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Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) selected by North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University for Dean, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Search

(February 11, 2026, WEST HARTFORD, CT) Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES), a leading higher education focused executive search firm, has been selected to recruit the next Dean for the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T).  Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, will be leading the search.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a nationally respected, research-intensive leader to shape the future of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at North Carolina A&T State University, the nation’s largest HBCU and a top-flight doctoral research institution. As a flagship land-grant college central to the University’s Preeminence 2030 agenda, CAES is poised for significant expansion in research activity, doctoral education, innovation, and statewide engagement. Backed by unprecedented momentum, public investment, and the Chancellor’s full commitment to CAES as a top institutional priority, the next Dean will lead a modern, high-impact college advancing discovery, economic development, and transformational public service across North Carolina and beyond.

The Dean serves as the chief executive officer of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, providing strategic and operational leadership for its academic programs, research enterprise, Cooperative Extension, and external engagement mission. Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Dean oversees an annual budget of approximately $50.7 million and leads a complex organization that includes associate and assistant deans, department chairs, and dedicated advancement and administrative support. The Dean must bring deep knowledge of the history and role of 1890 land-grant universities; demonstrated excellence in leadership within the context of institutional change and significant research expansion; and a strong commitment to student success, faculty excellence, and inclusive innovation. The successful candidate will be an exemplary communicator, consensus-builder, and advocate, with the ability to cultivate partnerships that advance external funding, philanthropic investment, student career pathways, and statewide impact.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) is a top-flight doctoral research institution and the nation’s largest historically Black university. An 1890 land-grant university within the University of North Carolina System, N.C. A&T is nationally recognized for excellence in STEM education, research, and inclusive student success. With an enrollment of more than 15,000 students, the University offers a broad portfolio of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs and serves as one of North Carolina’s leading public research engines.

 

N.C. A&T is in an exciting period of growth and transformation, guided by its strategic plan, Preeminence 2030: North Carolina A&T Blueprint, and supported by a rapidly expanding research enterprise that generates $147 million annually in sponsored research funding and programs. The University’s impact is profound, contributing more than $2.4 billion annually to the North Carolina economy and advancing innovation and opportunity across the state and beyond.

 

Affordable Excellence 

Academic Career & Executive Search, a higher education focused search firm, specializes in affordable excellence, providing perfectly matched candidates to institutions quickly and accurately. Their methodologies, based on frequent touchpoints, pinpoint ideal candidates with speed and meticulous care resulting in highly successful placements.

They offer flexible service/pricing levels for all positions, ensuring affordability.

Contact Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, at 860-740-2600 or Jennifer@ACESrch.com, or visit https://acesrch.com/.