By MATT PIKE
After a two month long search, Lenny Klaver has been named the seventh University President at Missouri Western State University by the Missouri Western State University Board of Governor's.
Klaver will be officially introduced as the new University President to the campus and the community during a formal announcement and press conference at 2pm today at the Houlne Center for Convergent Technology. The event will be open to the public as well.
“Dr. Lenny Klaver is an outstanding higher education leader who is very familiar with MoWest and our region, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the Griffon family,” chair of the Board of Governors as well as the presidential search committee Bill Grimwood says in a news release. “We are confident that under his leadership MoWest will rise to new heights of excellence.”
Prior to this new role, Klaver has served as president of North Central Missouri College since May of 2016. During his tenure, Klaver has helped in the development of three consecutive comprehensive strategic plans at NCMC, and under his leadership the college has expanded its academic and athletic programs and increased community engagement. NCMC also opened the state-of-the-art satellite campus in Savannah, Missouri, in August 2023 and a new student center on the Trenton campus in January 2026 in Klaver's time as president.
“I’m humbled and honored that the Board of Governors has placed their confidence in me,” Klaver said. “I believe there’s a great deal of potential in Missouri Western State University, and I look forward to working with the Board, faculty, staff, students, alumni and the community to realize that potential.”
Dr. Klaver previously served as vice president for institutional advancement and enrollment management at Finlandia University in Michigan and as vice chancellor for university relations & advancement and faculty/administration at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. He started his higher education career as a tenured faculty member, associate athletic director, baseball coach and basketball coach at Wayne State College in Nebraska.
Klaver succeeds Elizabeth Kennedy, who retired earlier this year.
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