President

The Lebanon Valley College (LVC) Board of Trustees invites nominations and expressions of interest for the position of president. LVC’s next president, the 19th in a 153-year history, will join a dynamic institution in charting the course for a new era of success and achievement in student-focused education. The next president will succeed Dr. Lewis Evitts Thayne who will retire in June 2020.

Founded in 1866, Lebanon Valley College is a private coeducational institution dedicated to providing a transformative education. Located on 370 acres, in the town of Annville, near Hershey and Harrisburg, in central Pennsylvania, the institution is home to nearly 1,950 students and 123 full-time faculty. The College offers a diverse array of undergraduate and graduate programs delivering a transformative educational experience built on the liberal arts tradition. LVC graduates are empowered to pursue a life of learning, citizenship, and success. More information about the institution can be found at www.lvc.edu.  

Over the last decade, LVC has positioned itself to succeed in a competitive environment by investing in its strengths and academic excellence. Its talented faculty, senior leadership, and staff are engaged and excited about the future and working collaboratively to strengthen curriculum and pedagogy to embrace the needs of current and future generations. The campus is in the midst of completing its latest Strategic Plan, Envision 2020. Envision 2020 both launched and revamped more than a dozen academic programs, revised LVC’s core curriculum, and resulted in new capital projects. A companion to Envision 2020, the One Campus master plan, guides the College’s physical growth to enhance student learning and development. The anchor to One Campus is the Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion, a 53,000 square-foot academic facility that houses the College’s growing athletic training, exercise science, and six-year doctor of physical therapy programs. LVC surpassed the $10 million challenge gift set by Edward and Jeanne Arnold to support the pavilion’s construction. For the second consecutive year, Zippia Career Listings ranks LVC as #1 in Pennsylvania for “The Best College in Each State for Getting a Job 2019.” Other notable accomplishments include the debut of innovative academic programs and three successive years of first-year enrollment growth in one of the most crowded and competitive markets in the country. A strong commitment to student success has yielded results in the form of prestigious awards to LVC students. In the last four years, 10 students have been named Fulbright Finalists, positioning the College as a Top Fulbright Producer. Two faculty members also received Fulbright Grants in the past two years.

This is an ideal moment for a talented, energetic, student-centered, and dynamic leader to join LVC as it builds on an exciting history of growth, evolution, and innovation. LVC is in well positioned to address the forces and threats that are facing private, liberal-arts focused institutions. A visionary leader has the opportunity to make a significant impact by capitalizing on LVC's current strengths and identifying new initiatives and in doing so will secure the College's strong position and future.  The next ten years will be as critically formative and equally transformational as the last decade. The president will have the opportunity to engage the community in developing a vision forward, designing and implementing a new strategic plan, and ensuring a vibrant future for the College.

Chief among the responsibilities of the new president will be to cultivate strong partnerships with external constituents. The president will serve as the College’s ambassador and principal fundraiser, representing the institution, its students, alumni and faculty, in the local community and greater region. They will be expected to develop and implement new sustainable revenue streams with a deep understanding and knowledge of budget management. Although LVC has increased its student population, a continued focus on enrollment and efficiently delivering programs, specifically expanding graduate education, online offerings and opportunities for adult learners, will be critical to achieving financial goals and success. Differentiating the campus among its peers and regional institutions through story-telling and branding as well as the development of innovative academic programming will be instrumental to attract and retain students. The president should also prioritize the cultivation and development of relationships with faculty, staff, and students while operating with transparency and collaboration. An advanced degree is required; a terminal degree is preferred.

Nominations and expressions of interest are welcome and should be sent electronically to the WittKieffer consultants assisting LVC with this search, Ann Yates and Jessica Herrington, at LVCPresident@wittkieffer.com. All inquiries will be treated in confidence. Candidates should provide a curriculum vitae and a letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and requirements described in the Leadership Profile, available at www.wittkieffer.com. Credential review will begin immediately. Applications should be submitted by November 11, 2019, for fullest consideration.

Lebanon Valley College has a commitment to excellence through its employment practices and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world.

Lebanon Valley College is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions, including all hiring decisions, are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion/creed, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or possession of a GED Certificate in lieu of a high school diploma, or any trait protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and/or College policy. The College strives to hire the most qualified individuals.