President

Young Harris College (YHC) invites nominations, expressions of interest and applications for a dynamic and strategic leader to serve as its next president.

Founded in 1886, Young Harris College is a small, private liberal arts institution perched in the rolling mountains of Northeast Georgia. Since its inception, YHC has been historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church and has offered personalized, transformational educational opportunities for its students, launching them into successful graduate programs and careers. As the largest employer in the region, YHC impacts not only its faculty, staff and students, but also the surrounding community. While located in a small mountain town, the campus is ideally situated between the Chattahoochee, Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests, and is a scenic two-hour drive from Atlanta, Georgia, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Asheville, North Carolina, and only one hour from Gainesville, Georgia.

In the last ten years, the college has seen unprecedented growth as it has transitioned from a two-year institution to a four-year liberal arts college. During this timeframe, YHC has doubled the number of faculty and students, added new academic programs and invested over $100 million in new state-of-the-art facilities. As the school has grown in numbers, it has maintained its close-knit community feel, warm and inclusive environment, and commitment to student success.

The president reports directly to a strong, highly engaged and committed Board of Trustees. While the institution has seen tremendous expansion in the last several years, the incoming president will have the opportunity to shape the school in its next phase of growth and development, leading the campus to improved student quality, innovative market-based programming and an increase in philanthropic support. The next five to ten years will be critically formative and equally transformational as the last decade. The president will have the opportunity to define and distinguish YHC’s unique identity from its competition, raise the institution’s academic profile and position the school for future success.

Chief among the responsibilities of the new president will be to cultivate strong partnerships with external constituents. The president will serve as the university’s ambassador and principal fundraiser, representing the institution in the local community and greater Atlanta region. She or he will be expected to develop and implement new fiscal and sustainable revenue streams with a deep understanding and knowledge of budget management. Although the college has significantly increased its student population, a continued focus on enrollment and efficiently delivering programs will be critical to achieving financial goals and success. Differentiating the campus among its peers and regional institutions through the development of innovative and more practical academic programming will be instrumental to attract and retain students. The president should also prioritize the cultivation and development of faculty, staff and administration while operating with transparency and collaboration. The successful candidate will be student-centric and mission-oriented, possess a commitment to four-year liberal arts education, and have experience managing a comprehensive athletics program, particularly at the NCAA Division II level. The incoming president should be visionary, entrepreneurial, high energy and accessible with significant leadership experience in an academic setting. A master’s degree is required with a terminal degree preferred.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited. For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be received by Monday, August 14. Candidates should provide a curriculum vitae, a letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the leadership profile, and the names and contact information of five references. Candidate confidentiality will be respected and references will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of candidates. Inquiries and application materials should be sent via email to the search consultants, Zachary A. Smith, Ph.D. and Sophie Stava of Witt/Kieffer, at YHCPresident@wittkieffer.com. Questions may also be directed to the consultants through the office of Eden Stroud at 630-575-6154.

The Young Harris College values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity for all persons regardless of age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other status protected by law.