Astrid Tuminez selected as UVU’s first female president

Photo by Kimberly Bojorquez

 

The Utah State Board of Regents selected Astrid Tuminez as UVU’s next university president, April 20 at Centre Stage.

“She’s been proven to be an adynamic and effective leader across academic, non-profit, public policy and corporate sectors,” said Daniel Campbell, chairman of the state’s Board of Regents. “She is focused on bridging gaps in education and opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. We look forward to our future association with President Tuminez.”

Tuminez currently acts as a regional director for Microsoft. Prior to arriving at the tech company, she worked as the vice-dean at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree from Harvard University, and a doctoral degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“I will try to honor what you have built, build on it and to help that legacy move forward,” Tuminez said in an address to current president Matthew Holland.

In December, Holland, announced he would be stepping down to become a mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Carolina.

Tuminez will serve as the seventh president of UVU. Lucille Stoddard and Elizabeth Hitch were both interim presidents in the past, and Tuminez is the first permanent female president.

“I know that UVU is an amazing community… [the students] are dynamic, they are inspired; they want to change the world,” Tuminez said.

Candidates presented on campus earlier this week.