FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2015

Board Names New Emporia State University President

(Topeka, Kansas) - Today, the Kansas Board of Regents announced Allison Garrett as the 17th president of Emporia State University. The Board voted to approve the appointment and officially introduced the new president during a special meeting in the KSTC Ballroom of the Memorial Union on the Emporia State University campus.

“Naming a president of an institution is one of the most important jobs we undertake as a member of the Board of Regents,” stated Shane Bangerter, Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents. “I come before you today confident that the Board has selected the person we believe is the right fit for today and for the future of Emporia State University.”

Allison Garrett, J.D., has served as the Executive Vice President at Abilene Christian University for the past three years, and before that as Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of Law, Vice President of Benefits and Compliance and as General Counsel, among other positions. A native of Neosho, Missouri, she received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Tulsa, College of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Oklahoma Christian College.

Following the Board’s announcement, Allison Garrett and her husband, Chip Garrett, were introduced to members of the Emporia State University community during a reception. President Garrett will begin her presidency January 2016.

The announcement of Allison Garrett as the 17th President of Emporia State University comes after six months of work by the Presidential Search Committee. Members of the committee received public recognition for their efforts.

“It was a real honor to participate in this process, given the diligent work of the committee and the great candidates that applied,” said Andy Tylicki, Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. “There is true excitement for the future of our university, as we watch Allison Garrett take Emporia State University to the next level of success.”

For more information, contact Breeze Richardson at (773) 255-7847 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or Gwendolynne Larson, assistant director, Marketing & Media Relations for Emporia State University at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 620-341-5528 (office) or 620-340-7544.

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About the Kansas Board of Regents:
The nine-member Kansas Board of Regents is the governing board of the state's six universities and the statewide coordinating board for the state's 32 public higher education institutions (six state universities, one municipal university, nineteen community colleges, and six technical colleges). In addition, the Board administers the state's student financial aid, adult education, high school equivalency, and career and technical education programs. Private proprietary schools and out-of-state institutions are authorized by the Kansas Board of Regents to operate in Kansas, and the Board continues to administer Kan-Ed, a program for facilitating and promoting distance learning and telemedicine in schools, libraries and hospitals. Visit the Kansas Board of Regents online at www.kansasregents.org.

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