Elgren to take over as Montana Tech’s provost and executive vice chancellor on July 15
July 15, 2024
Dr. Tim Elgren will join Montana Technological University as the provost and executive vice chancellor on July 15, 2024.
“I am thrilled to join the Montana Tech community and leadership team at this pivotal moment in the University’s history,” Elgren said. “Celebrating its 125th anniversary offers a unique opportunity to honor its extraordinary historical strengths while envisioning innovative programs that best prepare our students for success. As a first-generation college graduate, I am particularly inspired by the deep commitment to access and opportunity that defines Highlands College and Montana Tech–the core values of a public university. It is an immense honor to have been selected for this role and I am eager to collaborate with the dedicated and distinguished faculty, staff, and administration. Together, we will deliver exemplary STEM programming and cultivate a campus culture that champions the advancement of science with a keen eye towards student success.”
Dr. Elgren comes to Montana Tech from the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA), where he served as the chief research officer and director of corporate and foundation relations. In this role, he worked with senior staff to articulate strategic priorities and identify, cultivate, and solicit potential funding. He also oversaw three grant-funded centers at the UNCA—the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness, the National Environmental and Modeling Center, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) Studio.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Elgren as our provost and executive vice chancellor,” Chancellor Les Cook said. “Tim has had an accomplished career in higher education at a number of well-respected universities and has been instrumental in the success of each. We look forward to his energy, vision, and leadership and the expanded role he will fulfill at the University. Tim and his wife, Gail are great additions to our Montana Tech family.”
Prior to his time at UNCA, he served as the chief academic officer, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and professor of Chemistry at Oberlin College. He also served on the faculty of Hamilton College along with serving as chair of biochemistry, associate dean, and in a variety of other administrative roles. Tim has a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Hamline University, a PhD in Bioinorganic Chemistry from Dartmouth College, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the University of Minnesota. He has served on the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) as an elected councilor (3 terms), a member of the executive board, and a term as CUR president and as an American Council on Education Fellow at the SUNY-Institute of Technology at Rome/Utica. He has also served as a member of his local school board including a term as president.
Tim and his wife, Gail, have two adult children, a daughter, who is a NICU physical therapist at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and a son, who is a software engineer in Salt Lake City.