The State Board of Higher Education (SBHE) has selected Scott Molander as the fourteenth president of Dickinson State University (DSU). The Board interviewed four finalists at their meeting Thursday, March 27, on the DSU campus.

During Molander’s interview, he highlighted his focus on people and team-driven collaboration and spoke about adapting to meet the needs of the community and workforce through credentials and certificates that are cohesive and stackable. “My focus will always be on people. Teamwork is everything and together, we need to build partnerships within the community. Collaboration with our university system institutions is key.” Molander is an alumnus of DSU.

SBHE Tim Mihalick said, “I would like to thank the co-chairs of the Presidential Search Committee and all the members who volunteered time; we owe the committee a debt of gratitude for the hundreds of hours you dedicated to the process. I have the utmost confidence in Molander’s leadership skills and commitment to the future of Dickinson State University.”

The Presidential Search Committee was co-chaired by Danita Bye, SBHE vice chair, and Ty Orton, DSU acting president.

Bye said, “We had a committed group of representatives from all facets of the DSU and Dickinson community and we understood that we were doing very important work for the future of Dickinson State University. I appreciate everyone who provided input to the Presidential Search Committee. Through the input process, we heard an emphasis on selecting a president who has a philosophy that is consistent with North Dakota values and has a vision that weaves in DSU’s dual mission and community philosophy. Molander is that person.”

Orton added, “We had a dedicated search team and a detailed process. The campus visits consisted of a thorough interview process from all stakeholders. Prior to the interviews, we held listening sessions to gain input from all facets of the community, both on campus and off, and attendees consistently focused on the importance of leadership and fostering community engagement while preparing students for impactful lives. We all joined the group to find the right leader for DSU and today is a culmination of those efforts with the selection of Molander.”

A total of 54 candidates applied for the position. Earlier this month, finalists met with students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and campus and community leaders who then provided the Search Committee with feedback on each candidate. Molander will assume office July 1, 2025.

For more information on the DSU presidential search process and about Molander, please visit dickinsonstate.edu/presidentialsearch.