President

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA

THE SEARCH

Swarthmore College, one of the world’s premier liberal arts institutions, seeks a visionary leader with a deep commitment to rigorous intellectual engagement and a profound belief in the transformative power of the liberal arts to steer the College as the institution’s 16th president and the Roy J. and Linda G. Shanker Presidential Chair.

Swarthmore was founded in 1864 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Though the College is now nonsectarian, Quaker values — including commitments to the pursuit of knowledge, respect for the natural world, peaceful resolution of differences, and a spirit of collaboration and equality — still resonate powerfully at Swarthmore.

Located just outside Philadelphia on an idyllic 425-acre arboretum campus, Swarthmore enrolls approximately 1,700 students and benefits from an endowment of $2.9 billion. The College is home to a distinguished community exceptional for its academic excellence and ethical scholarship, and is distinctive among liberal arts colleges for its accredited engineering program, robust undergraduate research opportunities, and signature Honors Program.

Swarthmore alumni include six Nobel Prize winners, 14 MacArthur “Genius” Fellows, 28 Rhodes Scholars, and thousands more who have received the highest distinctions across the arts, business, government, and beyond. In fact, Swarthmore alumni have received doctoral degrees at the third-highest rate across all American institutions in the last decade, exceeding not only other liberal arts colleges but most of the world’s top research institutions.

After more than a decade of thoughtful leadership under outgoing President Valerie Smith, Swarthmore enters this transition from a position of considerable strength. The College combines exceptional financial resources, a well-maintained physical campus, and a strong senior leadership team with a deep commitment to academic excellence. Recent initiatives — including a new interdisciplinary technology and media center, the tuition guarantee program, and major sustainability initiatives that will enable the College to achieve campus carbon neutrality by 2035 — reflect a community that continues to invest confidently in its future.

Swarthmore's next president will nurture the qualities that make the College distinctive and chart a compelling, confident vision for its future. The next president must be an innovative, inspiring intellectual leader, an excellent manager, a trusted community builder, and a persuasive public advocate for Swarthmore and for the enduring importance of liberal arts education. This role presents a unique, once-in-a-career opportunity: to work with some of the world’s most talented and dedicated scholars, at a moment of profound global change, and at an institution where one leader can make a transformative impact that endures for generations.

To conduct this search, the Swarthmore College Board of Managers has named a 15-person search committee that includes broad representation from the institution’s faculty, staff, students, alumni, and Managers. The committee is assisted by the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent in confidence via the Isaacson, Miller website:  imsearch.com/open-searches/swarthmore-college/president.

Kate Barry, Managing Partner

Elizabeth Weithman, Managing Associate

Diana Carmona, Senior Associate

Kaitlin Cruz, Managing Search Coordinator

Isaacson, Miller

Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by law or College policy.