President

East Stroudsburg University–a student-centered, innovative, and inclusive public institution within Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education–seeks an innovative and collaborative leader who is committed to student equity and success, academic excellence, and resource development to join the University as its next President. The University welcomes applications from inspirational and experienced leaders committed to public education looking to join a community where individual passions fuel a collective purpose.

The Position: The next President of East Stroudsburg University will begin their tenure at an exciting time in the life of the institution. The President will have an unparalleled opportunity to provide leadership for a University that has weathered the challenges of recent years and is ready for increased innovation and a fresh vision. The President will be able to make distinctive and lasting contributions to the University and create an enduring legacy that benefits rising generations of students, faculty, and staff. Serving as chief executive of the University, the President reports to the Board of Governors of the State System through the Chancellor. The President leads a team consisting of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence, Vice President for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information and Technology Officer, and Chief of Staff & Government Relations. The President serves as an engaged member of the external community and actively enriches partnerships and engages resources in support of ESU’s mission and values. As a member of PASSHE, East Stroudsburg University is involved in the innovation of public higher education in Pennsylvania.

Qualifications: The ideal candidate for the Presidency at East Stroudsburg University will be a student-focused, experienced leader with demonstrated success in strategic planning and progressive administrative experience, including management of personnel resources, financial management, and program evaluation in a complex organization. The successful candidate will be committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion resulting in strong and positive relationships with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. The next president will be mission-driven and a skilled advocate for the institution who serves as a role model with superior integrity, honesty, resilience, and strong work ethic. Successful candidates will be experienced in and/or demonstrate knowledge of academic affairs, effective enrollment and retention strategies, strategic financial modeling, institutional advancement, successful internal and external communication, as well as shared governance and collective bargaining environments. The next president must have passion for public higher education and an understanding of state systems, including both their opportunities and challenges. A commitment to transparency, broad collaboration, collegiality, and communication are essential, in order to foster an environment of trust, engagement, and high morale among faculty, students, staff, and the University community. ESU seeks a bold leader with personal humility who is visible, approachable, and accessible with an appreciation for student educational and extracurricular experiences. An earned terminal degree or equivalent experience is preferred.

The Institution: One of the 14 members of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), East Stroudsburg University, founded in 1893, offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, 21 graduate degree programs, and two doctoral degree programs to over 5,600 students, and is poised for continued strategic progress. ESU offers the richness of programs, ambition, and the friendliness of a small college with the amenities and opportunities of a large university. The University has 57 buildings located on 258 acres in the East Stroudsburg Borough and in Smithfield Township which include academic facilities, a 1,000-seat dining hall, a student center, a recreation center, and eight residence halls housing over 2,500 students. ESU hosts over 100 student organizations and 19 club sports. The institution’s 550 student athletes compete in 22 NCAA DII sports teams as well as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). The University Student Activity Association, Inc., owns Stony Acres, a 119-acre off-campus student recreation area near Marshalls Creek, that includes a lodge and a small lake. The ESU Lehigh Valley Center, located in Bethlehem, PA, offers degree completion programs and an Accelerated Graduate Degree Program in Athletic Training. Also, as part of the University’s continued efforts to provide an innovative and entrepreneurial learning environment for students and the community, the East Stroudsburg University Innovation Center, a 51,000 square foot innovative hub for business development and community engagement, is the home to the Economic Development & Entrepreneurship division, Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute, the Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab, Office of Sponsored Projects and Research, Business Accelerator, a Co-Working Space, the Entrepreneurial Leadership Center, ESU Professional Testing Center, Computer Labs, Conference Facilities, and the Sterling Strauser Gallery. For more information about ESU, please visit www.esu.edu.

Location: Located in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, East Stroudsburg offers convenient access to New York City, Philadelphia, and the Lehigh Valley. Just minutes from campus are the scenic Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area, Appalachian Trail, large indoor water parks, and many opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation. As a destination for relaxation and vacations, the area offers a wide variety of dining, entertainment, and cultural options.

Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume to RPA Inc. at ESUpresident@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please contact Kira Heath, Search Manager, Kendra Mozug, Search Consultant, or Dana John Cohick, President, at the email address listed above. The review of candidates will begin on July 22, 2022, and first-round interviews will commence thereafter.

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and actively solicits applications from women and minority candidates, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran’s status, genetic information or disability in employment or the provision of services.