Robert Winton Mendenhall (born November 18, 1954) is an American educational technologist best known as the president from 1999 to 2016 of Western Governors University (WGU), a private, non-profit, online university offering competency-based degree programs.
Early Life and Education
Mendenhall is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a young man, he served a two-year mission in the Mexico Veracruz mission. He earned a bachelor's degree in university studies and a doctorate in instructional psychology and technology from Brigham Young University.
Career
Mendenhall has over 35 years of experience delivering technology-based education. From 1980 to 1992, he was a founder, president, and CEO (from 1987) of Wicat Systems, Inc., a publicly traded company that provided computer-based curriculum, instructional management, and testing to schools, as well as technology-based training to government and industry. He later served as executive vice president for Jostens Learning Corporation and as general manager of IBM's K-12 education division.
Presidency of Western Governors University (1999–2016)
Mendenhall became president of WGU in 1999, the same year the university enrolled its first students. WGU was founded in 1997 by 19 western state governors through the Western Governors Association with the mission to improve quality and expand access to post-secondary educational opportunities. Under Mendenhall's leadership, WGU grew to a national university with more than 84,000 students and 91,100 graduates.
In April 2016, Mendenhall stepped down as president and became WGU's first President Emeritus. Scott D. Pulsipher succeeded him.
Public Service and Policy Work
Mendenhall served on the Commission on the Future of Higher Education at the request of U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. In 2006, the commission issued a report titled "A Test for Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education." On December 5, 2011, he was among several university presidents invited to the White House by President Obama to discuss college costs and improving education. In 2012, he testified to the United States Senate Higher Education Committee regarding innovations in college affordability.
Awards and Recognition
- 2010: Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education
- 2010: Utah Business Magazine CEO of the Year
- 2010: U.S. Distance Learning Association (USDLA) Award for Outstanding Leadership
- 2011: Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Utah regional, Technology and Education category)
- 2012: Virginia B. Smith Innovative Leadership Award
- 2016: Champions of E-Learning Award – Heavy Lifter Award from Presidents' Forum
- 2017: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Western Governors University
Personal Life
Mendenhall is married to Kathleen White, and they have seven children and 25 grandchildren. He has served in multiple leadership roles within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including as bishop and stake president.
