Presidential Search Prospectus

Turning Four into More

Kalamazoo College is a recognized leader in liberal arts education, known for transforming curious minds into courageous changemakers. Since 1833, we’ve offered a personalized and student-centered experience on our tree-lined campus nestled in the heart of Kalamazoo, Michigan.

At K, administrators and faculty embrace our tagline—“More in Four. More in a Lifetime.^®”—by offering students more opportunities to explore, more faculty and staff mentorship and support, and more preparation for meaningful careers that make a positive impact on the world. Wherever students want to go in life, their K-Plan can take them there.

Advancing the College

In 2023, the College developed the next iteration of its strategic plan with the support of faculty, staff and students. Advancing Kalamazoo College 2029 builds on the College’s strengths while addressing the challenges and opportunities of a post-pandemic world. At its core are two mission-driven pillars: Learning for Life and Fostering an Inclusive and Supportive Campus for All. These are supported by a foundation of Financial Sustainability and Enrollment Sustainability, ensuring the College’s vitality for generations to come.

At the heart of this work is the College’s K-Plan. The four parts of the K-Plan—top-tier academics, study abroad, experiential education and the Senior Integrated Project— link students’ classroom learning with intercultural experiences, hands-on practice, civic engagement and independent scholarship.

Academics

The College’s academic curriculum is more open and flexible than those of most peers. With close guidance from dedicated academic advisors, each student crafts a personalized path of study that reflects their unique interests, aspirations and goals—transforming them from passive learners into active architects of their own academic experience. Three Shared Passages Seminars offer a variety of subjects in many fields, cut across disciplines and have at their heart the broad exploration of the liberal arts. In sequence from first year to senior year, these seminars focus on foundational skills (writing, oral expression, information literacy and critical thinking), delve deeply into cultural issues and intercultural understanding, and allow students to integrate the academic and experiential learning that occurred during their entire K journey. They’re also often fun!

Study Abroad and Experiential Education

At K, preparing students for meaningful careers and purposeful lives goes far beyond the classroom. Through our experiential learning centers, students develop the skills, experience and perspective needed to be leaders in a rapidly changing world.

The Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) equips students with the tools, confidence and connections they need to thrive after graduation. Through personalized career coaching and peer advising, students receive guidance tailored to their goals and interests. They also benefit from a wide range of opportunities to explore potential paths—connecting with alumni and employers through networking events, job shadowing programs, internships and externships that offer real-world insight and experience. These opportunities lead to measurable outcomes: among Kalamazoo College graduates with a confirmed first destination reported in the annual post-graduation First Destination survey, within six months of graduation, 74% of K students were working, 24% were participating in continuing education and 2% were volunteering in some capacity. Of those pursuing further education, 47% were working toward their master’s and 36% were pursuing a doctorate.

The College’s Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership emerged from K’s history of activism and its mission to prepare students who will provide enlightened leadership. The center, unique among schools like K, supports the pursuit of human rights and social justice by developing new leaders and sustaining existing leaders, thereby creating a pivotal role for liberal arts education in engendering a more just world. Arcus provides programming, fellowships and grants for students, faculty and the greater community, and it fosters partnerships with community organizations that actively work to disrupt oppressive systems and look to contribute to the achievement of justice through education, organizing and advocacy.

Senior Integrated Project

Kalamazoo College is committed to expanding access to every dimension of the K-Plan—ensuring that all students can fully engage in study abroad, civic engagement, mentored research and career development. As our campus community grows more reflective of the diverse world our graduates will shape, we are actively working to remove barriers, redesign programs, and foster an environment where every student is empowered to belong, participate and thrive.

Sustainability at K

Sustainability is woven into campus construction and renovation projects. The Hicks Student Center and natatorium are LEED certified at the silver level, and Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership is registered for LEED certification at the gold level. The Fitness and Wellness center has many LEED sustainability features, and features like solar power and geothermal heating and cooling are a part of the Athletic Fieldhouse Complex and are being built into the new residence halls. Our commitment to carbon neutrality has led to various institutional developments and progress, efforts initiated by the various climate committees that have served the College over the decades.

Our Kalamazoo Community

The Kalamazoo metro area is a diverse and progressive metropolitan area of 261,000. The cultural offerings of the College, the city and other colleges in the area, together with the surrounding natural beauty, give Kalamazoo residents and students an enviable quality of life. Our picturesque campus sits on a hilltop overlooking the downtown area, which hosts several restaurants, theatres, art galleries and shops.

Accreditation

Kalamazoo College is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In January of 2023, it received formal notification that its accreditation had been continued. The next reaffirmation of accreditation will occur in the academic year 2032-2033.

K is an institutional member of the American Council on Education, the Great Lakes Colleges Association, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the Association of American Colleges & Universities, the College Entrance Examination Board, the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), the Association of Governing Boards (AGB), the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), and the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). The College maintains consortial relationships as a member of the Great Lakes Colleges Association (GLCA), the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Michigan (AICUM).

Alumni Engagement and Philanthropic Support

In myriad ways alumni make a difference to the life of the College and the lives of its students. The Alumni Engagement Strategic Plan (AESP) builds on the strengths of the alumni engagement program at Kalamazoo College. Having 24,492 alumni who value the College and its mission—as well as their degrees—is very important. Keeping them connected to K is the goal of the plan. Organizing events is an important tactic to keep alumni informed and connected to the College. The AESP directs the energy of alumni around a set of actions that will have meaningful impact on the College’s mission.

All alumni, regardless of age or stage in life, have the potential to become engaged alumni who make a difference. Five Points of Engagement have been identified as opportunities for alumni to advance the mission of Kalamazoo College, including identifying and recruiting prospective students; developing students through mentoring and career preparedness; enhancing the bond between alumni and K through lifelong learning opportunities; serving as volunteers; and making charitable contributions.

Join Us

Kalamazoo College is shaped by the people who bring its mission to life—students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni and friends—united in their commitment to a liberal arts education that aims to create a brighter world. K enjoys a community that fuels a powerful drive for learning, discovery, and growth that sets us apart in the landscape of higher education. This community—our community—invites you to consider joining us in our work, to help us to continually learn and to live our motto: Lux esto, Be light!

Position Details

The 19th President will serve as the chief executive of Kalamazoo College. Reporting to and working with an accomplished and collaborative Board of Trustees, the President will serve as a highly visible innovator and visionary with the courage to stand firmly on principles and address the myriad challenges facing higher education today. Kalamazoo’s next President will be student-centered, making all students feel seen and valued, conveying a “big picture” vision and working collaboratively with the College’s accomplished faculty and staff for the benefit of students. The President will show empathy and compassion for all members of the College community and at the same time be able to make hard decisions. The President will believe deeply in the transformational power of a liberal arts education and what that means for students, alumni, the College and society. The President also will bring a commitment to K’s focus on equity and inclusion across campus.

Opportunities

Kalamazoo College serves a diverse body of students, faculty and staff and enjoys widespread support from an engaged surrounding community. In its next President, the College seeks an accomplished higher education administrator and engaged scholar who can continue to capitalize on K’s success, innovate to create pathways for continued growth and accomplishment, and stay ahead of the challenges to higher education—both nationally and those particular to liberal arts colleges and to those in the Midwest. Key priorities for Kalamazoo’s 19th President include:

• Articulate a clear and distinctive value proposition: Among its peer liberal arts colleges, K has led historically in curricular innovation and distinction—mostly through its signature K-Plan, combining strong academics, study abroad, and senior independent research. Together with the Provost, the President will build and maintain K’s strong and talented faculty. With fierce competition, K needs to evolve and grow as it meets the needs of today’s students and society. In partnership with the Provost, the President must continue to evaluate the mix of majors and academic program offerings and support the faculty in the College’s efforts to expand. The President will also play a leading role in articulating the goals and value of the K experience, further solidifying K as a leader, innovator and standout amongst private liberal arts colleges.
  
• Stabilize operational results: The President, in collaboration with an engaged Board, will build upon the ongoing planning process to restore K’s budget to a sustainable balance—one that keeps the College accessible to a wide array of students and also safeguards its commitment to its mission for generations to come. This will require exploring new sources of revenue and systematically and strategically reviewing expenses and resource priorities, while ensuring that the K community understands the process and its ultimate outcome. The goals of the next President will be both growth of the endowment and realizing more net tuition revenue.
  
• Bolster enrollment: With fewer college-bound students nationally (and this trend more pronounced in the Midwest), competition for students is relentless. Like many of its peers, K requires an enrollment strategy that will help balance its budget, while allowing it to remain accessible to wide range of students. In a state where the high school population is declining, marketing K beyond Michigan and telling the “K Story” nationally will be very important. Beyond improvements to residential life that are in progress and bolstering athletics to attract students, the next President must take a proactive approach to student recruitment and enrollment, creating pipelines for students from groups or regions not historically attracted to K in great numbers, such as transfers.
  
• Build upon a legacy of advancement: As the College’s most prominent fundraiser, the President has the responsibility to balance engaging stakeholders with being mindful of the needs of students on campus. The next President will build on the successes of the recently concluded Brighter Light Campaign. Fundraising priorities going forward will pay particular attention to completing the residence hall construction and upgrades, as well as supporting faculty, funding scholarships, and addressing deferred maintenance. The new President must continue to cultivate K’s next generation of donors and foster increased interest in supporting the annual fund, growing the endowment and participating in planned giving.
  
• Sustain strong community engagement: The greater Kalamazoo community is open and progressive, with strong educational and philanthropic traditions. The College is a voice of reason and inclusivity in the civic and national discourse and contributes to the fabric of this robust community. K interns are always in demand by local employers and nonprofits; many remain in the community post-graduation and contribute to growing the local economic and social ecosystem. The President will continue to be a fierce advocate for the College, its students, and its alumni by participating in business development conversations and helping organizations better understand the exceptional caliber of students coming from the College, thereby making it easier to attract new entities and resources to the area.

Candidate Profile

A terminal degree is required. A distinguished record of teaching and scholarly engagement is preferred and a deep, demonstrated commitment to and appreciation for the transformative power of liberal arts education is expected.

We recognize that there is a spectrum of lived and professional experience that will set candidates up for success as Kalamazoo College’s 19th President. While no one candidate will have every experience outlined in the position description, ideal candidates will display many of the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:

Leadership

• Record of building consensus and enthusiasm around a shared vision.
• Ability to lead through crisis and uncertainty; comfortable with ambiguity.
• Experience in making hard decisions as a manager/leader, leading through challenging times and instituting major change.
• Clear, timely communicator.
• Desire to improve and sustain morale for faculty and staff and ability to actively cultivate engagement.
• Ability to build a strong relationship with the Board, based on transparency and trust.
• Deep respect for senior leadership teams; a record of accomplishment in hiring and developing subject matter experts; ability to delegate and let the team shine.
• Relentless advocate for inclusive excellence, access and social justice; ability to speak fluently about these subjects in a challenging political landscape.
• Record of engagement with students beyond the classroom experience and a strong commitment to students’ academic and social development and preparation for life after K.

Financial Acumen and Fundraising Experience

• Financial acumen and the ability to execute effectively.
• Involvement in and enthusiasm for procuring transformational gifts from alumni and external stakeholders.
• Support for a data-informed operating model with strong focus on establishing goals and consistent measurements for key indicators for the college.

Understanding of Liberal Arts Institutions

• A long-time and current champion and innovator of the liberal arts.
• A clear vision of how private residential liberal arts colleges can innovate and move forward without losing what makes them special.
• History of deliberate efforts to ensure that the campus represents society and the world.
• Commitment to a broad, general education and ability to communicate that commitment and its value to myriad stakeholders.
• Desire to engage authentically and regularly with faculty and students and tell their stories.
• Appreciation for a culture of shared governance.
• Understanding of the impact of AI and being proactive about further integrating technology in course curriculum and college operations.
• The desire to thrive—and not just survive—in an environment that can be unfavorable to the liberal arts.

Personal Qualities and Characteristics

• Bold, unafraid of change, able to inspire boldness in others.
• Genuinely student-centered; excited to lead at a caring and nurturing institution.
• Intercultural competence and exceptional EQ.
• Constant learner and curious thinker who contemplates the nature of education to come.
• A sense of optimism, even in light of difficult realities.
• Creativity and open mindedness.
• Careful listener and compelling speaker.
• Strong and talented communicator on a personal level and a respected national voice, communicating the value of K and the vital role of private liberal arts colleges in the world today.
• A desire to innovate and inspire others.
• Humility, kindness, and a genuine desire to be involved with the campus and surrounding community in a very visible way.
• Thick skin and backbone.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time position that will be performed on site in Michigan. Salary commensurate with experience with a generous benefits package.

This leadership profile is not exhaustive and may be subject to change. While every effort has been made to confirm information at the date of publication, the accuracy or completeness of the information provided herein cannot be guaranteed.