blackhurst

BY CAROLYN LILLEHAUGEN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATE MICKELBERG IMAGES

Dr. Anne Blackhurst, president of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After working as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at MSUM for three years, Blackhurst accepted the role of president in July of 2014, and has assumed her responsibilities with enthusiasm, determination and a vibrant display of school spirit.

Students, campus colleagues and community civic leaders eagerly proclaim Blackhurst’s praise. Marsha Weber, dean of business and innovation at MSUM, described Blackhurst as “a strategic thinker with vision and enthusiasm for progress.” Whether providing guidance for strategic planning, meeting community leaders to promote opportunities for collaboration, or having lunch with students to learn what is on their minds, Blackhurst is thoughtful, perceptive and engaged. She is a leader who is capable of making and implementing tough decisions and also a caring mentor with deep compassion for individuals. According to Mary Jo Richard, MSUM alumna and Foundation Board member, “Anne is an intelligent, diplomatic and charismatic leader. She is committed to the university, and people trust that she will provide positive leadership. In addition the students love her and appreciate that she relates to them through social media and supporting their activities.”

Years before her role began as an upper-Midwest leader in higher education, Blackhurst grew up as a Navy kid in balmy Southern California. Her parents were each the first in their respective families to attend college. Her father, Chuck, graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in physical education. He went on to attend the U.S. Navy Officer Training School and began a 22-year career that culminated in his promotion to Naval Commander. Her mother, ontinuing in residence life administration, Blackhurst’s next position was at Ohio University, a large public research university in Athens, Ohio. It was here, too, that she began work on her PhD. This was an extremely busy and challenging time in Blackhurst’s life. Not only was she working full time and going to school, she was also newly divorced and learning to juggle her role as a single mother to her young son Evan. Living far away from family support and struggling financially, Blackhurst recalls that “it required every ounce of my determination to hold it all together.” Vivid memories from this time help her to empathize with students today who also face financial and other concerns beyond the classroom. “Many students have tough choices and challenges that require them to demonstrate ‘grit’ – the determination and resolve to persist, even against formidable odds.”

Sandy, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of San Francisco which led to a nursing career that included positions in hospital, private practice and college settings. With a dad who was overseas for months at a time and a busy working mom, Blackhurst and her younger brother Mike and sister Jeannee became independent, self-sufficient kids. “It was normal for us to come home from school and take care of ourselves and each other while my mom was still at work. We all learned to pitch in, especially when my dad was on sea duty. We had daily chores— assigned by my dad and posted in military time on our bedroom doors—that we were responsible for completing."

Following a move to Idaho after her father’s retirement from the Navy, Blackhurst chose to enroll at Boise State University to begin her college education. As she explained it, “Because of my parent’s experience and success stemming from continued education, I knew that I too would go to college. I had no idea what career direction it would take me; I simply knew I would begin.” After receiving a degree in Economics at BSU, Blackhurst continued her education in a very different area of study pursuing a master’s degree in counseling at the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho. A natural observer of people, she found counseling to be a great vocational fit. “I’ve always been intensely interested in why people behave the way they do, and using the understanding of the motivation behind a person’s behavior can translate into helping them reach their potential.” The foundations and diverse perspectives provided by both degrees in economics and counseling proved very beneficial as life’s roles unfolded.

While at the College of Idaho, Blackhurst began working as a residence hall director. College dorm life provides much more than just a place to sleep and store belongings; ideally there is an intentional educational component designed to bring learning beyond the classroom. Among her goals for the students were promoting leadership, community and multiculturalism.

There is no single path of preparation prescribed for becoming a college president. Although she may not have set out with a goal to pursue a presidential role early in her career, the variety of positions and depth of experience in several academic settings certainly laid the groundwork for a strong and comprehensive understanding of higher education. Following her time at Ohio University, Blackhurst moved to Marietta, Ohio to work at Marietta College, a small, private, highly ranked liberal arts college where she eventually became assistant dean of student life. Next she accepted a position at Minnesota State University in Mankato, the largest of the Minnesota State College and University (MnSCU) institutions, where she ascended the ranks from professor to department chair, to dean of graduate studies and research, and eventually to acting vice president for academic and student affairs.

In 2011, Blackhurst joined the administrative staff at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, accepting the position of provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Because of her well-rounded experience, she was able to quickly assume the responsibilities of directing day-to-day operations as well as long term planning efforts of the university. During her time as provost she led a campus-wide strategic planning process that resulted in a new core vision statement, enhanced partnerships with community business leaders and established better alignment of policies with the MnSCU system.

Laps for the Long Run

Upon becoming MSUM’s president in 2014, Blackhurst kicked off her presidency with a unique and unprecedented event, "Laps for the Long Run.” The fundraiser was part of homecoming and presidential inauguration week activities to raise money for scholarships. To jump-start the challenge, Blackhurst personally pledged $1,000 per lap for a total of $50,000 toward the President’s Merit Scholarship Endowment. More than 250 “Anne fans,” including faculty, staff, administrators, students, alumni and friends, pledged money and ran laps with the president to show their support. Their combined efforts raised more than $1.2 million, helping to make it one of the most successful fundraisers in MSUM history. As Ceanna Egan, senior communications major from Rosemount, MN described, “It was exciting to run with Anne and be part of the inauguration. She is such a great role model; it makes us proud to be Dragons.”

Running for Blackhurst is much more than a strategy to benefit a fundraiser. “About 30 years ago I began running as a way to stay fit and healthy.” Little did she know she would fall in love with the sport and begin a life-long passion. Describing her daily training runs, Blackhurst said “I primarily train alone. The solitary time allows me the opportunity and space to think, problem solve and recharge.” But like many marathon runners, Blackhurst explained, “It is a true joy to experience the community that exists on race day. The camaraderie with other runners and support of spectators makes it possible for race participants to go further than we could have on our own.”

Each year since she has been in town, Blackhurst has participated in the Fargo Marathon, an experience she relishes. Because she will be running in the Boston Marathon in April this year, she will not run the full Fargo marathon, opting instead to participate in the relay as part of a team with four other administrators from MSUM. She also plans to sponsor 10 student marathon teams who will surely be wearing red to show their Dragon pride.

Not only did Blackhurst use running as a way to inspire the MSUM community for a fundraiser, and as encouragement for students to be physically active and engaged in the community, she also uses running as an analogy for her presidency. “Leading for the Long Run,” the title of her inauguration address, reflects her commitment to longevity as MSUM’s president. It is her goal to lead the university in a way that will help it thrive, now and long into the future. The challenges of declining numbers of high school graduates, increasing numbers of underprepared students, decreasing public support for education, crippling student debt and pressure to justify the value of a college degree are issues that all colleges face. Blackhurst considers it “the responsibility of leaders to find solutions for these issues so that higher education can be accessible for students for whom a college degree will be a pathway for a better life.”

This challenging time has forced universities to be creative and innovative. Some of the initiatives that have been developed because of strained resources have spawned new collaboration and progress. At MSUM one example of this trend toward collaboration is the new Center for Geospatial Information Sciences. The GIS center brings together faculty from economics, anthropology and earth sciences, biosciences, history and the library to provide a platform for students and faculty to work with agricultural industries and other partners. This authentic learning experience allows students to produce and analyze complex data sets resulting in the creation of interactive maps useful for industry. Another example of creative collaboration is the Center for Innovative Business Solutions, where teams of students, called Dragon Consultants, work with community businesses to find solutions for a variety of real world problems. These partnerships not only benefit the businesses, they help students gain concrete experience which will help them in future careers.

BBeyond administrative duties, Blackhurst is very involved in all aspects of the life of the college. She literally wears her Dragon pride on her sleeve as she dresses in red and black each day for work. Additionally, she deliberately chose to buy a home near campus so she could easily return for evening events, and when she needed a new car, she chose a little red Nissan Juke as a reminder of her loyalty to the university. Blackhurst loves supporting academic, athletic, musical, and theatrical events on campus and usually attends seven or more events each week. In describing Blackhurst’s involvement, Karla Nelson, MSUM women’s basketball coach says, “She is a great supporter of our teams. Her passion for the university and its students translates into a great feeling of pride all across campus.” Students appreciate that Blackhurst is tech savvy, and they eagerly follow her social media posts which frequently showcase “selfies” with students from all parts of campus. According to Ceanna Egan, “She simultaneously makes us feel welcome and important as individuals, while also providing an example which encourages us to pursue big dreams.”

Although the role of a college president can be all-consuming, Blackhurst understands the importance of a well-balanced life. Her daily run provides time to unwind and reflect. A selfdescribed bookworm, Blackhurst loves quiet time to read, and also makes time to pursue other interests including photography, gardening and travel. She and her husband Joe, a retired tennis coach and professor of sports psychology, enjoy entertaining in their home and their flower-filled back yard. Friends and colleagues agree that an evening at their home is sure to be a time of warmth, fun and inspiration. Her son Evan and his wife Paige live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and are proud supporters of Blackhurst and all that she has accomplished.

As she reflects on her first months in her new leadership role at MSUM, Blackhurst counts it a privilege to be part of a system that continues to provide opportunities for transformation in students’ lives today and long into the future.

{AWM}