Job Description

About Utah State University

Utah State University (USU) is a comprehensive, public land-grant research university based in Logan, Utah, with a broad statewide presence through multiple campuses, centers, and Extension offices. Founded in 1888 to expand access to practical, applied education, USU remains deeply committed to its land-grant mission—advancing learning, conducting impactful research, and serving communities across the state. The university is recognized as a student-centered, R1 institution with very high research activity, offering a wide range of academic programs while addressing critical challenges related to agriculture, natural resources, health, and quality of life for Utahns and beyond. With over 29,800 students across 30 locations throughout the state, including three residential campuses in Logan, Eastern in Price and -Blanding, five regional campuses and 22 statewide education centers, USU proudly calls itself “Utah’s state university.” Students attend from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all 29 counties, connecting university expertise with community needs. USU is uniquely suited to meet students where they are in life, geographically, socially and economically, and help them become successful. -As a top-tier R1 university, USU research makes significant positive impacts in Utah, the nation, and throughout the world. Researchers address complex challenges in areas such as space, transportation, climate, land, water and air, education, and health and well-being. In 2025, USU surpassed a record $500 million in research expenditures and has the fastest growing research portfolio among its national peers (grown over $300 million since 2010). USU is home to over 50 world-class research centers, institutes, and facilities that support the mission of the university.

Our Mission

The mission of Utah State University is to be one of the nation’s premier student-centered land grant universities by fostering the principle that academics come first, by cultivating diversity of thought and culture, and by serving the public through learning, discovery, and engagement. Utah State Extension plays a critical role in advancing the broader mission of Utah State University by serving as one of the institution’s most visible and impactful avenues for public engagement, applied learning, and statewide service. As a core component of USU’s Land Grant mission, Extension translates the University’s teaching, research, and outreach into practical, community-based solutions that improve lives across Utah and beyond.

Utah State University Campuses and Extension

Statewide Campuses: 8

-Blanding (Monument Valley)

-Brigham City

-Eastern

-Moab

-Salt Lake City

-Tooele

-Uintah Basin (Vernal)

-Uintah Basin (Roosevelt)

Extension: Serves all of Utah’s 29 counties and includes the Bastian Agricultural Center, Swaner EcoCenter, USU Botanical Center, and the Ogden Botanical Center.

Academics: USU offers more than 140 undergraduate degrees, 95 master’s degrees, and 35 doctoral degrees. In 2021, USU tied for the best undergraduate research program in the U.S., and in 2024, USU Online was ranked in the top 10% in the nation for online bachelor’s programs. Including 2024 award recipients, USU boasts 38 Goldwater Scholars and 15 honorable-mention recipients since 1998.

Schools and Colleges: Effective July 1, 2025, Utah State restructured its nine academic colleges into a total of six:

• College of Arts and Sciences

• S.J. and Jesse E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

• Jon M. Huntsman School of Business

• Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

• College of Engineering

• College of Veterinary Medicine

The colleges of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science have merged to form a new College of Arts and Sciences. Embedded within the new college is the Caine School of the Arts. USU’s new Center for Civic Excellence, housed in the Provost’s Office and supported by ongoing dollars from Utah Legislature, will work with the College of Arts and Sciences in advancing a revision to the university’s general education program.

National Rankings

• "Best public college for your tuition and taxes in Utah" (Washington Monthly, 2025)

• "Best bang for the buck in the West" 44th out of 197 public and private institutions (Washington Monthly, 2025)

• One of the Best in the West (Princeton Review, 2025)

• USU Online Bachelor’s Programs Rank in Top 25 in 10 of the past 11 years?(U.S. News & World Report, 2025)

• Best employer in Utah (Forbes, 2023)

• 38 Goldwater Scholars

Athletics

The Utah State University Aggies compete at the NCAA Division I level in 16 sports. The Aggies are currently members of the Mountain West Conference and will join the Pac12 Conference July 1, 2026. They have won ten conference championships over the past five years in football, men’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s volleyball, and men’s tennis, as well as winning the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference title in women’s gymnastics. The Aggies won nine conference championships in 2025-2026. In 2024-2025, Utah State student athletes combined to earn a school-record 481 total academic awards, ranking as the second-most in the Mountain West. At Utah State Eastern in Price, 10 teams compete in the Scenic West Athletic Conference at the NJCAA level. The women’s volleyball team placed 10th in the NJCAA National Tournament in 2022.

University Leadership

Dr. Brad Mortensen President

Brad L. Mortensen serves as the 18th president of Utah State University, returning to his alma mater with deep gratitude and a lifelong belief in the transformative power of higher education.

President Mortensen brings more than two decades of higher education leadership, most recently as president of Weber State University. Over twenty-one years at Weber State, including nearly seven as president, he advanced initiatives that expanded access, strengthened student success, and removed unnecessary barriers that often stand between students and their goals. His leadership championed innovative enrollment pathways, strengthened partnerships with industry and communities, and elevated affordable, workforce-aligned opportunities for students across Utah.

At Utah State, President Mortensen leads with a simple but powerful question: “Are we the problem?” He believes universities must continually challenge institution-first practices to better serve students, families, and communities. Guided by values of integrity, transparency, and shared governance, he works alongside faculty, staff, students, and statewide partners to ensure Utah State continues to thrive as a premier Research 1 (Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production) land-grant university.

His vision for USU is two-fold and unbreakable, marked by both ambition and belonging. He is devoted to ensuring that every Aggie statewide has the opportunity, support, and confidence to succeed, while accelerating research and innovation that drives world-changing discovery and improves lives across Utah and the globe. An unabashed advocate for student success, he credits his parents’ encouragement in helping him and his brothers pursue the education they never had, which ultimately led him to Utah State and set the trajectory for his life. As a proud first generation college graduate and Aggie, he remains deeply committed to creating pathways that keep higher education within reach for every student in every community the university serves.

Before becoming a university president, Mortensen led collaborative efforts in public policy, advancement, economic development, and student success. His background includes service in the Utah System of Higher Education and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget.

President Mortensen also holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah, master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and a bachelor’s in political science from Utah State. He and his wife, Camille, are parents of four and proud new grandparents, with family roots in Cache Valley that stretch back for generations.

Utah State University Extension

Founded in 1914 as part of the Smith-Lever Act, Utah State University Extension is uniquely positioned as a community-facing arm of the university, serving diverse populations across rural and urban regions. It plays a primary role in helping USU fulfill its mission as a land grant institution that serves Utahns and impacts communities across the state. USU Extension supports all 29 counties and hosts five Small Business Development Centers. Through programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H and youth development, and home and community initiatives, Extension provides practical, science-based education directly to Utah residents.

• A trusted source of research-based information with the potential to strengthen public trust in science

• A critical support system for rural communities, agriculture, and youth development programs

• A statewide network with significant reach and impact, yet with opportunities to increase visibility and awareness

• A relationship-driven model, reliant on partnerships with counties, producers, families, and local leaders

The Role

Utah State University invites applications and nominations for the appointment of Vice President of Extension. The Vice President serves as the chief administrative and academic leader for Utah State University Extension and is responsible for advancing its statewide mission. The Vice President will have a unique opportunity to play a defining role in shaping the future of Extension, develop new and additional priorities and aspirations, and lead Extension to even greater levels of impact and excellence by advancing community-based scholarship and engagement.

Reporting to the President, the Vice President will:

• Provide statewide leadership for Utah State University Extension through the development, delivery, and evaluation of statewide Extension programs

• Be a highly visible, statewide leader who builds trust through presence and relationships

• Partner with program directors to develop, implement, and evaluate Extension, continuing education and field programs that draw upon the University's teaching and research expertise

• Grow the resource base and advocate for sustainable funding to support personnel and programs

• Champion Extension as a core component of the land-grant mission

• Strengthen relationships with county, state, and federal partners and elected officials, as well as industry and community constituent groups

• Serve as a visible and engaged leader across Utah, building trust with faculty, staff, and communities

• Support and empower Extension faculty and staff, ensuring they have the tools and resources needed to succeed

• Exhibit leadership and decision-making rooted in transparency and collaboration

• Expand Extension’s visibility, impact, and reputation statewide and nationally

Candidates must have a master’s degree, with a preference for a doctoral degree.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic Planning and Vision – The ability to think strategically and translate vision into actionable priorities that align institutional resources, people, and initiatives to advance long-term and organizational goals.

• Exceptional Communication Skills – Outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to articulate a compelling vision, foster transparency, build trust, and engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, industry partners, and governing bodies.

• Organizational Leadership and Development – Proven and significant experience in Extension and leading complex organizations, strengthening operational effectiveness, empowering teams, and fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Relationship Building and Collaboration – A strong track record of cultivating meaningful partnerships across academic, industry, healthcare, governmental, and community sectors, with the interpersonal effectiveness to inspire trust and advance shared goals.

• Commitment to the Land Grant Mission – A deep understanding of and commitment to the values of a Land Grant institution, including access, academic excellence, research, innovation, extension, service, and meaningful engagement with the state, region, and broader community.

• Change Leadership and Innovation – The courage and agility to lead through complexity and uncertainty, embrace thoughtful risk-taking, and drive innovation in response to evolving challenges and emerging opportunities.

• People-Centered Leadership – A leadership style grounded in integrity, humility, empathy, transparency, and active listening, with a demonstrated commitment to supporting faculty, staff, students, and shared governance.

• Revenue Generation and Resource Stewardship – Demonstrated experience in fundraising, external relations, partnership development, and resource generation, coupled with strong financial acumen and the ability to align investments with strategic priorities to support sustainable growth and impact

Applications and Nominations

While applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials by July 10, 2026, to receive optimal consideration.

Nominations and application materials, which should include a letter indicating the applicant’s interest, experience and qualifications for the position, and curriculum vitae, must be submitted electronically to:

Buffkin/Baker

usuextension@buffkinbaker.com

Martin Baker, Managing Partner

Chelsie Whitelock, Associate Partner