President

St. Bonaventure University seeks a visionary, inclusive and community-oriented leader to serve as its 22nd president to build on the university’s considerable momentum and to guide the institution to realizing its vision of becoming more broadly recognized as the nation’s top comprehensive Franciscan university. 

The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. The university’s full range of programs are offered through its schools of Arts & Sciences, Business, Communication, Education and Health Professions. St. Bonaventure's 1,830 undergraduate students and 700 graduate students benefit from a rich and active residential living environment, service programs, enriching co-curricular and spiritual activities and 17 NCAA Division I sports in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Located 75 miles south of Buffalo near Olean, New York, St. Bonaventure’s picturesque campus is nestled in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. The university's president plays a significant leadership role in the economic and cultural development in the region. St. Bonaventure enjoys the passionate engagement and advocacy of its more than 31,000 alumni.  

The president will be committed to advancing the university consistent with its Franciscan mission and values and will encourage further innovation in the university’s academic portfolio. The president must build upon the current, positive enrollment trajectory and complete the university’s comprehensive campaign. The successful candidate will drive efforts to make the university a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community.

To accomplish these ends, St. Bonaventure University's next president will have a demonstrated history of serving as a successful and experienced leader of people and programs with the skill to nurture and shape institutional culture. Building on a deep understanding of the current circumstances of higher education and anticipating future trends impacting enrollments, in particular, the president will be an active, enthusiastic and transparent communicator and collaborator who is dedicated to inclusive, data-informed decision-making and the tenets of shared governance. The president will resonate deeply and have demonstrated a personal and professional life consistent with the university's Franciscan values of community, compassion, wisdom and integrity. An earned terminal degree is required, as is at least a decade of progressively responsible managerial and leadership experience in one or more similarly complex environments, preferably in higher education. Strong fiscal and budgetary skills and a keen sense of the business of higher education are required. The president must have the necessary skill set and authentic enthusiasm to be a successful fundraiser, builder of community and creator of strategic partnerships.

WittKieffer is assisting St. Bonaventure University in this search. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by September 13, 2021. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Dennis Barden, Suzanne Teer and Alejandra Gillette-Teran, at SBUPresident@wittkieffer.com.

St. Bonaventure is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity educational institution. It is guided by the principle that equal opportunity means more than equal employment opportunity, and that access to facilities and services shall be available to all people regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression. This principle is applicable to every member of the St. Bonaventure community, both students and employed personnel at every level, and to all facilities and services.