Published Thursday, November 16th, 2023
Elliott has held positions at Wayne State College for 20 years, including faculty, department chair, dean, and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Steven Elliott, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Wayne State College, has announced he will be stepping down from his position to accept the presidency at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D.
Elliott came to Wayne State in 2003 as a faculty member in the Department of Art and Design. He earned tenure in 2008, as well as assumed the chair position in his department. After five years leading the department, he was named the Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, a position he held until 2016, when he was named Vice President for Academic Affairs.
“On behalf of Wayne State College, I wish Steve every success as he assumes the role of president at Black Hills State,” said Wayne State President Marysz Rames. “Steve is a thoughtful and committed leader who was instrumental in growing graduate enrollment, overhauling the General Studies program, navigating the pandemic, adding new academic programs, and forging new partnerships. We will miss Steve’s strong presence; he has truly been a committed and dedicated member of our leadership team. Black Hills State is fortunate to have Steve as their next president. We know he will provide outstanding leadership and will have a significant impact on advancing that institution’s goals and aspirations.”
Elliott’s accomplishments at Wayne State have included leadership roles through several critical projects that helped grow and stabilize Wayne State enrollment and deliver new facilities for Wayne State students. Elliott served vital roles in strategic enrollment planning, boosting enrollment, fundraising, securing grant funding for major projects, and the launch of more than 20 new academic programs.
“Vice President Steve Elliott has played a critical role at Wayne State since assuming the leadership role in academics in 2016,” said Nebraska State College System Chancellor Paul Turman. “His experience as a faculty member, a dean, and a vice president at Wayne State will translate to success at Black Hills State. We are grateful for his leadership in the state college system and wish him well as he takes on this new role.”
Elliott said that he will begin his duties at Black Hills State prior to the start of Spring 2024 semester classes.
“Though my time at Wayne State is coming to an end, I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to start my career here in Wayne and work alongside outstanding colleagues. I will carry my days as a Wildcat far into the future,” said Elliott. “My service as a faculty member and department chair in the Department of Art and Design, as dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, and as vice president for academic affairs have prepared me for this next chapter in my professional journey. My family and I are grateful for the 20 wonderful years we've had here in Wayne.”