way to opportunity, or the skills that diploma (supposedly) signifies? What if people could get those skills without going to college?

The Wall Street Journal, Nov. 12, 2020听For millions of Americans, getting a four-year degree no longer makes sense. Here鈥檚 what could replace it.

Ed Tech Magazine, Oct. 28, 2020听EDUCAUSE听spoke with several college presidents to better understand how they've been managing so far with the pandemic and how technology is bolstering their response plans for the short term and redefining their mission and vision in the long term.听

Podcasts and Radio

Sustaining Capitalism, March 16, 2022

The Higher Ed Shift, Sept. 8, 2021

Lessons Earned Podcast, May 2020

The EdUp Experience Podcast, April 26, 2020

EdScoop Radio Podcast, April 2, 2020

麻豆传媒

Featured

Higher education has long been on an unsustainable trajectory, with rising costs - and subsequent debt passed on to students - hindering the ability of many to get ahead.

Other Media

{{item.title}}

The Gates Foundation, Nov. 16, 2021听One institution that has focused on value from the time it was created is Western Governors University (WGU), which was designed with providing education that had 鈥渁 path to opportunity,鈥� says WGU鈥檚 president,听Scott D. Pulsipher.

Work Shift, Aug. 11, 2021听WGU president Scott Pulsipher talks about policies that can help expand access for working learners and whether CBE might finally have its moment.

Education Dive, Nov. 30, 2020听The forum asserts that the pandemic's impact on students heightens the need for colleges to develop policies that serve diverse learners.听

EdSurge, Nov. 19, 2020听Should it really be a diploma that points the way to opportunity, or the skills that diploma (supposedly) signifies? What if people could get those skills without going to college?

The Wall Street Journal, Nov. 12, 2020听For millions of Americans, getting a four-year degree no longer makes sense. Here鈥檚 what could replace it.

Ed Tech Magazine, Oct. 28, 2020听EDUCAUSE听spoke with several college presidents to better understand how they've been managing so far with the pandemic and how technology is bolstering their response plans for the short term and redefining their mission and vision in the long term.听

The University

For Students

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麻豆传媒

Featured

Higher education has long been on an unsustainable trajectory, with rising costs - and subsequent debt passed on to students - hindering the ability of many to get ahead.

Other Media

Podcasts

Opinion Editorials

News Articles

{{item.title}}

Other Media

The Gates Foundation, Nov. 16, 2021听One institution that has focused on value from the time it was created is Western Governors University (WGU), which was designed with providing education that had 鈥渁 path to opportunity,鈥� says WGU鈥檚 president,听Scott D. Pulsipher.

Work Shift, Aug. 11, 2021听WGU president Scott Pulsipher talks about policies that can help expand access for working learners and whether CBE might finally have its moment.

Education Dive, Nov. 30, 2020听The forum asserts that the pandemic's impact on students heightens the need for colleges to develop policies that serve diverse learners.听

EdSurge, Nov. 19, 2020听Should it really be a diploma that points the way to opportunity, or the skills that diploma (supposedly) signifies? What if people could get those skills without going to college?

The Wall Street Journal, Nov. 12, 2020听For millions of Americans, getting a four-year degree no longer makes sense. Here鈥檚 what could replace it.

Ed Tech Magazine, Oct. 28, 2020听EDUCAUSE听spoke with several college presidents to better understand how they've been managing so far with the pandemic and how technology is bolstering their response plans for the short term and redefining their mission and vision in the long term.听

The University

For Students

Most Visited Links

Support