On Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, the Washburn Board of Regents announced that the next president of Washburn will be JuilAnn Mazachek at a special meeting held inside the Washburn Room at Memorial Union.

Before leaving for Midwestern State University in Texas last year, Mazachek rose for 30 years at Washburn which she referred to as “home” multiple times during her address.

According to chair Shelly Buhler, Mazachek was chosen by the Washburn Board of Regents for checking all the boxes of an ideal candidate.

Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla introduced the motion that Mazachek be hired as the 15th president of Washburn University and authorized the board chair and vice chair “to complete negotiations and enter a formal contract with Dr. Mazachek subject to ratification by the full board at the next regular meeting.”

“I am overwhelmed with joy today to be back in the presence of the Ichabod family, and to be here on such a special day as we mark a new chapter in our history at Washburn,” Mazachek said after receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

Mazachek’s children have graduated from Washburn and her husband Keith is returning to teach after previously being a professor at Washburn for nearly 23 years.

“Today is a remarkable, memorable and life-changing day for me, one I had only dreamed about through the years,” Mazachek said. “I am deeply honored and deeply thrilled to return home to the great State of Kansas and to serve this outstanding institution at such an important time in its history and in an important time in higher education.”

Mazachek noted in the press conference that student demographics are changing and she is thinking about how Washburn can change academic programming to best prepare students for careers.

“I learned that wherever you go in the United States they have the same challenges and issues that we deal with here in the state of Kansas,” Mazachek said. “And I do believe that I learned in that process how important it is for the president to be involved and to be leading conversations inside the campus about issues.”

John Dietrick, vice chair of the Washburn Board of Regents, said that because Mazachek has been here before she can step in and keep things moving right away without having to learn them.

Mazachek started as an assistant professor of accounting at Washburn in 1992. Since then, she has served as School of Business dean, vice president of academic affairs and president and CEO of the Washburn University Foundation and Alumni Association.

Edited By: LeSha’ Davis and Aja Carter