SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State President Robert S. Nelsen announced his retirement Wednesday.
ABC10 asked Nelsen what lessons he's learned from his time at Sacramento State that he will carry over to the next chapter in his life.
"That diversity is not enough. That caring is more important than anything. This is a university with a huge heart. A huge heart. I cry all the time and I cry because this is the right place. I do believe, that Sac State is number one. Stingers up," Nelsen said.
He will retire effective July 1, 2023. Nelsen, 70, started at Sacramento State in July 2015. He is Sac State’s eighth president and led the university for the past seven years. The university will do a nationwide search to find Nelsen’s replacement.
“Sac State’s student body is larger and more dynamically diverse than ever before,” said CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester in a statement. “Most important, the University has made extraordinary progress in helping that talented and diverse group of students reach their academic goals.”
During his time as president, the university has seen a 187% increase in the number of students who graduate within four years, according to a news release.
“It is time for Jody and me to move on so that the University can continue to move forward. All good things must come to an end. The future is bright, and I know that Sacramento State will continue to be on the rise," Nelsen said in a statement.
Nelsen received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Brigham Young University and his doctorate from the University of Chicago's Committee on Social Thought.
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