Scott Pulsipher has served as president of nonprofit Western Governors University, the nation’s first and largest competency-based university, since April 2016. He leads all academic, operational, and organizational functions as WGU’s president.
Pulsipher blends a personal drive for making a difference in the lives of individuals and families through education and a passion for technology-powered innovation.
At WGU, he is driving continuous innovation to improve student outcomes by focusing on rapidly advancing curriculum quality, new faculty models, data-driven learning, and a different cost model.
Under President Pulsipher’s leadership, WGU is transforming higher education by improving quality, expanding access, and optimizing student success through online, competency-based degree programs aligned with workforce needs and opportunity.
WGU has flourished into a national university, serving 120,000+ students from all 50 states while receiving numerous accolades and recognition from Fast Company's 50 Most Innovative Companies to #1 NCTQ Teacher Prep Ranking to Center of Excellence for Nursing Education recognition by National League of Nursing.
Thanks to Pulsipher, the university continues to open doors for learners who need flexibility to achieve their education and career goals.
WGU’s innovative competency-based academic approach makes it possible by allowing individuals to fit their education into their lives, not the other way around.
WGU currently has more than 170,000+ graduates across all industries and among industry-leading employers.
In 2019, President Pulsipher was selected by the U.S. Department of Commerce among a group of 25 U.S. governors, Fortune 500 CEOs, education and workforce leaders to serve on the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.
In 2020, EdTech Digest named President Pulsipher one of the Top 100 Influencers in EdTech.
Before coming to WGU, Pulsipher had more than 20 years of leadership experience in technology-based, customer-focused businesses, including Amazon, Sterling Commerce (now part of IBM), and two successful startups that traverse retail, supply chain, banking, payments, and manufacturing sectors.
Pulsipher holds a bachelor’s degree in Management from Brigham Young University and an MBA from Harvard University.
