Director of the Fashion School

Director of the Fashion School 

Kent State University

The Fashion School at Kent State University invites nominations and applications for a forward-thinking, collaborative, experienced leader to build upon significant success with its diverse, award-winning faculty and achieve new levels of growth for a school that has demonstrated excellence in the disciplines of fashion design and fashion merchandising. Consistently ranked as one of the best programs in the U.S. and worldwide, the Fashion School is highly visible as a flagship school of the University. The Director of the Fashion School (Peg’s Foundation Endowed Leadership Chair) is responsible for the strategic leadership, successful oversight, management, and effective engagement with the College of the Arts, the University, and the fashion community regionally, nationally, and internationally. The Director reports to the Dean of the College of the Arts at Kent State University.

The Fashion School, a major unit of the College of the Arts, provides a comprehensive education with global, immersive industry internships to approximately 1,800 students, of which one-third are in Fashion Design and two-thirds are in Fashion Merchandising. It offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Fashion Design, the Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising, and a groundbreaking Master of Fashion Industry Studies. All undergraduate students are required to participate in an in-depth study-away experience prior to graduation. Kent State University’s study-away opportunities include the New York City Studio, a 4,500-square-foot facility located in the heart of the garment district, and the Florence Fashion program, located in the University’s renovated Palazzo dei Cerchi. Additional study-away experiences are offered in collaboration with universities worldwide. https://www.kent.edu/fashion

Kent State University is a residential, comprehensive research university with a national and international reputation for excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. Founded in 1910, today the University enrolls more than 38,000 students from 104 countries in its eight-campus system with 28,000+ on its 950-acre Kent campus, https://www.kent.edu/about. The College of the Arts, one of 11 colleges at Kent State, is a recognized leader in the visual, performing, and design arts with nearly 2850 majors across four schools: the School of Art, The Fashion School, the School of Music, and the School of Theatre and Dance. In addition, the Kent State University Museum, which houses one of the largest historic and contemporary fashion and textile collections in the country, is an integral part of the College. https://www.kent.edu/artscollege 

Key qualifications and experience include: a terminal degree in one of the disciplines of the Fashion School or in a related field; administrative experience; relevant industry experience; a record of research and/or creative scholarship; demonstrated leadership including insight about the future directions of the field and an academic vision for the School; exceptional interpersonal and management skills; evidence of successful donor cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising; evidence of a broad perspective and knowledge of both fashion design and merchandising education, research, and connection to industry; and dedication to the promotion of diverse and inclusive environments. Qualifications should be commensurate to be appointed at the rank of full professor within the School.

A complete leadership profile with application requirements may be found at: https://www.agbsearch.com/searches/director-of-the-fashion-school-kent-state-university. Applications should be received by March 4, 2019, although nominations and expressions of interest may be considered until the position is filled. Nominations and application materials should be submitted electronically to: KSUFashionDirector@agbsearch.com.

Assisting the search will be Ellen L. Meyer, Executive Search Consultant, AGB Search, ellen.meyer@agbsearch.com, 404.808.2903. Prospective candidates are welcome to contact Ms. Meyer by email to discuss this opportunity.

Kent State University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.