Dr. Charles Nies is set to become the next captain of the University of Minnesota Duluth ship, taking the helm as its tenth chancellor come July 1, his appointment sailing toward the dock of certainty upon the expected nod from the University's Board of Regents this coming May, the University announced. Known for his seasoned leadership and strategic savvy, Nies currently navigates student affairs at the University of California, Merced, his compass there since 2006, where he played skipper in developing student life in the young institution that boasts a Carnegie R2 designation, making it a research juggernaut despite its youth.

Interim President Jeff Ettinger of the University of Minnesota sang Nies's praises, remarking, "Dr. Nies is an experienced, strategic leader who is ready to tackle UMD's challenges and celebrate its success," he will continue to build UMD's great partnerships with the Duluth community, region, and the University of Minnesota System, vouching for a luminous future under his watch according to a statement obtained by the University's official news release.

For Nies, the new role is more than just a career progression, it holds the sentiment of a homecoming as he stated, "I am honored to be able to serve in the role of chancellor at the University of Minnesota Duluth — having grown up in Minnesota, this will be a coming home opportunity," he professed his excitement to immerse himself in the Duluth and University of Minnesota communities, lauding the existing culture of creativity and brilliance among students, faculty, and staff and the ongoing quest for discovery that stamps UMD's mark of excellence, according to the University's announcement.

With over 25 years of academic fieldwork, Nies brings to the table a trove of experience—from his days as an assistant dean in Ohio at Miami University to grooming leadership studies at Washington State University, not to mention his chalkboard days teaching leadership theory, organizational theory, and student development. His academic arsenal includes a doctorate in education administration and leadership as well as a master’s in counseling psychology from Washington State University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, therefore, he’s battle-ready to lead UMD's nearly 10,000-strong student body which navigates through undergraduate waters of 87 degrees and whirlpools of more than 24 graduate programs, as reported by official sources.

Nies will take up the reins from Interim Chancellor David McMillan who’s steering the ship through June, following in the wake of Chancellor Lendley Black who set sail into retirement in summer 2022. The University of Minnesota’s system of campuses across Crookston, Duluth, Morris, Rochester, and the Twin Cities prides itself on a heritage of premier education, pioneering research, and robust community engagement, fully anchored in the mission to serve the state of Minnesota, the institution highlighted. For further information on UMD including its land acknowledgment, the public is encouraged to navigate their browsers to the college's website as detailed by officials.