Elson Floyd
President, Washington State University
Elson Floyd heads one of America’s most productive research universities. Washington State University (WSU) is classified among the nation’s 96 leading public and private universities with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.Dr. Floyd, a nationally known academic leader, brings to WSU an exceptionally wide range of administrative experience, as well as valuable state and national perspectives on higher education issues and policies.
Before taking the helm at WSU on May 21, 2007, he was president of the four-campus University of Missouri for four years and, before that, president of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo for more than four years. He also held administrative posts at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at Eastern Washington University, and was executive director of the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board. Floyd is a native of North Carolina.
Degrees and Honors
- Bachelor of Arts degree, Political Science and Speech, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- Master of Education degree, Adult Education, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- Doctor of Philosophy degree, Higher and Adult Education, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- 2005 Communicator of the Year Award, given by the Mid-Missouri Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
- 2004 James C. Kirkpatrick Award, given by the Northwest Missouri Press Association for public service
- 2004 Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- Distinguished Alumnus Award from Dr. Floyd’s former high school, Darlington School, in Georgia
Service
- National Merit Scholarship Corporation Board of Directors (2005)
- Oracle Education Industry Executive Advisory Board (2005)
- American Council on Education (ACE) Commission on Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness (2004–present)
- Nelson Atkins Museum of Art Board of Directors (2004–present)
- Alexis de Tocqueville Society, United Way (2004–present)
- Missouri Technology Corporation Board of Directors (2003–2007)
- Board member, Washington Campus Compact
