Westminster University has picked a new captain for its next era. On April 15, the school announced that Dr. Sylvia Torti, PhD, will become its 20th president, stepping in after Bethami Dobkin retires at the end of the current academic year. An ecologist, writer and seasoned higher-education leader, Torti arrives as Westminster works to stabilize enrollment and grow both fundraising and community partnerships.
In a press release via Westminster University, the Board of Trustees said Torti’s blend of academic leadership and program-building makes her “the right leader to take Westminster into the future,” echoing praise from search co-chairs Amy Wadsworth and Danny Giovale. Torti said she was “honored to be selected” and signaled that sharpening how Westminster tells its story to prospective students will be a priority. The announcement, which follows a national search led by trustees and an external search firm, officially names her as the university’s 20th president.
What Torti Brings
Dr. Torti has spent more than a decade steering honors and interdisciplinary programs. She served as dean of the University of Utah Honors College from 2012 through 2023, then moved on to become president of the College of the Atlantic, where she expanded faculty and mentoring programs and boosted honors-degree completion rates. According to the College of the Atlantic, she has published essays and memoirs in literary journals and launched initiatives to support women in science, the arts, and the humanities. Trustees cited that combination of scholarship, program-building and fundraising experience as a strong match for Westminster’s small, cross-disciplinary campus.
Her Priorities
Torti told university leaders she plans to strengthen enrollment and long-term financial health by expanding community partnerships and increasing fundraising, with a particular focus on improving Westminster’s recruitment narrative to better connect with prospective students. As reported by ABC4 Utah, those goals are central to the transition plan approved by the Board of Trustees. The board said her history of mentoring scholarship applicants and building honors programming was a key factor in the final decision.
Transition And Timeline
Bethami Dobkin will remain in office through the end of the current academic year while the university completes the formal handoff, according to Westminster’s presidential-search materials. The board set out to wrap up its national search in the spring and to have a new president in place by July 1, a timeline outlined on Westminster University’s search page. University officials said details on Torti’s installation date and campus transition events will be announced once onboarding plans are finalized.
Why This Matters Locally
Dobkin’s eight-year run included guiding Westminster’s 2023 transition from college to university and spearheading several major fundraising pushes. Local reporting credits her with raising about $70 million and launching new graduate and doctoral programs. KSL notes that the university also used its sesquicentennial to spotlight student outcomes and community partnerships, priorities that now make Torti’s fundraising and recruitment agenda especially urgent. For students, alumni, and donors, her presidency signals a renewed effort to boost Westminster’s profile in Salt Lake City and beyond.
University officials describe Torti’s appointment as the start of a multiyear push to shore up enrollment, deepen partnerships, and strengthen Westminster’s long-term financial footing. More details on her official start date and campus plans are expected from the university in the coming weeks.
