Beth Borgen’s success story gets better each year. She has quickly risen to the presidency at Lakeland University – a role she never envisioned when she arrived as assistant alumni relations director 15 years ago – thanks to a progressive, customer-centric leadership style that promotes campus inclusiveness, according to colleagues.
Lakeland has historically served a large number of first-generation college students, as well as hundreds of working adults who are earning a degree. Borgen has lived both profiles and advocates for a healthy work-life balance and has challenged Lakeland’s leadership team to re-evaluate the way the institution does business.
Borgen has been instrumental in keeping Lakeland moving forward at a time when many institutions are struggling to attract students due to fears over student debt, COVID-19 and a shrinking pool of prospective students, according to David Gallianetti, director of external relations at Lakeland.
Borgen has:
- Led a task force that implemented Lakeland’s award-winning Cooperative Education program.
- Led Lakeland’s recent $12 million fundraising campaign.
- Played a significant role in launching several boards of advocates that keep LU’s academic programs connected to the needs of employers.
