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Dr. John Jasinski was the 10th president of Northwest, leading it during an era when the University enjoyed peer-leading metrics across measures such as retention, graduation, placement, student satisfaction, student engagement and composite financial index as part of myriad performance excellence.
According to a report released by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development in January 2021, Northwest was the most efficient among state universities for state appropriations per degree and certificate granted. Further, Northwest received the second-lowest level of funding per full-time equivalent, all while experiencing enrollment increases and the aforementioned peer-leading metrics. Northwest achieved record overall enrollment in fall 2021, which marked a fourth consecutive year of growth for the University, as well as record graduate student enrollment in spring 2021.
Northwest was one of five institutions nationally selected to join the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ (AASCU) pilot cohort focused on student success strategies, a grant-funded program through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The University also conducted extensive work to create an equitable Northwest.
Forever Green, the campaign for Northwest was completed successfully by raising more than $55 million to exceed its $45 million goal. Additionally, Northwest’s economic impact was measured to provide $617.5 million of added regional income.
Dr. J, as he was known on campus, began his Northwest presidency in 2009. He returned to the University after serving it from 1986 to 2001 as a faculty member, department chair and associate provost and receiving awards such as the University Service Award and National Broadcast Adviser of the Year.
He served Northwood University in Michigan from 2007 to 2009 as executive vice president and chief academic and operating officer. From 2001 to 2009, he provided consulting and training on leadership, organizational assessment and process improvement issues for a variety of organizations, including two- and four-year public and private colleges and universities, public K-12 education systems, health care, non-profit and business organizations.
In addition to his work at Northwest, Jasinski was active with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association, as a member of its Board of Directors, Committee on Student Success, and a leadership mentor for two individuals in its Millennium Leadership Initiative and Executive Leadership Academy. He was a member of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program’s Board of Overseers and had held numerous roles with the Baldrige program since 1994. He also was active with the Council on Public Higher Education (COPHE) CEO Council, which comprises presidents and chancellors of the Missouri’s public higher education institutions, as chair (2013-2015 and 2019-2020) and co-chair (2011–2013 and 2018-2019)
Born and raised in Flint, Michigan, Jasinski completed 11 marathons, flew with the Blue Angels, participated in the U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint Civilian Orientation Conference and was named a 2019 Icon of Education by Ingram’s business magazine. He held a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as well as master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Central Michigan University. His family comprised his wife, Denise, their four children – Matt, Joe, Leah and Lucas – and the family’s dogs, Ruby and Daisy.
