President

President

The University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK) seeks an experienced, visionary leader with an entrepreneurial outlook to serve as its next president. While leading an institution of almost 1,600 students, including a robust population of dual enrollment students, into its next decade of prosperity and distinction, the new president will also provide leadership for higher education in Maine’s beautiful St. John Valley.

Founded as the Madawaska Training School in 1878 with the aim of preparing bilingual teachers to serve the French-speaking people of Northern Aroostook County, the University of Maine at Fort Kent strives to be Maine’s premier rural public university. UMFK’s mission is to nurture and engage a diversity of learners and aspiring professionals in Maine's rural communities and beyond through affordable, technologically enhanced, and professionally focused educational programs.

UMFK fosters an appreciation and stewardship of Northern Maine's pristine natural environment through its environmental studies, forestry, and biology degree programs. The vibrant nursing program is distinguished and highly regarded in the region and state, and the business and behavioral science programs are poised for growth. The University of Maine System’s nation-leading commitment to affordability is highly visible at UMFK. The University of Maine at Fort Kent has earned numerous accolades from organizations such as The Princeton Review, Washington Monthly, and U.S. World News & Report, which identify UMFK as one of the most affordable universities in the nation. 

Reporting to the University of Maine System Chancellor, Dannel Malloy, the president will simultaneously lead the university as its chief executive officer and chief academic officer. Priorities for the next president include leading strong, sustainable, diversified, enrollment growth through successful recruitment, retention, and graduation of lifelong learners; ensuring sustainable budget planning and execution to achieve a vibrant campus vision; fostering the culture of helping others that predominates at UMFK through an open and transparent communication style; strengthening and maintaining strong, mutually beneficial relationships with the Fort Kent and greater Aroostook County communities and local and state civic, community, and business leaders; and, serving as an engaged and  cooperative partner with the presidents of other University of Maine System campuses, University of Maine Presque Isle, in particular, and the Office of the Chancellor.

The next president will possess a leadership style with a clear understanding of the evolving challenges facing public higher education at the state and national levels; a deep commitment to transparency and an approachable and engaging style of communication; an ability to be engaged with and work collaboratively with the community to further enhance the University’s mission of providing students with an academically challenging and intellectually vibrant environment; and an appreciation for the University’s distinctive, rural location in Northern Maine. The full prospectus is available here.

For best consideration, please send all nominations and applications to:

Jim Sirianni, Partner

Ruth Shoemaker Wood, Partner

Mark Halligan, Associate

Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, LP

UMFKPresident@storbecksearch.com

The University of Maine System is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. Please contact the Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 N. Stevens Hall, Orono, ME 04469 at 207-581-1226 (voice), TTY 711 (Maine Relay System), or equal.opportunity@maine.edu with questions or concerns.