WINONA, Minn. – Three Winona State executives who expressed interest in serving as interim university president have been named finalists. The position opens in with the departure of President Scott Olson to become chancellor of the whole MinnState higher-ed system. Whoever is chosen will hold the position during a natinal search for a permanent successor to Olson. The finalists:
Scott Ellinghuysen. Holds master’s degree in educational management from Harvard and a master’s from UW-LaCrosse. His undergrad degree, from Winona State, is in accounting and computer systems. He returned to Winona State in 2009 as a faculty member. Since 2013 vice president of finance and administration
Ken Janz. Associate academic vice president at Winona State since 2015 and simultaneously dean of the library. Earlier at Indiana State University-Terre Haute and at West Fargo, North Dakota, public schools. Holds a doctorate in higher-ed leadership from Indiana State-Terre Haute; a master’s in education technology from North Dakota State; and a bachelor’s in computer science and management from Dickinson State in North Dakota.
Denise McDowell. Vice president for enrollment management and student life at Winona State since 2015. Earlier at Kansas City Community College in Kansas. Penn Valley Community College in Kanas, and Emporia State University. She holds a doctorate in adult education from Nova Southeastern in Florida, a master’s in counseling from Central Missouri, aan a bachelor’s in psychology from Lincoln University in Missouri.
The finalists will be interviewed by Olson and retiring state Chancellor Devinder Malhotra. MinnState’s governing board will make a decision in a couple weeks.