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Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES) selected by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing for Associate Dean for Simulation and Experiential Learning and Professor Search

(April 3, 2026, WEST HARTFORD, CT) Academic Career & Executive Search (ACES), a leading higher education focused executive search firm, has been selected to recruit the next Associate Dean for Simulation and Experiential Learning and Professor at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing.  Jennifer Muller, Managing Partner, will be leading the search.

The Associate Dean for Simulation and Experiential Learning and Professor (open rank – academic or clinical track) will build on a strong foundational legacy while bringing innovation and vision to help shape the future of simulation-based experiential learning for academic nursing and clinical education. The School of Nursing is elevating simulation and experiential learning as a central pillar of its academic mission. Carolina Nursing’s Education Innovation Simulation Learning Environment (EISLE) is not simply a supporting unit; it is a flagship program that has helped define Carolina Nursing’s national reputation and shape best practices in immersive, evidence-based nursing education for decades.

The Associate Dean will steward one of the most visible and well-supported simulation portfolios in the country. Set to open in spring of 2027, the new Nursing Education Building will feature three dedicated floors of purpose-built simulation space, signaling deep institutional commitment and long-term strategic alignment. The Associate Dean will bring cohesion, strategic clarity, and bold innovation to an already distinguished enterprise, strengthening organization alignment, reinforcing its identity, and amplifying national visibility and influence in simulation-based nursing education.

Designed as a 50% faculty and 50% administrative appointment, this role is ideally suited for a nationally respected senior faculty leader who brings both scholarly credibility and strategic leadership to advancing simulation and experiential learning. The administrative appointment reports to the Dean with the faculty support from the Division Chair.

Established in 1950, Carolina Nursing is a nationally recognized leader in nursing education, research, and clinical innovation. The school offers highly ranked BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs, along with post-graduate certificate programs that prepare nurse leaders to improve health outcomes locally, nationally, and globally.  Its proximity to UNC Hospitals, one of the nation’s leading academic health systems, further strengthens opportunities for clinical education, research partnerships, and translational impact. Carolina Nursing faculty lead and contribute to a diverse portfolio of multidisciplinary research and scholarship addressing critical health challenges. The school is widely recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, community engagement, and innovative models of experiential learning that prepare the next generation of nursing leaders.

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/.