President

Search for the President of Lawrence University  

Lawrence University, a nationally recognized liberal arts college and conservatory of music, welcomes nominations and applications for its next President. The President will inherit a distinctive and ambitious university, striving to be an even more equity-minded, innovative institution as it continues to prepare the future leaders of the world. Lawrence is a community on the move. Over the last decade the university has launched a number of curricular initiatives, rethought its co-curricular offerings, and renewed its physical and technological infrastructure. With significant momentum, Lawrence is now at a crossroads. The university is looking for a leader who can sustain this momentum even as it navigates the short and long-term impacts of the pandemic and the changing nature of higher education. The Lawrence community seeks candidates who will help fulfill the university’s commitment to becoming an antiracist institution and harness this momentum in an effort to deepen the learning and opportunities the university offers.

The next president of Lawrence University will assume leadership of a dynamic institution that under President Mark Burstein’s tenure has moved ahead aggressively in the areas of financial stewardship, academic rigor, and inclusive excellence. The successful candidate must build on this strong foundation and secure Lawrence’s status as one of the nation’s leading liberal arts universities by moving Lawrence to an even stronger financial position; by continuing to adapt curricular and co-curricular programs for 21st-century students; by fostering an even greater level of engagement in becoming an inclusive antiracist institution; and by stewarding a mutually supportive community.

A search committee composed of board members, faculty, staff, and students and led by Vice Chair of the Board Cory Nettles and Secretary of the Board Sarah Schott, has been formed to lead the search. The national executive search firm Isaacson, Miller has been retained to assist the search committee. All inquiries, applications, and nominations for this opportunity should be directed to the search firm electronically at: http://www.imsearch.com/7716

Ponneh Varho, Partner

Natalie Leonhard, Partner

Claire Hennessey, Senior Associate

Additional information about the search process, committee, and timeline can be found at https://www.lawrence.edu/admissions/about/trustees/presidential-search.

Lawrence is committed to enhancing the diversity of its faculty and staff and the viewpoints and approaches that a diverse community represents. We strongly encourage candidates who can contribute to diversity at Lawrence to apply.