The Board of Trustees of Virginia Union University has launched a search to fill the position of university president. Virginia Union is a premier liberal arts institution of higher education and center of excellence for the preparation of students and the development of leaders for tomorrow's world. The Board seeks an accomplished and energetic executive who has gained distinction as a fundraiser, visionary academician and with proven business acumen. The president will be charged with continuing the University’s historic transformation by embracing the institutional commitment to student success, academic excellence, building strong community partnerships, and attracting philanthropic support to ensure financial vitality.
Founded in 1865 by the American Baptist Home Mission Society, Virginia Union University was founded to educate newly freed slaves. From its humble beginnings in an abandoned slave jail, Virginia Union for 151 years has been a bridge to intellectual freedom for thousands of alumni who have continued the legacy of making significant contributions to society. It is a Baptist affiliated private liberal arts institution which enrolls 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students. The university’s institutional commitment to student success has included student engagement, retention, a close interaction between faculty and students, along with a synergy between scholarship, teaching, and learning.
Virginia Union University prepares students to earn baccalaureate and graduate degrees. It has 27 undergraduate majors in four academic schools: the Evelyn Reid Syphax School of Education, Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies; the Sydney Lewis School of Business; the School of Mathematics, Science and Technology; and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. At the graduate level, the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University (STVU) has received international acclaim for the preparation of leaders for the church and academy. It is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. An additional graduate program is located in the Evelyn Reid Syphax School of Education, Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies, which offers a master’s degree in Curriculum Instruction.
Virginia Union University provides a nurturing, intellectually challenging, and spiritually enriching environment for learning. It develops scholars, leaders, and lifelong learners in a global society. The university offers a broad range of educational opportunities that advance liberal arts education, teaching, research, science, technology, continuing education, civic engagement, and international experiences.
Reporting directly to the Board of Trustees, the President is the Chief Executive Officer of the University. The President is responsible for the effective management of all areas of the university.
The Board is seeking a president who:
The president is expected to have excellent credentials appropriate for an institution of higher education. The successful candidate values university alumni; has a commitment to academic excellence, academic freedom, and to diversity; has a commitment to equal opportunity and access; is visionary in addressing challenges; has excellent communication skills; is student-centered; and, has a commitment to shared governance and the role it plays in sustaining the quality of the university.
Consideration of applications and nominations with accompanying resumes will end on December 1, 2016.
Application packets should consist of a substantive cover letter, curriculum vita, full contact information, and at least three professional references, none of whom will be contacted without explicit permission of the candidate. Persons wishing to nominate candidates for this position, please click here for nomination form.
Please send all candidate applications, nominations and materials to:
Dr. Lucille M Brown, Chair
Presidential Search Committee
Virginia Union University
P. O. Box 26684
Richmond, VA 23261
Virginia Union University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative-Action Institution committed to cultural, racial and ethnic communities and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is expected that successful candidates share in this commitment. Persons who need reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources at (804) 257-5841.