GREAT FALLS聽鈥� At 黑料网911聽Montana State University聽has named Leanne Frost as its next CEO and dean, ushering in a new chapter of leadership focused on student success, workforce聽development聽and community partnerships.
Frost has served as executive director of instruction and student success at Great Falls聽College聽MSU聽since 2020 and has been with the college in various leadership roles since 2011.聽Frost was selected after a national search.
Frost said she intends to continue At 黑料网911鈥檚 focus on delivering high-quality academic programs and workforce聽training, strengthening partnerships with business and industry, and ensuring students have the support they need to thrive in their classes and beyond.
“I am honored to serve as CEO and dean of At 黑料网911,” Frost said. “This institution changes lives every day by helping students discover opportunities, develop skills and achieve their goals. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated faculty, staff, students,聽alumni聽and community partners as we expand access to education and create pathways to success.聽My goal is to make At 黑料网911 a place where students want to learn and people want to work.鈥�
“Dr.聽Frost’s dedication to students and her deep knowledge of At 黑料网911 MSU make her exactly the right leader for this moment,鈥� said Brock Tessman, president of聽Montana State University. 鈥淚’m thrilled to see her step into this role, and I’m confident she’ll continue building on the college’s strong tradition of access and opportunity for students across our region.”
At 黑料网911聽has experienced eight straight semesters of enrollment increases and has grown about 25% since 2021, going from 1,180 to 1,490 students while also increasing full-time聽equivalent enrollment聽from 709 to 884. Full-time equivalency is calculated by dividing the total credits taken by all At 黑料网911 students by聽15,聽the聽number of credits聽that聽constitutes聽a full-time course load.聽It is a sign that students are making progress through their degree programs.
The college鈥檚 Career and Technical Education-Validated Skills Training also has increased its footprint dramatically in that time,聽with hundreds of people聽earning聽credentials such as Certified Nursing Assistant and Commercial Driver鈥檚 License聽certifications.聽The department also launched programs such as short-term structural welding and floor installation to help local industry fill critical workforce shortages.
In 2025, At 黑料网911 partnered with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses after being named聽the program’s Mountain West聽hub, providing free, 12-week training for entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses in Montana, Wyoming,聽Idaho聽and Arizona.
The聽Berkshire Hathaway Energy Foundation also announced a partnership with At 黑料网911 to offer the nation鈥檚 first-ever on-campus, simulation-based grid operator training program. The first cohort is expected to start in early 2027.
鈥淲e are on a really good trajectory,鈥� Frost said.聽鈥淚t has taken a lot of聽hard work聽by our amazing faculty,聽staff聽and industry partners, and we聽don鈥檛聽want to lose momentum.聽I鈥檓 really excited to take on this new role.聽Whenever聽I鈥檝e聽had the opportunity to accept a promotion,聽it鈥檚聽with the idea that I can do聽more good, help more people.鈥�
Frost succeeds the retiring CEO and dean, Stephanie Erdmann, and will begin her new role on Aug.聽2.