Your Board of Trustees
We would not be Adams without Alamosa and the San Luis Valley.
Michele Lueck
Michele Lueck, chair of the Adams State Board of Trustees, has two major priorities for a diverse education for ASU students. She says the board fosters an environment to make educational goals within reach for on-campus or online students.
“We want to think about the changing face of employment opportunities for graduates. We want to ensure that our students are learning the skills that will last their entire lifetimes. The current pandemic is teaching us that we can do many professional jobs from anywhere. This can be an enormous opportunity for our graduates and San Luis Valley.”
As well as celebrating the past, Lueck wants to chart the course for the next 100 years and Adams State’s role in the 21st Century. “We are equally committed to offering an accessible education,” she says.
Through her leadership, the board and Adams State’s executive team are committed to keeping tuition as affordable as possible, even radically affordable. “That is our priority as an institution and as a board.”
As president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Health Institute, Lueck is no stranger to keeping organizations fit and able to withstand the tests of time and Adams State is no different.
That’s why she is so looking forward to celebrating the university’s r100th Anniversary next year.
She lauds the school’s rich and vibrant history. “We have esteemed graduates, including a century’s worth of teachers in our state,” she says. “We have fielded great athletic teams and produced great teachers and research. These are all accomplishments that deserve acknowledgement and celebration.”
Along with a commitment to students, Lueck said the board understands the impact the University has on the community and the community’s impact on Adams State. “We would not be Adams without Alamosa and the San Luis Valley. The reverse is also true. We need each other and in large part, we help define each other.”
Adams State takes its role as large employer in the valley seriously. Next year’s budget prioritized preserving the roles and jobs of people currently employed at ASU. “We know the businesses on Main Street miss our students, staff and faculty. Bringing on-campus students back this fall is important to all of us.”
Lueck believes Adams State has the ability to thrive in the coming decades. “ASU has tremendous strengths and we must rely on those to be resilient and innovative. The faculty is deeply engaged with students; our students are committed to reaching their goals; President Cheryl D. Lovell’s leadership is both pragmatic and passionate; our community wants Adams to thrive. The people here will make that difference.”
Lueck lives in Englewood, Colo. She received her master’s degree from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University. She was first appointed to the Adams State BOT in 2016 and her term expires in 2023.
“I see a promising future for Adams. My goal is to steward this university to a vibrant, thriving future that honors its past and takes pride in its community.”
