‘Best days at UVU are ahead’: Jon Anderson appointed president at Utah Valley University

OREM — The Utah Board of Higher Education on Friday voted unanimously to appoint Jon Anderson as the next Utah Valley University president.

A Utah native, Anderson attended Bingham High School and Utah State University and currently serves as the president of PennWest University.

“To our UVU community, my family and I look forward to calling Utah home again. I’ve been fortunate to spend a lot of time on this campus over many years, and I look forward to being back and working with you together,” Anderson said.

Anderson was recommended to the board by a new presidential transition team established by the Utah System of Higher Education that includes representatives from the board, the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, and institutional trustees.

Before his tenure at PennWest, Anderson served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at both Southern Utah University and Middle Georgia State University.

He spent more than a decade at the University of West Georgia as a member of the business faculty and in administrative positions, including deputy provost, associate vice president, associate dean, accreditation liaison, and Master of Business Administration director — consistently teaching undergraduate and graduate business courses in these roles.

As for his educational achievements, Anderson holds a doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree in business education from the University of West Georgia, a Bachelor of Science in sociology from Utah State University, and an associate’s degree from Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho).

Additionally, Anderson was named one of Pennsylvania’s most influential leaders in City & State’s 2024 Pennsylvania Fifty Over 50.

Anderson emphasized his belief that the healthiest university administrations are not “president-centric.”

“No matter your role, whether you tend the grounds, maintain the IT systems, clean the buildings, enroll students, or teach in a classroom at UVU, your work matters,” Anderson said. “Many here in this room and beyond have built this university into what it is today. But even with this success, I assure you, our most ambitious days are ahead. UVU is uniquely positioned to serve the Utah Valley community.”

While his educational experience in the Beehive State mostly comes from Bingham High School and his time at USU, Anderson explained that his father worked at UVU’s Institute of Religion for over two decades, immersing him and his family in the “UVU experience.”

While the bulk of Anderson’s opening address was future-focused, he acknowledged that time will be made to “heal from the harrowing moments in UVU’s recent past,” likely referring to the death of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed on the campus of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.

“We will work to ensure that these moments are recognized as part of UVU’s history, but don’t define its future,” Anderson said.

As for his vision for that future?

“UVU will be a mission-directed and values-driven university. UVU will prepare students to thrive in an AI and technology-driven world of work while gaining compassion and a human perspective. UVU will be a bright hub in Utah’s ecosystem of higher education and a leader in building regional partnerships. UVU will continue to grow large enough to fulfill its mission, but never become larger than a single student’s experience. Shared governance will be our hallmark. We’ll be known for the healthy way that we work together,” Anderson said.

“The best days at UVU are ahead and we will create them together.”