Carroll College announced Monday that Jennifer Glowienka will be the school’s 20th president, marking the first time a woman has held the role in the institution’s history.
“I have dedicated my professional career to this remarkable institution, which prepares ethical leaders who engage the world with purpose and hope,” Glowienka said in a Carroll College press release. “I look forward to strengthening and expanding the ways Carroll fulfills its mission, serving learners across all stages of their educational journey.”
Glowienka was named interim co-president of Carroll in July, along with local Bishop Austin Vetter, after the retirement of former president John Cech and his previously named successor, Dr. William Ruud, could no longer accept the presidency due to “unforeseen events,” according to a college press release.
“She’s wise, sincere, and faith-filled in how she leads,” Bishop Vetter said in Monday’s press release from the college. “She listens well, brings people together, and always keeps what’s best for Carroll at the center. I truly believe the college’s future is bright with her guiding the way.”
First joining the college in 2003 as an assistant professor in biology, Glowienka progressed throughout the school, holding several leadership positions, including chair of the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, assistant dean of instruction, and, in 2021, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean.
Glowienka, who earned a Ph.D. in evolutionary botany from the University of Colorado Boulder, will be the first woman to hold the title of president for the college’s 116-year history, a goal that she said is important for her and Carroll’s students
“As we look across administrations and college presidencies, I think it’s really important for women to see these possibilities, right?” Glowienka said in an interview with Montana Free Press. “To see that there is that kind of role model, that presence, that belonging for them as well.”
Senior Ella Kuenzli attended a ceremony at Carroll announcing Glowienka’s promotion Monday afternoon and echoed the significance of her hiring.
“I think it’s really inspiring,” Kuenzli told MTFP. “I’m so excited to just see her as a leader [and] envision myself up there one day maybe.”
During her tenure with the college, Glowienka helped secure approximately $1.5 million in research grants and contributed to the growth of infrastructure and programming, according to the release. Her appointment comes after the college announced last week its plans to grow its online educational program by adding more hybrid and online classes.
As of this September, Carroll College has nearly 1,135 students enrolled in courses and employs about 390 staff members. The college graduated 290 students last spring.
“This might be a new chapter for Carroll, but for me, it is really kind of just the deepening of a lifelong commitment to this institution that I love,” Glowienka told MTFP.
Glowienka, who was joined at Monday’s ceremony by her husband Ed and their two children, will fully assume the president position beginning July 1, 2026, and will finish the current academic year as co-president with Vetter.
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