Virginia Tech seeks a collaborative and visionary leader with a deep commitment to advancing innovation in undergraduate education to serve as the next dean of the Virginia Tech Honors College. Reporting to the executive vice president and provost, the dean serves as the principal academic and administrative officer of the college and an institutional leader in advancing the goals of Virginia Tech. Applications, inquiries, and nominations are invited.
Virginia Tech’s main campus is in Blacksburg, Virginia, which is consistently ranked among the country’s best places to live. In addition, Virginia Tech has facilities across the state and around the globe, including a strong presence in the Washington, D.C. metro area that is expanding rapidly with the new Innovation Campus in Alexandria, Virginia slated to open in 2025. As the Commonwealth of Virginia’s most comprehensive university and a leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers about 110 undergraduate majors and more than 120 master’s and doctoral degree programs to more than 38,000 students and manages a research portfolio of close to $600 million. The university fulfills its role as a land-grant institution by fostering a collaborative environment that integrates technology into all disciplines, so that the Virginia Tech community can serve as a force for positive change around the Commonwealth, the country, and the world. Through experiential learning, future-focused research, and an inclusive, spirited culture, Virginia Tech strives to accomplish the charge of its motto Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).
The Virginia Tech Honors College seeks to inspire and facilitate an extraordinary undergraduate education for a diverse student body of exceptional motivation. Utilizing a flexible curricular framework with a strategic array of experiences, opportunities, and facilities, the Honors College pioneers progressive, innovative approaches to undergraduate education that can be scaled up across the university. The Honors College enrolls approximately 1,700 students who are taught by a dedicated team of Collegiate Faculty, Professors of Practice, and Affiliated Faculty distinguished by their transdisciplinary vision, research achievements, and commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching. Students in the Honors College work toward the Honors Laureate Diploma, a flexible course of study plan featuring unique and transformative learning opportunities that emphasize collaborative discovery and experiential learning. The Honors Minor in Collaborative Discovery is an optional minor that offers a curated approach to completing the Honors Laureate Diploma requirements. Since transitioning from a program to a college in 2016, the Honors College has transformed its curriculum and teaching methods to focus on transdisciplinarity through studio pedagogy, research methods, and experiential learning including community engagement and service-learning. This approach offers students the concepts, capacities, and experiences they will need to thrive in the 21st century workplace and civic sphere.
The new dean has an exceptional opportunity to have a positive and constructive impact in charting the future of the Honors College, grounded in a commitment to outstanding undergraduate teaching and research in the context of a vibrantly collaborative and transdisciplinary environment. They will fulfill the college’s vision of serving as a testbed for innovation in education and maintaining the current trajectory as a platform to propagate this innovation across the university. Within this broader vision, the dean will ensure an ongoing commitment to an exceptional student experience. Supporting the success of, and fostering a sense of belonging among, the Honors College students, faculty, and staff are top priorities. The new dean will champion inclusive excellence, including recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented faculty, staff, and student body. The incoming dean will also work collaboratively with the provost, academic deans, and other university leaders to align the Honors College with the university’s goals and aspirations. The incoming dean will build relationships across the campus to promote, advocate for, and expand transdisciplinary, experiential undergraduate education and research across the university. Working closely with Advancement Division colleagues, the dean will develop, lead, and support the college’s fundraising and external relations activities, and ensure high visibility for the Honors College. The Virginia Tech community seeks a dean who will be a highly engaged and accessible leader.
The next dean must have a record of scholarly achievement appropriate for a tenured appointment at the level of full professor in a department within the university. They must have a steadfast commitment to innovation in undergraduate education in the context of a comprehensive research environment and must have a track record of advancing inclusive excellence. The new dean must have a record of administrative leadership and demonstrate the administrative, fiscal, and operational acumen required to manage a distinctive program in the context of a large, complex institution. The dean should demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities and exceptional interpersonal, collaboration, and communication skills. Additionally, the dean should demonstrate the potential and desire to forge strong relationships and engage donors, alumni, and others in enhancing philanthropic support for the college.
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile.
WittKieffer is assisting the Virginia Tech in this search. For full consideration, candidate materials should be received by October 1, 2024.
Applications, nominations, and inquiries can be directed to Suzanne Teer and Lauren Bruce-Stets at VirginiaTechHonorsDean@wittkieffer.com.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, contact the Office for Equity and Accessibility at 540-231-2010 or Virginia Tech, 220 Gilbert Street, Suite 5200, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
