Brad Mortensen, the newly inaugurated 18th president of Utah State University, is the first alumnus to take this role since 1968. His inauguration speech emphasized the university's mission to serve students across the state, stating, 'The landscape blooms with a calling to serve students wherever the sagebrush grows. Our university must transcend the familiar or risk becoming an echo of the past, rather than the propulsion for the future.'
Mortensen brings over two decades of higher education leadership, most recently as president of Weber State University for the past seven years. During his tenure, he led Weber State to multiple recognitions for outstanding return on investment for graduates, established the Miller Advanced Research and Solutions Center, and oversaw the creation of new graduate education programs. He also steered the university's dual enrollment program to become the largest in the U.S. among four-year institutions in 2024.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox praised Mortensen, calling him 'one of the best human beings in our state.' Cox highlighted the university's need for a leader who can navigate through challenging times and preserve the essence of being an Aggie. He expressed his confidence in Mortensen's ability to lead USU into the future.
Geoffrey Landward, commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education, echoed similar sentiments, noting Mortensen's success in bringing together faculty, staff, students, industry partners, and community leaders at Weber State. This ability to foster collaboration made the system confident in Mortensen's leadership at USU.
Mortensen outlined four key goals for his mission at USU: expanding the university's statewide reach to strengthen educational opportunities and drive economic mobility, enhancing student success through advocacy for completion and meaningful return on investment, leading world-changing discovery by applying community engagement to various challenges, and instilling values of authenticity, integrity, civic mindedness, and championing peace.
He concluded his speech with a commitment to continuous self-assessment, stating, 'May my commitment to be a listening, learning president be matched by USU emulating a learning university.' Mortensen emphasized the importance of the university becoming a constant learner, not just an institution that imparts knowledge, but one that serves and enriches the state and leads with purpose in a constantly changing world.
