New president chosen for BYU-Idaho

The LDS church has named a new president for Brigham Young University-Idaho.

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made the announcement Tuesday at BYU-Idaho’s weekly devotional.

Clark Gilbert will take the post April 13. He replaces Kim B. Clark, who has led the university since 2005.

Nelson said the current president has “earned the trust, support, respect, and love of the faculty, staff, administrators, and students of this great university. Truly, in him, we have seen an eloquent example of an effective leader and servant.”

Gilbert is currently the CEO of the church-owned Deseret News and Deseret Digital Media and an executive vice president of Deseret Management Corporation, the church said in a news release.

Gilbert previously served as the associate academic vice president of academic development at BYU-Idaho. Before he came to BYU-Idaho, he was on the faculty of Harvard Business School.

He has a doctorate in business administration from Harvard, a master’s degree from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, the church said.

He is married to Christine Calder Gilbert and has eight children.

Watch the video above to hear reactions from BYU-Idaho students to the change in leadership.