Principia College President Leadership Profile | 2020 Index

PRINCIPIA COLLEGE PRESIDENT LEADERSHIP PROFILE | 2020 INDEX

INDEX

COLLEGE PRESIDENT SEARCH ...... 3

ABOUT PRINCIPIA ...... 9

HOW TO APPLY ...... 13

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Principia has launched a global search for the position of College President. The search committee invites applications and nominations for the next leader to advance the mission of Principia College.

THE OPPORTUNITY safeguard Principia each day in carrying out its Pur- pose of service to the Cause of Christian Science. Principia College is the only institution of higher education with the mission to serve the Cause of The College’s 71 instructional faculty, 75% of whom Christian Science. The College now seeks a President have terminal degrees and 95% of whom are full-time, to lead it forward to ensure a thriving, richly diverse, educate a student body currently numbering approx- and enduring community. imately 400 in an environment that is exceptionally focused on student success. Within a framework of Principia College, located on a 2,600-acre setting 40 the liberal arts, the College offers 27 majors in the hu- minutes from urban St. Louis, is one of two campus- manities, social sciences, arts, and math and natural es operating under the Principia umbrella. There are sciences. close ties between Principia School, a day and boarding school which serves preschool through The College’s student body includes a rich grade 12, and Principia College, and nearly 60 international diversity with nearly 20 percent of percent of students who graduate from the School students hailing from 29 different countries across matriculate at the College. six continents. This fact is reflective of institutional commitment to an internationally and culturally The College President reports to Principia’s Chief diverse community. It also reflects the growth of Executive. Principia’s Board of Trustees provides the Christian Science movement in Africa, governance and is accountable for the fiduciary Southeast Asia, and South America. health of Principia, including oversight of Principia’s approximately $600-million endowment. It is also Students and alumni cite the close interpersonal the duty of each Trustee to prayerfully support and relationships between faculty, students, and

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staff as an essential component of their often- transformational Principia College experience. Students are widely engaged in multiple campus activities, including signature programs such as the internationally recognized solar car and mediation teams; 18 NCAA DIII intercollegiate sports and national-caliber rugby program; faculty- led study abroads; visual and performing arts; student government; the Christian Science Organization; and student-run clubs. The College’s outstanding facilities include the newly opened McVay Center for the Performing Arts and the newly renovated Voney Art Studio. The complete renovation of a primary academic building is underway, with a target open date of summer 2021.

The new Principia College President will lead this singular institution through one of the most exciting challenges of its storied history, making a lasting impact on the College and on the community it serves.

THE ROLE

The College President reports to Principia’s Chief Ex- ecutive, who is appointed by and reports to Principia’s staff. The President’s direct reports include the Dean Board of Trustees. While not reporting directly to the of Academics, Dean of Students, Director of Athletics, Board of Trustees, the College President is a member Director of Admissions, Financial Aid Director, Col- of the Board’s Education Committee and Facilities lege Chief Operations Officer, and Director of Human Committee. They provide regular written reports to Resources. the Trustees and meet in-person at the Board’s three scheduled meetings each year. The College President functions as a member of the larger Principia institution. They are a member of Principia’s Core Lead- OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPECTATIONS FOR ership Team, which includes the Chief Executive and LEADERSHIP Head of Principia School. The two campuses share the services of the Advancement, Finance and Ac- Among the many opportunities the President will counting, General Counsel, and Investment offices. have to make an impact on the College, the following represent some of those by which performance The College President is responsible for realizing the will be judged during the first few years of the new success of a campus that includes approximately 71 College President’s tenure. They are presented here instructional faculty and 200 professional and service in no particular order of importance.

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Champion and lead fulfillment of new strategic plan experience. Principia College is faced with many of the same challenges confronting higher education The Principia College community has engaged in an nationwide and liberal arts institutions in particular. inclusive strategic planning process and is preparing As all traditional-age populations are shrinking, so to finalize a new five-year plan for approval by the too is the pool of potential Christian Science stu- Board of Trustees. The next College President will dents. Principia College must forge its unique place lead the implementation of the agreed-upon strate- in the higher education marketplace and find its path gic priorities that position the College to meet the to growth and relevance, including how it may serve challenges of the coming years. The incoming leader a wider population of those interested in living in and will frame the decisions required to realize the plan contributing to a Christian Science community. priorities and will align resources to ensure their successful implementation. In partnership with a dedi- The new College President will also inspire the cated leadership team, the new College President will campus community to identify innovative and ensure steady progress towards realizing these new entrepreneurial approaches to recruiting and goals and priorities; creating an agile, data-informed retaining students. They will ensure the College’s approach to evaluating their success; and modifying portfolio of offerings is competitive, current, and them to meet emerging needs. They will bring energy has a broad, global reach. Working with academic and persistence to navigate and engage a committed leaders, the College President will focus on advanc- and passionate group of stakeholders to address the ing academic excellence by creating and enhancing challenges ahead. opportunities for Principia College to be a dynamic community of thought leaders, independent thinkers, Bolster student enrollment and lifelong learners. The College President will lead the charge to expand the College’s visibility and viabil- The new College President will proactively articulate ity and to ensure a thriving and enduring community. and champion Principia College’s value and distinc- tiveness to an expanding global audience, broaden- ing the appeal of the College’s unique educational

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Foster collaboration and community building faculty governance and work to engage faculty and staff in crucial conversations to advance the priori- Principia College is one of two educational organiza- ties of the College and to develop a common vision tions operating within the Principia institution: for its success. Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, and Principia School in Town and Country, Missouri. There are The next College President will engage members of close ties between the two entities and nearly 60 the Elsah and surrounding communities, identifying percent of students who graduate from the School offerings and events that encourage their engage- matriculate to the College. The College President ment with the campus and that help strengthen must relish the opportunity to foster collaboration the College’s role in the region. In addition, the new with the School, identifying synergies that help propel College leader will encourage student, faculty, and both forward. The College President is critical to the staff involvement as citizens and good neighbors. advancement of the larger mission of Principia and is The College President also works to ensure produc- the lead advocate and administrator for the College. tive relationships with the global Christian Science Nurturing an environment of teamwork, the President community. must effectively maximize the shared services which are critical to the successes of both campuses. Lead commitment to the student experience The College President will engage, unite, and inspire all constituents, including faculty, students, staff, The College President is especially important in administrators, alumni, and the broader community, bringing campus stakeholders together to fulfill the working to ensure all voices are heard and valued. mission of serving the Cause of Christian Science as The College President will appreciate the role of an educational institution, with a focus on creating

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global, outward-looking, inspired learners who will serve and better the world. The student experience must reside at the center of the College’s mission, with resources used strategically to enable all students to reach their highest potential.

With the College’s richly diverse international enrollment and the growth of the Christian Science movement in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, a commitment to nurturing the student experience in a culturally diverse community is essential. The College also boasts a large portfolio of faculty-led study abroad opportunities, offering a robust set of experiences for student development as global citizens. Therefore, the College President should bring a global view to their leadership in both operations and pedagogy. Principia students also represent a wide diversity of practice of Christian Science. The Pres- ident will lead an integrated, community-wide effort to build a culture of academic and personal success Serve as a steward of Principia College resources and a welcoming environment where all students can advance their own faith and academic journeys. The President will work with the Chief Executive, The new College President should imbibe a deep Board of Trustees, and Principia overall to maintain understanding of and appreciation for the needs of a the quality of the Principia College educational expe- diverse student body and continue to forward efforts rience while ensuring fiscal sustainability. This collab- to ensure equitable, fair, and inclusive policies for all oration will extend to budgeting, resource allocation, members of the College community. and to meeting the overall organization goal of lower- ing the draw on Principia’s endowment. The College The College President will engage actively, directly, President will work to expand the College’s resource and frequently with students to ensure that students base and will foster innovation in diversifying exist- are empowered to contribute and that their voices ing revenue sources and encouraging the develop- are considered in College decisions. The new leader ment of new revenue streams that leverage faculty will work to enhance student engagement to better talents and programmatic offerings. She or he will prepare students for the future and will serve as a build relationships with Principia’s broad network of bridge to the past to honor tradition while moving the alumni, donors, and friends. College onward to achieve the best Principia. Princip- ia College students welcome a leader who is willing to meet them where they are and to be a visible and engaged presence on the campus.

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leadership, humility, decisiveness, willingness to stand on principle, and a sense of humor.

The individual best suited to succeed at Principia College will provide demonstrable evidence of his or her effectiveness in these areas:

• Desire to nurture the Christian Science experience of today’s college students • Clear and consistent communicator who can articulate the Principia College vision to diverse audiences • Excellent listener QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS OF THE • Deep experience in leading strategic plan prioriti- IDEAL CANDIDATE zation and implementation • Global thinker with demonstrated cultural compe- The next College President must possess significant tence leadership experience, preferably in an institution of • Advocate of the value of a residential liberal arts higher education, coupled with a passionate com- education mitment to liberal arts education and the Cause of Christian Science. The next College President will be • Demonstrated capacity for shepherding change an active and engaged Christian Scientist who has • Ability to empower and develop others; adept at benefited from Christian Science class instruction building and optimizing the skills and talents of and is a member of The Mother Church and a branch their team church or society. Exceptionally student-centric, the • Relationship-builder President will be an outstanding communicator with a track record of excellent management and financial • Entrepreneurial and innovative thinker who en- skills and open, accessible, and transparent leader- courages and realizes new growth opportunities ship style. Principia College seeks a leader who is • Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, keenly aware of the changing landscape in higher and inclusion education and who can inspire the College commu- • Resilient optimist nity to embrace innovation in fulfilling the College’s • Visible and engaged participant in the intellectual mission. and social life of the community The successful candidate will have an earned • Values transparency and shared governance terminal degree and/or the equivalent combination • Inclusive, consultative, and collaborative—and of scholarly, creative, and professional accomplish- decisive ment appropriate to lead an academic community. • Communicates decisions in a clear, timely, and The ideal candidate will value shared governance thoughtful manner and show proven success in fostering environments of collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, and civility. In • Encourages and supports staff and faculty in keeping with the ethos of the College, the College their application of Christian Science to their work President will demonstrate a history of unifying at Principia

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HISTORY

In 1897, when Christian Science practitioner Mary Kimball Morgan began educating her two young sons at home, she wasn’t setting out to establish a school. But word spread quickly among the thriving community of Christian Scientists in St. Louis. By the next year, 15 students were enrolled in “Mrs. Morgan’s school.”

Soon, the group moved from the Morgans’ car- riage house behind their home into a two-room storefront, and a second teacher was hired. Even more students started attending. And that’s how—without fanfare, but with a firm foundation in the teachings of Christian Science—Principia officially began in 1898.

The first high school class graduated in 1906. Four years later, the four-year program expanded to six years, resulting in one of the first two-year junior colleges in the nation. In 1934, Principia’s new four-year liberal arts college, established across the Mississippi River in Elsah, Illinois, graduated its first class. By 1960, all levels of the School had moved to the current campus in St. Louis. Today, across both campuses, Principia enrolls about 800 young Christian Scientists from across the United States and from around the world. Students at the College come from 37 states and 27 countries.

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MISSION

The Principia shall seek to serve the Cause of Chris- tian Science through appropriate channels open to it STRATEGIC PLAN as an educational institution. Since August 2019, the College and To read Principia’s Purpose and Policies, please visit School have actively participated in www.principia.edu/purpose-policies a new strategic planning process. The College Strategic Planning COLLEGE-WIDE STUDENT LEARNING Committee, including student, faculty, OUTCOMES and staff members, have solicited feedback from the entire campus The curricular and co-curricular programs at Principia community through meetings, College are designed for students to be lifelong learn- open forums, surveys, and written ers, thinkers, and problem-solvers, to draw out spir- feedback. itual and moral qualities indispensable to growth in Christian Science, and to cultivate an understanding Key Next Steps: of service to the Cause of Christian Science in meeting the global needs of the 21st century. To accom- • Trustee review of proposed goals plish this, the College has esta-blished the following and initiatives outcomes for its graduates. • Development of tactics • Targeted launch 2020–2021 Guided by Principle, Principia College students will demonstrate: For more information: 1. Depth and breadth of knowledge www.principia.edu/strategicplan 2. Critical and creative thinking 3. Effective communication 4. Intellectual inquiry and engagement 5. Active commitment to community and global citizenship

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PRINCIPIA COLLEGE OVERVIEW

Number of Students 400

Student-to-Faculty Ratio 6:1

Average Class Size 8

Number of Full-Time Faculty and Degrees 71 75% of faculty hold terminal degrees.

Alumni More than 14,000 alumni live in 63 countries around the world. GENERAL FACTS Financial Aid 87% of students awarded scholarships or grants • 60% of students study abroad The average financial aid package for new students is $34,928. 42% of students graduate with zero debt. • Campus designated a National Historic Campus Acreage Landmark in 1993 2,600 acres • 11 historic buildings designed by renowned architect Bernard Maybeck More information can be found on our website: www.principiacollege.edu • 27 majors

• 18 varsity athletic teams

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HOW TO APPLY

Screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The preferred start date is summer 2020. For best consideration, please send candidate materials, including a letter of interest and curriculum vitae/resume, by March 15, 2020. Candidate materials, candidate nominations, and any search- related inquiries should be sent to:

Susan VanGilder, Partner Beth McCarthy, Senior Associate Storbeck Search & Associates [email protected]

Confidential inquiries and questions concerning the search may be directed to the consultants supporting this search at 610-565-2910, ext. 333.

Principia bases its hiring, assignments, and promotions on competence, effectiveness, and demonstrated character, without regard to race, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or age.

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