Meet President Scott Pulsipher
Scott Pulsipher serves as president of nonprofit Western Governors University (WGU), the nation's first and largest competency-based university, leading all academic, operational, and organizational functions.
Pulsipher came to WGU in 2016 and blends a personal drive for making a difference in the lives of individuals and families through education and a passion for technology-powered innovation.
President Pulsipher's Focus Areas
- Renewing the Promise of Higher Education
- Closing the Digital Divide
- Student-Centered Design
- Tech-First Mentality
- Advancing Equity
Renewing the Promise of Higher Education
Higher education should move individuals forward in their lives. Pulsipher is passionate about making education affordable and accessible to all, while also ensuring that it creates value for students by aligning to workforce needs.
Closing the Digital Divide
The world of learning and work is now online, and it's here to stay. Pulsipher believe that internet access is a necessity, not a luxury, and is committed to a future in which every learner has the digital skills, device access, and connectivity needed to thrive in a technology-enabled future.
Student-Centered Design
Traditionally, higher education has been campus-based and centered on the needs and priorities of the institution. Pulsipher believes that the student should be at the center of everything we do and that the future of higher education is personalized to the needs of each individual student.
Tech-First Mentality
History and tradition have value, but they shouldn’t constrain our approach to solving the real problems that individuals face in accessing and thriving in higher education. Pulsipher takes a tech-first, solution-oriented, innovation-driven approach in order to build what students need.
Advancing Equity
Higher education should be an engine of economic mobility, but too often it has replicated structural inequalities instead of leveling them. Pulsipher is committed to closing equity gaps in access and attainment at WGU and across the system of higher education.
In the News
INSIDE HIGHER ED
How Can Online College Be Both 'Promising' and 'Predatory'?
April 13, 2023
As with health news about chocolate or wine, higher ed news about online college can seem contradictory. Some researchers say it's time to retire one-word descriptors.
More from President Pulsipher
A Message from President Scott Pulsipher
WGU 2022 Annual Update Video
American Education in Crisis
President Scott Pulsipher testifies before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce.
WGU Impact Blog
See how we're making an impact on the higher ed landscape
Contact
Contact President Pulsipher
President Pulsipher always welcomes feedback, concerns, and comments.
Other Inquiries
Contact the Office of the President regarding media inquiries, presentation requests, etc.
On Social
Progress
Scott's LinkedIn Newsletter
