Utah Valley University President Matthew Holland is leaving the university after nine years to serve as a mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he announced Monday morning.

“Given what I believe, my faith and commitment to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are absolutely central for me,” Holland said. “I’ve spent my whole adult life always being ready to move and support the church the best that I can.”

He will serve as the university’s president through early June and will become a mission president in July.

Holland will preside over an English-speaking mission in a location that will be announced later this year. He does not know where he’ll be assigned.

LDS mission presidents oversee all the missionaries in their assigned area. The mission presidents will train about 170 missionaries at a time and about 600 over three years.

Matthew Holland, the school’s sixth president, has overseen the university during its recent period of rapid growth, propelling it to be the largest university in Utah. Previously an associate professor of political science at Brigham Young University, he has has also served as a chief of staff for the top executive of Monitor Group and as the special assistant to former Gov. Michael Leavitt. He recently spent his summer as a senior associate at Pembroke College, a part of the University of Oxford, in the United Kingdom.

During his time as president, he’s worked with the legislature to secure state funding for a new arts building and has seen the construction of multiple buildings, including the Classroom Building, a student life and wellness center, science building, autism building, library and others. Under his leadership, the university has also added dozens of new certificates and multiple associate’s, master’s and bachelor’s degrees to its offering.

The Utah System of Higher Education Board of Regents will perform a national search for a new president, who will be named by June.

“Matt Holland’s vision for engaged learning and student success has propelled UVU into the national and international spotlight,” Elaine Dalton, chair of the UVU Board of Trustees, said in a press release. “His ability to work with people in a cooperative and synergistic way has garnered immense community support and trust. As a board of trustees, we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to President Holland for his leadership that has helped all of us see and work for UVU’s true potential.”

Holland said the assignment was unexpected, but that his family is thrilled for the opportunity.

He said he will miss UVU’s students and his colleagues.

“I love the students,” Holland said. “They are the greatest students on the face of the planet.”

He would like to see UVU’s next president continue UVU’s mission, whether they come from inside UVU or not.

“I think we have to be absolutely open to an internal candidate and an external candidate,” Holland said.

He said UVU has a lot of great individuals and expects the job to be a nationally attractive position.

Earlier this year, Holland assured the UVU community during his annual State of the University address that he wasn’t leaving in the near future. There have been continuous rumors he would leave the university to run for political office, rumors that peaked this summer with the departure of Congressman Jason Chaffetz.

“I know there has been talk in the community of this job or that job,” Holland said. “It was frankly talk in the community. That wasn’t coming from Matt and Paige Holland.”

He said the plan was to stay at UVU for the next few years, but he recognizes the nine years he’s been there.

“In no way do I think this is a premature departure,” Holland said. “If anything, I have stayed longer than the national average for a university president.”

The church assignment will last three years. After that, Holland suspects he won’t return to the university in an official role.

Holland has previously served a two-year LDS mission in Scotland, has been a bishop, taught gospel doctrine and currently serves with the youth in his LDS congregation. He calls his own mission presidents two of his greatest heroes.

Holland and his wife, Paige, will be moving to where they are called with two of their children.

“This is a time of great adventure for the Hollands and fortunately I have adventurous children,” he said.

Holland’s plans for the remainder of his time at UVU include pushing for legislative funding for university projects, such as a new business building, finishing major fundraising projects and completing other initiatives.

“Anyone who knows me knows you’ll have to drag me out the door the last day I’m here,” Holland said. “I’m in the saddle from dawn until dusk and beyond.”

He’s proud of what’s happened at UVU over the last nine years, which has included doubling the university’s endowment and managing growth.

Matthew Holland is the son of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church.