BSM Welcomes New Interim President

New+Interim+President+Meghan+DesLauriers.

Brook Wenande

New Interim President Meghan DesLauriers.

Last year, Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut announced he would not be returning as president this fall. BSM’s board compiled a search committee and hired an outside firm but was unable to decide on a permanent replacement before this school year. Meghan DesLauriers, a BSM alum and former member of the board, stepped in as interim president.

DesLauriers graduated from BSM in 1999, and her positive experience as a student was one of the main reasons she decided to take the position. “I loved [my experience]. I was one of those students involved in everything. I did soccer, basketball, and track. I was on student council [and a part of the] National Honor Society…And I had really wonderful friends that I’m still friends with today from high school,” DesLauriers said.

As well as being an alum, DesLauriers served on BSM’s board of directors for six years, and she has remained active in BSM social groups. In her role as president, she hopes to deepen her connection to the community. She’s already attended a few sporting events and met students. “I got to this girl’s soccer game last night, and I got to a cross country meet which was so fun. Starting to see the activities and the true well rounded students walking around…is amazing,” DesLauriers said.

The fact that everybody’s aligned on this one common mission is really inspiring and not something you necessarily get in the corporate world or in other areas.

— Meghan DesLauriers

As well as experience with BSM, DesLauriers has a strong educational background. “I went to Boston College; I was an English major. Then I spent two years working out in Boston and then went to Northwestern in Chicago for law school. So I was in Chicago for three years at Northwestern, and then came back to the Twin Cities and was at a law firm called Dorsey and Whitney…for twelve years,” DesLauriers said.

DesLauriers never planned on working in education, but she wanted to serve the BSM community. “I’m not trained in this area, but I was certainly intrigued because it’s a community I love, and I felt like it was a call to service and a call to support the faculty and staff and students that I know,” DesLauriers said.

So far, she’s enjoyed her work as president. “The fact that everybody’s aligned on this one common mission is really inspiring and not something you necessarily get in the corporate world or in other areas. So that’s been energizing for me seeing all the students,” DesLauriers said.

Outside of her work as president, DesLauriers spends much of her time with family. She and her husband Mike (also a BSM alum) have two children and other family members in the area.

DesLauriers agreed to stay on as interim president for the year or until the search committee finds a replacement. Although it wasn’t her original goal, DesLauriers has not ruled out staying in the position long term. “I would say I am considering whether I would stay longer. Yep. But at this point, I think the board is moving forward continuing to look for a permanent replacement,” DesLauriers said.