Michelle Bligh Brings Depth of Experience at CGU to New Role as Interim President

Provost Michelle Bligh, who arrived at CGU as an assistant professor of organizational behavior in 2002, has taught at, worked at, or been a student at all seven of the Claremont Colleges. During that time, she has worked under nine presidents.

Now she is about to become one.

At its meeting in January, the CGU Board of Trustees unanimously approved Bligh to serve as interim president, starting March 1. She succeeds Tim Kirley, who has served in the same capacity since last June. Bligh says she is honored and grateful for the Board’s trust in her, especially during an important juncture in the university’s history: CGU is in the midst of identifying partnerships to ensure its future while also celebrating its Centennial.

“I was honored and grateful — honestly overwhelmed by the Board’s confidence and support,” she says. “And as a member of our CGU community, I want to thank Tim Kirley for his tireless service to university, both as Board member for 10 years and for his indispensable work as interim president. He took the reins at a really pivotal moment and in a very short time gained the trust and confidence of the campus community. He really conveyed that CGU is a wonderful place to work.”

Bligh said she plans to continue Kirley’s open-door policy and looks forward to welcoming members of the campus community to the President’s Home.

“We’re going to work together to overcome challenges,” she says. “I’ve experienced a lot of great things and some not-so-great things in my 20-plus years at CGU. That experience, and my knowledge of the deep pool of intellectual capital here, give me confidence that despite the current uncertainty, our future is bright.”

Her list of priorities includes continuing to advance new partnerships that will help secure CGU’s financial sustainability. “We hope to reach that stage this year,” she says, noting that Tyton Partners, which is collaborating with the university in the endeavor, is moving closer to identifying solid prospects.

Bligh, an alum of Pomona College, also looks forward to collaborating with the other Claremont Colleges in new and mutually beneficial ways.

“I bring a deep respect and love for the consortium. And as we celebrate our Centennial and the 100 years of the consortium, I’m very excited to be able to reimagine what the possibilities could be for the next 100 years. I believe that the consortium needs and must have graduate education as a core strength. It’s a vital part not only of its history but of its future.”