Rasmussen College Welcomes Trenda Boyum-Breen, Ph.D. As New Chief Academic Officer

“We are very excited and fortunate to have Dr. Boyum-Breen join the Rasmussen College team. She is a proven leader in higher education and has implemented industry-leading programs and processes on behalf of improving student success,” said Rasmussen College President Kristi Waite. “Her focus on instruction methodologies and student services will positively impact the academic experience we provide our students, and help take our programmatic and degree offerings to the next level.”

Prior to joining Rasmussen College, Dr. Boyum-Breen served as the Vice President of Student Affairs at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minn. In this role, she was responsible for providing the overall vision and leadership to the university’s management offices, all student services and development areas, and student governance. During her tenure at Metropolitan State University, Dr. Boyum-Breen developed and implemented a comprehensive enrollment and retention strategy for the school, launched the university’s first Behavioral Intervention/Threat Assessment Team, and initiated a Higher Education Roundtable with Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton and U.S. Department of Education Under Secretary Martha Kantar. She was integral in establishing a Veterans Center which has become a model throughout the state of Minnesota.

Before joining Metropolitan State University, Dr. Boyum-Breen served as the Director of Academic Support and Chief Affairs Officer at Capella University where she provided leadership and strategic vision to numerous departments. Prior to her tenure at Capella University, she held leadership positions at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, University of the Incarnate Word, and San Antonio College.

“Having a strong visionary leader like Dr. Boyum-Breen join the Rasmussen College family is very exciting, especially as the higher education industry continues to develop and change with new technologies and instructional methodologies,” said Waite. “We look forward to the ideas and direction that she will bring to the College.”

Dr. Boyum-Breen holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s degree from Winona State University, and her undergraduate degree from Concordia College. She is an active board member for SHiFT, a non-profit organization serving career-transitioning adults, and the American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Network.

For more information on Rasmussen College, visit www.Rasmussen.edu.