Presidential Search
Members of the Search Committee
Trustees
- Ms. Mimi Aledo-Sandoval C’01, Policy Director, Alliance for Early Success, Washington, DC
- Dr. Sarah Berga, Incoming Chair and Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
- Dr. Patrice Davis C’89, Vice President for Student Services, Trident Technical College, Charleston, SC
- Ms. Terrie Davis A’63, C’67, Attorney (retired) and community volunteer, Winston-Salem, NC
- Ms. Lossie Freeman C’97, Director of Corporate Partnerships, Zip Code Wilmington, Wilmington, DE
- Rev. David Guthrie, President, Moravian Provincial Elders Conference (Southern), Winston-Salem, NC
- Ms. Katherine Holland-Ortiz C’00, Executive Director, Perkins International, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA
- Ms. Robin Howell A’79, Paralegal, Wells Fargo, Charlotte, NC
- Dr. Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran, former President Emerita, Kalamazoo College and former VP of Salem Academy and College and Dean of Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC
Faculty
- Ms. Michelle Hopkins Lawrence, Faculty Member, Department of History, Salem Academy
- Dr. Tina Flowers, Chair and Assistant Professor, Department of Business and Economics, Salem College
- Dr. Sheryl Long, Director and Associate Professor, Teacher Education and Graduate Studies in Education, Salem College
- Dr. Traci Porter, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Salem College
Administrators
- Ms. Kathy M. Barnes C’81, Vice President of Institutional Advancement
- Mr. Kenneth Buchanan, Vice President for Finance and Administration, CFO
- Ms. Emily Young, Salem’s Director of Human Resources and Benefits, is the staff member who will support our Committee.
Students
- Amira Rady (A’20) from Lawrenceville, NJ, Sisters Scholar, Honor Cabinet President
- Megan Sigler (C’21) from Kernersville, NC, SGA President
Downloads
December 16, 2020
Dear Salem Academy and College Community,
I am writing to give you an update on the Salem Academy and College presidential search. The work by the Salem Academy and College Presidential Search Committee over the past nine months was robust and thorough. It resulted in an impressive 135 applications and nominations—many of whom expressed excitement about the possibility of working for an institution with both an Academy and College and for the health leadership initiative of the College.
The Search Committee met 18 times during the past six months, narrowed the number of applicants, screened a significant number of candidates, and interviewed a smaller group. Although there were two final highly qualified candidates considered by the Search Committee, both candidates withdrew from the process due to understandable personal reasons. We do not believe there are any viable candidates remaining from the original pool.
Moving forward, the Board of Trustees has decided to contract with a professional search firm to facilitate the next phase of our search. Five highly regarded executive search firms—some with experience in independent schools and health practice areas and all in higher education—have been asked to respond to our RFP by January 4, 2021. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees plans to select the search firm around mid-January.
The search firm will hit the ground running thanks to the many hours of background work that was completed by our initial Search Committee. The firm will work closely with a new Presidential Search Committee. The composition of that new committee will be determined in the next few weeks. Some members will remain on the committee, and some new members will be added to take the place of those who will be rolling off. In early 2021, we will update you about the members of the new Presidential Search Committee along with the selection of the search firm.
As we undertake this work, Salem must continue to move forward. We will do so. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the dedicated job that Dr. Susan Henking has done since becoming Interim President early last summer. She has provided leadership to create a positive path for Salem Academy and College—during the challenging times that all educational institutions have experienced in recent months. Thankfully, Susan has agreed to continue serving as Interim President. Please join me in expressing our appreciation for her continued support of Salem.
Lastly, I would like to thank the members of the initial search committee—faculty, staff, students, and my fellow trustees—for all their time and effort on behalf of Salem.
Thank you for being an important part of Salem Academy and College.
Sincerely,
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McDara P. Folan, III
Chair, Presidential Search Committee and
Chair, Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees
NOVEMBER 9, 2020
Dear Salem Academy and College Community,
I am writing to give you an update from the Salem Academy and College Presidential Search Committee. Since our last update on August 10, 2020, the Presidential Search Committee has met virtually an additional seven times, including our latest meeting on November 2, 2020.
During this time, the Committee continued to review applications and nominations via a rolling application process and identified several individuals—both inside and outside higher education—who were strong candidates for the position of President. The Committee has conducted Committee-wide interviews with these semi-finalists. The goal is to select the final candidate and have the position filled by the end of 2020.
Thank you for your interest in the selection of Salem Academy and College’s next President.
Sincerely,
McDara P. Folan, III
Chair, Presidential Search Committee and
Chair, Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees
August 10, 2020
Dear Salem Academy and College Community:
I am writing to give you an update on the Salem Academy and College Presidential Search. Since our last update on June 12, 2020, the Presidential Search Committee has met virtually an additional six times.
During this time, the committee has continued to review applications and nominations as they are submitted via a rolling application process and has facilitated several screening interview calls with candidates and nominees. Over the next two weeks, the Committee will begin to facilitate Committee-wide interviews with semi-finalists. During this time the Committee will continue to review and consider any new candidates or nominees. The goal remains to have finalists identified and invited to Salem for a campus tour in the coming weeks with the hope that the position will be filled early this fall.
To make a nomination or request additional information, please email the Committee at presidential.search@salem.edu.
Sincerely,
June 12, 2020
Dear Salem Academy and College Community:
I am writing to give you an update on the Salem Academy and College Presidential Search. After holding our initial meeting on March 31, 2020, the Presidential Search Committee has met three additional times to date (all virtually), with our most recent meeting taking place on June 1, 2020.
Since our first meeting on March 31, the committee solicited feedback and suggestions through surveys and virtual focus groups from various stakeholders regarding the top priorities and values for Salem, the most pressing challenges it is facing, and the direction the institution needs to take in order to successfully pivot toward the future.
At the June 1 meeting, the committee finalized and approved a job description and the posting of an ad, which can be reviewed on the Presidential Search section of both the Salem Academy and the Salem College websites. The position was posted on The Chronicle of Higher Education and HigherEdJobs websites on June 5 and LinkedIn on June 8, and there are multiple networks being explored in health-related organizations and institutions.
The goal of the Presidential Search Committee is to perform an expedited and confidential search with the hope of having the position filled early this fall.
To make a nomination or to request additional information, please email the committee at presidential.search@salem.edu.
Sincerely,
McDara P. Folan, III
Chair, Presidential Search Committee and
Chair, Salem Academy and College Board of Trustees
May 18, 2020
The Salem Presidential Search Committee has been working diligently since its initial meeting on March 31, 2020 to solicit feedback and suggestions from various stakeholders regarding the top priorities and values for Salem, the most pressing challenges it is facing, and the direction for the institution to take in order to pivot successfully toward the future. A survey was sent to the current faculty and staff of the institution as well as to the Board of Trustees and the Board of Visitors. Additionally, several focus groups were assembled and meetings were facilitated to discuss the vision for Salem’s future and its next leader. A synopsis is below:
Survey
4/11/20 - The Presidential Search Committee sent a survey to a broad range of stakeholders to solicit feedback and opinions regarding the key priorities and challenges of the institution and the most desired qualities for the next President of Salem Academy and College to possess. Of those surveyed, 101 people responded; the results yielded the following:
The Top Values of the Institution’s Stakeholders:
- Academic excellence
- Commitment to education for girls and women
- Diversity of the student body
- Low student-faculty ratio and individual attention
The Top Priorities for the Institution:
- Financial management / stewardship of resources
- Achieving desired enrollment and retention goals
- Fundraising to support a thriving institution
- Ability to secure thriving local, regional, and national partnerships (for internships, careers, and fundraising)
- Marketing the institution locally and nationally
The Top Challenges for the Next President to Tackle:
- Financial stability
- Enrollment
The Most Desired Qualities for the Next President to Possess:
- Collaborative
- Business-minded
- Excellent communicator
- A personal connection to Salem; perhaps an alumna.
Focus Groups
4/14/20 - Meeting with parents of current Salem Academy students
4/15/20 - Meeting with Salem College Fleer and Graduate students
Some of the most prevalent themes from the conversations with the focus groups above included: the importance of community, traditions, academic rigor and experiential learning, and the desire to reinvent Salem so that the institution can thrive in the future while maintaining its roots, identity, and mission. Suggestions from the groups also included improving upon marketing, enrollment, and retention strategies.
The Salem Presidential Search Committee will meet again the week of May 4, 2020 to discuss and review a draft candidate package and to explore and discuss the first round of potential candidates from a pool of names provided to the Search Committee. As previously reported, the Salem Presidential Search Committee remains committed to its mission to recruit the best person to lead Salem at this important time in the institution’s history.
March 31, 2020
Dear Salem Academy and College Faculty and Staff,
I am pleased to let you know that the search for Salem’s new president is underway. As chair of the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee, I am honored to serve with a group of extremely talented individuals who bring a deep understanding of the institution along with diverse experience to this process. Our first (virtual) meeting will be today, March 31.
Joining me as members of the Committee are:
Trustees
Faculty
Administrators
Students
Alexus Effler (C’20) from Marion, North Carolina, Studying Communications and Sociology, SGA President
At our first meeting, we will discuss the timeline and structure of our search process, including how we will seek input from the Salem community, as well as our initial thoughts on the qualifications of the leader we will seek.
I will report to the community periodically on the search process. Be assured that our Committee will be diligent in our efforts to recruit the best person—energetic, appreciative of our heritage, and enthusiastic about our future—to lead Salem at this important time in the institution’s history.
Sincerely,
McDara P. Folan, III
Chair
Board of Trustees