HELENA — Carroll College's first week of classes is one week away, and leadership at the institution looks a little different this academic year.
Carroll's co-presidents talk about the upcoming year:
Longtime Carroll College president John Cech retired at the end of the past academic year. A new president was hired, but backed out of the position due to unforeseen circumstances.
Following Dr. William Ruud's stepping down from his scheduled role as Carroll College president earlier this summer, Dr. Jennifer Glowienka and Bishop Austin Vetter have been appointed as interim co-presidents for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Vetter says, "I think two heads will be better than one in this case, and I think we are complementary."
In addition to their new leadership roles, Glowienka is the senior vice president of academic affairs, and Vetter serves as the Bishop of the Diocese of Helena.
"We each bring different backgrounds, different experiences, different gifts, talents, and perspectives to the work," said Glowienka.
Rather than searching to find a president to fill the position right away, the co-presidency model reflects Carroll's commitment to collaborative leadership.
"Now we have more collaborative efforts so that we can commonly listen to one another and find creative ways to increase our enrollment for more financial stability," said Vetter.
However, those are not the only goals; Carroll College would not be the academic institution it is without the Helena community.
Glowienka said, "Looking forward to connecting more with community members across the coming year to provide opportunities for partners, opportunities for our students, and ways we can help serve the community."
As for what is to come for Carroll College's leadership, Glowienka says, "The board of trustees will make a decision a little later in the fall, as to when to launch that search for the president for the following academic year."
