Academic Search Assists the University of Alabama with the Recruitment of 30th President
June 19, 2025 – Education-focused executive recruiter Academic Search has assisted in the recruitment of Peter J. Mohler as the 30th president of the University of Alabama. He will assume the role on July 21. Stuart R. Bell, the 29th president of the University of Alabama, is stepping down from the presidency mid-summer, completing a decade in the school’s top leadership role. Senior consultant Ann Die Hasselmo, consultant Christopher Butler, and associate consultant Kate Cusimano led the assignment. Academic Search has partnered with UA on several successful searches, including the hiring of former president Robert E. Witt and the hiring of current president Dr. Bell.
“Dr. Mohler is uniquely equipped to build upon the University of Alabama’s strong foundation and lead this institution into an even brighter future,” said UA System chancellor Sid J. Trant, who recommended Mohler’s appointment to the Board. “He is a champion for the power of public higher education to transform lives and communities through teaching, research and service, and he will advance our flagship mission through his bold, student-centered and visionary leadership.”
“Dr. Mohler is a highly respected and forward-thinking leader who will elevate the University of Alabama to new heights,” said UA System board of trustees president pro tempore Scott Phelps. “His leadership will attract world-class faculty, staff and students and will ensure they are prepared to thrive and succeed on campus and beyond. I want to thank our search chair, trustee Karen Brooks, and the entire presidential search advisory committee for their outstanding work identifying the ideal leader for UA’s future.”
A distinguished leader with over 20 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Mohler currently serves as executive vice president for research, innovation and knowledge at Ohio State University and chief scientific officer of OSU’s Wexner Medical Center. He served as the university’s acting president in 2023, successfully leading one of the largest public flagships in the nation. Dr. Mohler joined Ohio State in 2011 as the director of the Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute and subsequently served as chair of the department of physiology and cell biology, vice dean of research in the College of Medicine, and vice president for research for the university.
“It is a tremendous honor to be named the next president of the University of Alabama, and I am deeply grateful to the University of Alabama System board of trustees for the opportunity to serve this institution and further its tradition of excellence,” said Dr. Mohler. “UA stands as a national leader in higher education, and I look forward to working collaboratively across campus, the UA System and the state to expand our impact and build on the university’s remarkable momentum.”
Related: Academic Search Recruits President for Norwich University
The University of Alabama, part of the University of Alabama System, is located in the city of Tuscaloosa and is one of the nation’s premier public universities, offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in more than 200 fields of study. The school has more than 40,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, attracting more than half of its students from out of state. US employs more than 2,100 faculty and was recognized in 2024 by Forbes magazine as one of America’s Best-In-State Employers and Best Employers for New Graduates.
Serving Colleges and Universities
For over three decades, Academic Search has been a leader in designing and implementing search processes for leaders of colleges and universities across the country. The firm has completed hundreds of executive searches for higher education institutions and related organizations, for roles ranging from presidents to provosts to deans. Academic Search has a formal relationship to a premier leadership development program. As the subsidiary of the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), the firm provides substantial financial support to a number of leadership identification, development, and support programs across all sectors of public and private higher education. The firm is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Academic Search Assists the University of Nebraska in Recruiting New President
Academic Search recently assisted in the recruitment of Jeffrey P. Gold as the ninth president of the University of Nebraska. Past president Ted Carter left the school last year to become the president of Ohio State University, a search that was led by Santa Barbara, CA-based Education Executives. Dr. Gold’s appointment concludes a national search launched last fall that engaged the university community and key stakeholders across the state, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and leaders in agriculture, business and philanthropy. He was named the board’s priority candidate for president on March 20, after which he underwent a vetting period required by state law that included a dozen public events across Nebraska.
Dr. Hasselmo is president emerita of the AALI and of Hendrix College. Prior to becoming the founding president of AALI, she was managing director of Academic Search Consultation Service. Her earlier career in higher education administration spanned positions from faculty leadership to the presidency. Dr. Hasselmo’s experience includes work at both public and private colleges and universities. She has also held a variety of chairs and presidencies of national higher education boards and associations.
Mr. Butler is responsible for assisting the lead consultants with research functions, preparing written documents for searches, recruiting and evaluation of applicants, and providing assistance to the lead consultants during committee meetings and neutral site interviews. He came to Academic Search from Apex CoVantage, a business solutions firm, in which he worked in the editorial division and supervised prepress work on academic monographs and textbooks.
Ms. Cusimano joined Academic Search in 2019. She has been involved in a variety of searches for both public and private institutions, inclusive of those with Carnegie R1 and R2 research classifications. These searches have included presidencies, provosts, and other cabinet-level vice presidencies, and deans of academic units.
Related: Academic Search Seeking New President for the University of Southern Indiana
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
