Episodes
Saturday Sep 04, 2021
Dr. Waded Cruzado, Montana State University
Saturday Sep 04, 2021
Saturday Sep 04, 2021
Dr. Waded Cruzado has served as the 12th president of Montana State University since 2010. She is well known for her understanding of the Morrill Act, which created the land-grant university system, and she is a passionate champion of the tripartite land-grant mission of education, research and public outreach.
MSU has set new student enrollment records under Cruzado's leadership, becoming the fastest growing and largest university in the state, and students routinely win prestigious national awards, including Rhodes, Goldwater, Truman and Udall scholarships. Cruzado is also known for placing student success as the campus’s top priority.
During Cruzado’s tenure MSU’s research enterprise has flourished; the university tallied an all-time high for research expenditures in 2019–2020, totaling $167 million, and MSU has competitively won more than $650 million for sponsored research projects. MSU is classified as R1 in the Carnegie Classification for "very high research activity," and is one of only two universities nationally with an R1 classification that is also classified as Very High Undergraduate enrollment.
Under Cruzado’s leadership the campus has seen numerous major construction and renovation projects. Current projects include the renovation and repurposing of Romney Hall and the construction of a new American Indian Hall. Completed projects include Norm Asbjornson Hall, Jabs Hall, Gaines Hall and the Animal Bioscience Building. Cruzado has also overseen significant improvements to student facilities, including new residence halls, recreation and dining facilities.
Philanthropic support has grown for MSU during her tenure. Among other efforts, MSU’s comprehensive fundraising campaign raised more than $413 million, and construction is underway on MSU’s donor-funded Bobcat Athletic Complex.
Cruzado has provided new pathways to higher education with the establishment of Gallatin College MSU, and she obtained approval to designate the Honors Program as the Honors College. MSU also won a grant for the LaunchPad, a program that introduces entrepreneurship as a viable career option and provides university students and alumni with support for entrepreneurial ventures.
MSU’s national reputation is strong. Notable recognition includes winning the C. Peter Magrath University Community Engagement Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching awarded MSU its community engagement classification. Cruzado has also enhanced alumni and community relations. One visible community project is the CatWalk, an annual celebration of the relationship between MSU and the community.
Cruzado chairs the board of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and is a commissioner of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. She has also served on numerous boards; current board memberships include the American Council on Education, Campus Compact, U.S. Bank and the Burton K. Wheeler Center.
Her awards include the “Hero” Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Montana Chapter; the Chief Executive HR Champion Award from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources; and the Michael P. Malone Educator of the Year from the Montana Ambassadors. She also was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International and was awarded the Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lectureship.
Cruzado previously served as executive vice president and provost at New Mexico State University. A native of Puerto Rico, she has a son and a daughter and two grandchildren.
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