FAQs
Please see the below answers to anticipated questions about Messiah’s presidential search. Additional questions may be submitted to nextpresident@messiah.edu.
The process for selecting the president resides with the university’s board of trustees. And while the board will make the final selection for the next university leader, stakeholders from each area — including students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, and community members — will have opportunities to participate in the search process.
The presidential search committee will provide opportunities for campus and community members to share thoughts and suggestions on the development of the presidential profile and position description. With input from the community, the search advisory committee will seek out, screen and interview candidates for the position. The committee will present candidates to the board of trustees and, in alignment with its bylaws, the board will select the university’s next president.
The trustees publicly announced the start of the national search on June 4, 2024, in conjunction with President Kim Phipps’ public announcement of her retirement and her plans to step down in June 2025.
The presidential search committee is led by Chair of the Board of Trustees Dr. Craig Sider, who selected the committee in deliberation with the Executive Committee of the Board. The size of the 16-member committee was designed to be nimble enough for effective decision making, while large enough to ensure representation of trustees, alumni, undergraduate and graduate faculty, administrative employees, and student government. Service on the search committee is a significant time commitment, and the executive committee of the board also worked through the composition of the committee, taking into account travel, schedules, and other commitments.
The board publicly announced the membership of the presidential search committee in August 2024. Names of the committee members are posted on the presidential search webpage.
Messiah’s board of trustees selected the executive search firm FaithSearch Partners (FSP) to support the national search for the university’s next president. FSP will serve as an advisor and resource for the board and presidential search committee. Using a search firm allows the university to expand the scope of its search by identifying and reaching out to potential candidates, conduct research and due diligence on candidates, and assist with advertising the position. Messiah’s board selected FSP for its proven expertise and success in identifying and recruiting executive-level leaders for Christian higher education.
The board of trustees welcomes all Messiah stakeholders to participate in the search process for the university’s next president. Individuals may participate in listening sessions to provide input on the important qualifications, experience and characteristics necessary for the next president; they also may share their thoughts by sending an email to nextpresident@messiah.edu.
When appropriate, the chair of the board and the presidential search committee will provide updates to the university community via the mass email system and the presidential search website.
However, it is also important to realize that many aspects of the presidential search process are confidential; for example, it is a common national practice to maintain the confidentiality of the nominees and candidates during the search process. Maintaining a confidential search enables candidates who may be employed at other institutions to participate without risk to their professional standing; providing this option allows Messiah to recruit the largest, most diverse and most talented pool of candidates.
The board of trustees selected FaithSearch Partners (FSP) to support the comprehensive search for the next university president. FSP will identify and connect with individuals whose qualifications and experience may align with Messiah’s presidential profile and position description. While the majority of applicants will likely come from within the country, this will also be an international search in scope, as FPS will source and recruit prospects both inside and outside the U.S.
Messiah will post the information about the position on the university’s website and to various online job boards and professional associations, including but not limited to The Chronicle Of Higher Education. Messiah community members are invited to share the position description with friends and colleagues who may be interested in the position. The board also strongly encourages members of the Messiah community to nominate candidates for the university’s next president. Individuals may be internal to Messiah or from institutions and organizations worldwide.
Nominations should be sent via email to awestmoreland@faithsearchpartners.com Be sure to include the recommended candidate’s:
- Full name
- Email address
- Phone number
If you are interested in nominating someone, including yourself, as a potential candidate, please send an email to awestmoreland@faithsearchpartners.com. All nominations are confidential, will be reviewed, and considered.
Messiah’s board of trustees is committed to finding the right leader to serve as Messiah’s next president – and the process will take time. A projected general timeline for the search process is available on the presidential search website, and we hope to meet our anticipated deadline of finalizing a decision and accepted offer by February 2025. Once the search is complete and a final candidate has been selected and appropriately vetted, the board of trustees will meet to appoint the president and work with the university’s communications team to coordinate a campus and public announcement.