Photo Courtesy of Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown College named Cecilia M. McCormick, J.D. its next president Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. This announcement arrived after a long search process that occurred once Etown’s current president, Dr. Carl Strikwerda, announced his retirement Feb. 12, 2018.

The announcement was made in an email sent out to the college community by Board of Trustees Chair Robert Dolan. In the email, Dolan praised McCormick for her background and leadership qualities.

“President-elect McCormick’s dynamic background, combined with her academia expertise, will help to advance the College’s strategic plan, initiatives and on-going projects to enhance the experience of our students,” Dolan said in the email. He further went on to say that the Board of Trustees unanimously ratified the presidential search committee’s recommendation of McCormick as the College’s next president.

McCormick was selected from a nationwide search that lasted 10 months. The first step of the process was to find a search firm that could help Etown find its next president. Witt/Keiffer was selected as the search firm for Etown to partner with, and together they created a leadership profile and position statement before they started to receive applicants.

Over 100 applications were submitted, and the presidential search committee looked through every single one before narrowing down its search to a series of semi-finalists. After interviewing those semi-finalists, the presidential search committee narrowed its pool again to a few finalists who were put through various interviews and activities to gauge their leadership capabilities.

The interview process amongst the final candidates involved students, which, as junior Student Senate president Holly Francescone said, is not something seen at other institutions and was recommended by the Board of Trustees.

The interview process involved five students, including Francescone, having lunch with the candidates and telling the Board the strengths and weaknesses they saw in the candidates. McCormick reflected on the interview process with the students when she visited campus Wednesday, Jan. 16.

“What students have to say matters to me,” McCormick said. She went on to say how thrilled she was that students were involved in the search process.

“That was very important to me, and they asked great questions.”

McCormick’s visit to campus allowed her to meet students and faculty who were not involved with the search process and to get to know more about the community. Students who met McCormick spoke about her commitment and passion for the student body.

“Just based on the impression that I had on how she interacted with all the students there that first day, she seemed very charismatic and very open to one-on-one student interaction,” junior Alexis Trionfo said after meeting with the president-elect.

“I think she’s very personable,” Francescone said. “I think that she has a really strong heart for students … She talked about her previous experience, even though she’s in an administrative role, of just diving right into student activities. I think that’s a really positive first impression.”

“I want to make sure that we give [the students] opportunities,” McCormick said.

She also spoke about how she can get Etown students involved using methods she has used in the past, such as student focus groups, luncheons, forums and other informal collaborative techniques.

“I think that gives [the students] leadership opportunities, but in addition, it also adds to, I think, the nature of our culture here on the campus,” she said.

In addition to working with students, McCormick also shared how she hopes to work with faculty and the community to grow the institution. “The first conversation I want to have is ‘what is the value of an Elizabethtown education?’ and that would be to both the faculty and to the students,” McCormick said.

“I want to hear both of your perspectives, and I want to hear other stakeholder perspectives: alumni, employers, everybody. We’ve got to have everybody at that table to really get that understanding.”

Photo Courtesy of Elizabethtown College

Associate professor of English and chair of the English and communications departments Dr. Matt Skillen served on the presidential search committee on behalf of the faculty. “I hope that President McCormick really communicates a clear vision for the College and begins to mobilize not just members of the faculty, but members of the entire College community to work more purposefully towards that vision,” Skillen said.

“I think that was overwhelmingly the thing that the faculty was looking for in the next president, and I think we found someone who could do that.”

In terms of the future, the community shared what they hoped to see once McCormick begins her term.“I’m really looking forward to the fact that she already has ideas planned. I think it’s really nice that she is excited to implement these ideas and work hand-in-hand with students,” Trionfo said, referring to the plans McCormick shared with her about service trips and working directly with Student Senate.

“I’m really excited to host Induction with her next fall,” Francescone said, since Induction will be McCormick’s first main event on campus.

“I’m most excited to see how she handles all the changes that are coming to the College … I think she’s going to be in a very busy role the next couple of years, but I think that she’s going to handle it well.”

“When I first met Cecilia McCormick, I was just really impressed with her ability to connect with so many people so easily,” Skillen said. “I think she is going to be an amazing chief executive for this college but also a leader for higher education in this community.”

For McCormick, one of the first things on her list once she becomes president is to create a brand for Etown. “Small colleges all over the country, I think, are having these conversations, and if they’re not, then they’re behind, so we need to make sure that we’re having it here,” she said. “What is it that we want to be for the future?

”Strikwerda will retire June 30 at the end of his second term at the College. McCormick will begin her first day as Etown’s 15th president July 1.

“I am so happy to be here, and I feel very welcomed,” McCormick said.

“I felt that the process was incredibly thoughtful and at the same time rigorous. I’m flattered and just delighted that I’ve been chosen.”