Presidential search yields large pool of qualified applicants
MIAMI GARDENS, FL [MARCH 5, 2010] – Eighty applicants vying for the position of president at Florida Memorial University might learn of their standing in the national search sooner than expected. "The Presidential Search Committee plans to narrow down the list of candidates within the next thirty days," confirmed local attorney JoLinda Herring, Esq., chair of the Search Committee and member of the Florida Memorial University Board of Trustees. "All of the applicants have excellent reputations and are leaders in the academic community," she continued.
In December 2009, the Board of Trustees charged executive search firm Ayers & Associates with the task of compiling a list of potential candidates. From this list, a Board of Trustees-appointed Search Committee, consisting of a cross-section of the University's constituencies and the community, will select the top prospects for on-campus visits with the Board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
Charles W. George, chairman of the Florida Memorial University Board of Trustees, was pleasantly surprised to discover the amount of applicants yielded during the search process. "The pool of prospective candidates is actually triple the size that I anticipated," stated Mr. George. "Receiving so many applications from qualified candidates really speaks to the level of interest in the position and affecting change at our institution."
When asked about the qualities the new president must possess, Mr. George shared the following: "One of the most important responsibilities of the Board is to select the right leader for the institution. Therefore, the selected individual will be a dynamic, creative, and accomplished leader with the vision and integrity to advance the University's goals. The next president of the university must be an individual who is a successful fundraiser, can provide visionary leadership in the development of the University's teaching, research, and public service programs, and effectively and efficiently manage its fiscal resources."
The new president will replace former president Karl S. Wright, Ph.D., whose tenure spanned from July 2006 to August 2009. Upon Dr. Wright's departure, Sandra T. Thompson, Ph.D. was appointed by the Board of Trustees to serve as interim president, creating a milestone as she became the first woman in the University's 131-year history to serve in the leadership position.
About Florida Memorial University:
Located in the City of Miami Gardens, Florida Memorial University is a private, historically Black institution offering 41 undergraduate degree programs and 4 graduate degree programs to a culturally diverse student body. Since its inception in 1879, the University has upheld a commitment to providing a solid foundation for thousands of young people and opening doors to educational opportunities that may have otherwise been closed to them. As South Florida's only Historically Black College or University (HBCU), it is widely recognized for being the birthplace of the Negro National Anthem, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" and the home of Barrington Irving, Jr., the first and youngest pilot of African descent to fly solo around the world. Florida Memorial University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). For more information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (305) 626-3624 or visit www.fmuniv.edu.
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