Messages and Updates on Presidential Search

November 19, 2024

Dear Clarkson University Community,

When we kicked off our Presidential Search in mid-October, we mentioned that we would provide periodic updates on the process.  To date, the response has been strong and very supportive of the search process. 

Our search committee has received over 30 applications.  At this time, several of the applications have been reviewed by the full search committee and we have invited some of the candidates to the interview process.

We remain confident in our selection process and thank the trustees, faculty, staff, students, and alumni representatives who are working tirelessly as members of the search committee.

Again, if you know someone who possesses the qualities and characteristics provided in our Presidential Search Document, please ask them to submit their application package.  Thus far in the process, our alumni and others have provided over 20 nominations but since we are running a confidential search it's most important that you reach out to your nominee directly and request them to submit their application package.  That package is the only way we can consider them in our process.

We plan to provide our next update early in the new year to share our progress and next steps in the process.

Thank you for your continued interest in the selection of the 19th President of Clarkson University. If you have any questions or information helpful to our search, please reach out to us at presidentialsearch@clarkson.edu.

Sincerely,

Nancy D. Reyda ’81
Chair of the Board of Trustees    

John S. Mengucci ‘84                                                                                            
Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees     
Chair, Presidential Search Committee                
 

Dear Clarkson Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni and Friends, 

The Clarkson University Board of Trustees has officially launched the search for the institution’s 19th president since our founding in 1896. Our next leader will be a pivotal force in shaping the future of Clarkson, and we want to engage you in the search process. Informed by the strategic priorities for Clarkson and the current state of higher education across the country, we have created the imperatives the new president will be responsible to lead: 

• Implement and drive our core STEM mission to deliver on our commitment to our students.
• Judiciously steward and grow Clarkson's resource base to ensure financial sustainability.
• Bolster enrollment and retention with a clear articulation of Clarkson's value proposition.
• Shape a culture of leadership empowerment, inclusive collaboration, and continuous learning. 

We also strongly believe in the qualities and characteristics our next president should possess including:

• A deep commitment to Clarkson's legacy, STEM Mission, and core values.
• Successful experience as a compelling leader.
• A natural ability to shape culture and create an inclusive environment.
• Demonstrated experience shaping visionary strategy with a bias for action.
• Demonstrated financial management experience.
• Demonstrated development and advancement experience.
• Demonstrated experience building and sustaining external relationships.
• Unquestioned integrity, trustworthiness, judgment, and ethics. 

We have included the imperatives and the qualities and characteristics of the new President in a Presidential Search Document that can be found on this website. Inside that document, you will see that we are sharing with candidates a remarkable summary of the transformative power of the 'Clarkson Experience'—where hands-on learning and doing, STEM excellence, and a deeply supportive and highly personalized environment shapes future leaders; and the incredible accolades that each of you have been a part of building and sustaining for our University. 

A Presidential Search Committee has been formed under Trustee John Mengucci ‘84’s leadership, with members charged to ensure broad stakeholder representation as well uphold the Board of Trustees’ fiduciary responsibility to hire the President and govern the University. From the committee membership shared below, you will see the diverse industry experience and expertise of our alumni, and our current employees and students who are committed to diligently representing the greater campus and higher education community. 

• Doug Bohl P’23, Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Clarkson University
• Simoon L. Cannon ’97, Board of Trustees member, Founder & President of Melanina
• Lauretta M. Chrys ’98, Board of Trustees member, Executive Vice President and COO of Citizens Bank (Ret.)
• Miles R. Compani ’23, MS/PhD student in Engineering Science, Clarkson University
• Peter J. Devlin ’80, Board of Trustees member President & CEO of Fish & Richardson (Ret.)
• David K. Heacock ’83, Board of Trustees member, Acting Clarkson President, Senior Vice President of Texas Instruments (Ret.)
• Jeff Ives, Vice President for Financial Affairs, Clarkson University
• Lisa M. Jeffers ’03, President of the Alumni Association and Regulatory Affairs Senior Manager, Emergent BioSolutions
• Sanjeev R. Kulkarni ’84, Board of Trustees member, Professor of Electrical Engineering & Past Dean of the Faculty, Princeton University
• Meilin Z. Lamanna ’26, Bachelor of Science student in Electrical Engineering with Power Concentration, Cross Country Athlete
• John S. Mengucci ‘84, Vice Chair of Board of Trustees, President & CEO, CACI International
• Kelsey M. Pearson, Dean of Students, Clarkson University
• Nancy D. Reyda ’81, Chair of Board of Trustees, Managing Director & COO of Global Operations and Technology, Bank of NY Mellon (Ret.)
• Devon Shipp, Professor of Chemistry and  Director of the Center for Advanced Materials Processing, Clarkson University
• Jean E. Spence ’79, Board of Trustees member, Executive Vice President of Mondelez International (Ret.) 

We intend to issue an external press release and post the position on The Chronicle of Higher Education website and other such professional career search websites. We are asking all of you to consider how you can deploy your personal and professional networks to promote this job opportunity and to encourage qualified individuals to apply. Although we intend to complete the search process no later than March 30, 2025, the timeline is not fixed because we will evaluate candidates as they emerge on individual paths and we will close the search at any time when the Board, on advice from the Search Committee, believes we have found the next President of the University and have approved the appointment. We intend to maintain utmost confidentiality throughout the process. 

For members of the faculty and administration we will update you on a regular basis via this website and through a number of engagement sessions being planned.  For the alumni, friends and the greater Clarkson community, we will update you on a regular basis via this website. We encourage you to share questions regarding the search or this communication – as well as nominations and applications -- to presidentialsearch@clarkson.edu. Thank you for your support of this important process.

Nancy D. Reyda ’81
Chair of the Board of Trustees    

John S. Mengucci ‘84                                                                                            
Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees                                                                                    
Chair, Presidential Search Committee

Clarkson Community,

The Clarkson University Board of Trustees has launched a formal process to identify the 19th president of our institution since our founding in 1896 and formed a Presidential Search Committee with trustee, alumni, faculty, staff and student representation. 
 
A forward-facing Presidential Search Website has been created to announce the presidential search profile and to share regular updates with you.  This includes a message to all faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends from Nancy Reyda ‘81, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and John Mencucci ‘84, Vice Chair of the Board who is also serving as Chair of the Presidential Search Committee, encouraing your engagement in this process. 

As your Acting President and Trustee with you since July, I personally want to emphasize our desire to engage all  University members in the search for Clarkson’s 19th president  and to listen to the key stakeholders – Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni

Your help and support are critical as we continue Clarkson’s 128+ year journey and we position Clarkson for continued success in a changing higher education landscape.

The Board of Trustees will be visiting campus October 23-26, and have scheduled several engagement  sessions with the employees. CUSA and CUGSA leadership will also have an opportunity during this time to meet with the Trustees to further provide their feedback on the campus experience and their perspectives for Clarkson’s next president.

Please also share this career opportunity and the presidential search document that is posted on the website, clarkson.edu/presidential-search, with your networks

I am excited to be with you throughout this process and will continue to reach out to hear your inputs shaping our search.  As Nancy and John mention in their opening message on the website, nominations can be made directly to the search committee via e-mail, presidentialsearch@clarkson.edu.

Thank you so much for your wonderful support of Clarkson University. Clarkson is a special institution, and I am excited to be taking this journey together with you.

Best Regards,
Dave Heacock ‘83
Acting President and Trustee

Dear Valued Clarkson Alumni Community,

Our Clarkson University Board of Trustees has just launched the formal process to identify the 19th president of our institution since our founding in 1896.  I am writing to emphasize that your help and support are critical as we continue Clarkson’s 128+ year journey and we position Clarkson for continued success in a changing higher education landscape. Nobody understands Clarkson better than our Alumni!

A forward-facing Presidential Search Website has been created to announce the presidential search profile and to share regular updates with you.  This includes a message to all faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends from Nancy Reyda ‘81, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and John Mengucci ‘84, Vice Chair of the Board who is also serving as Chair of the Presidential Search Committee, encouraging your engagement in this process. 

The Presidential Search Committee is comprised of trustee, alumni, faculty, staff and student representation – all who are committed to selecting a candidate who understands and appreciates Clarkson’s legacy, STEM mission, core values, culture of collaboration and leadership, and sense of community. I am excited and honored to be among the members of the search committee, and I am committed to representing you and our community of 46,000+ alumni to the best of my abilities.

Please consider communicating within your personal and professional networks to promote this job opportunity and to encourage qualified individuals to apply. Feel free to share the presidential search document and to point your networks to clarkson.edu/presidential-search for additional information.

We invite nominations from, or on behalf of potential candidates who embody the qualities and characteristics we have outlined. Nominations may be made directly to the Search Committee via e-mail at presidentialsearch@clarkson.edu.

While the confidentiality of the search process is required to protect the privacy of the candidates, we will provide updates on the status of the search as it progresses. 
Thank you very much for your continued support of Clarkson!

Sincerely,
Lisa Jeffers ’03 MS’21
President, Clarkson Alumni Association
Presidential Search Committee Member
 

• Clarkson Launches the Search for its 19th President of the University (10-10-24)
• Clarkson Launches Search for 19th President , North Country Now (10-10-24)
• Clarkson Launches Search for its 19th President, PR Newswire (10--10)
• Clarkson Begins Search for New President  North Country Public Radio (10-11-24)