On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, President Grant Cornwell shared a video announcing his imminent retirement from Rollins College in June 2025. While the community was in shock by the end of the President’s 10-year tenure, the college’s board of trustees worked quickly to arrange a committee to elect a candidate to honor and further the accomplishments of the president.
Since the summer, the search has been well-underway, with Trustee and Presidential Search Committee Chair Orlando Evora (’82) updating that initial reviews of applications will continue throughout the Fall semester. As of the October update, the committee has selected a group of candidates for preliminary interviews to be held in the near future.
The committee has elected the executive search platform Storbeck Search to pool applications for the incoming president.
Storbeck Search was founded in 2007 as a platform committed to finding the best leadership for institutions in the education and nonprofit sectors. As of 2020, they merged with Diversified Search Group, pledging to promote increased diversity and inclusion within leadership positions. This selection shows Rollins’ enduring commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
The DEIB Strategic Plan has been one of the many notable initiatives of Cornwell’s presidency. He spearheaded the development of the Rollins Gateway through the rebuilding of Kathleen W. Rollins Hall, greenlit the construction of Lakeside and East End Neighborhood, and raised over $275 million dollars for the college through his Brighter Together campaign.
Amid a wave of legislation attacking academic freedom in higher educations—threatening DEIB programs, challenging public employee unions, attempting to limit the countries that international students come from—President Cornwell has remained true to Rollins’ core values.
In an interview with Presidential Search Committee Chair Orlando Evora (‘82), he spoke on how intends to uphold this commitment to academic freedom throughout their search.
“Academic freedom is a fundamental principle of higher education. The college’s trustees are committed to protecting academic freedom and freedom of inquiry and expression. Faculty are also well represented on the search committee, and they will be vigilant in their assessment of candidates,” said Evora.
The Search Committee itself is selected with representation of all Rollins’ constituencies in mind—students, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the trustees, who are responsible for hiring the next president.
When considering these various legacies that President Cornwell leaves behind, the Search Committee intends to honor those initiatives in their search. “Many of the aspects that make Rollins so appealing to candidates are results of President Cornwell’s initiatives,” said Evora. “We celebrate those successes for Rollins as we look to the future. The next president will inherit a college that is strong and poised for further success.”
In continuing the growth that Rollins has seen over the past 10 years, the Search Committee has much to consider in selecting the right candidate.
“We hope for the smoothest possible transition from the outstanding leadership of President Cornwell to that of the college’s next leader,” said Evora. “Presidential transitions are important milestones for a college; they offer opportunities to recognize our accomplishments and recommit to our aspirations. The committee is looking for a president who will build on President Cornwell’s momentum and take Rollins to the next level academically as well as financially.”
President Cornwell also spoke about his plans after retirement. He said, “Peg and I will continue to call Winter Park home. Like Rita Bornstein and Thad Seymour before us, we will look for ways to do good work in the community and support Rollins in every way possible.”
If you have any nominations for qualified candidates, the college invites you to reach out to consulting members Julie Tea (j.tea@storbecksearch.com) and Kate Phillips (k.phillips@storbecksearch.com) of Storbeck Search with names and contact information.
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