Academic Search

About Us

For more than four decades, Academic Search has offered executive search services to higher education institutions, associations, and related organizations. Academic Search was founded by higher education leaders on the principle that we provide the most value to partner institutions by combining best practices with our deep knowledge and experience. Our mission today is to enhance institutional capacity by providing outstanding executive recruitment services, executive coaching, and transition support, in partnership with our parent organization, the American Academic Leadership Institute.

Academic Search’s accomplished consultants have intimate knowledge of what makes a successful executive leader due to a combined 1600 years of higher education experience, and are unmatched in access to and knowledge about both current and rising leaders in higher education. The consultants leverage their extensive networks to gain access to a wide and expansive group of highly qualified potential candidates and referrals forged from relationships they developed from having previously served in campus leadership roles across the country.

Our Services

EXECUTIVE SEARCH

We understand that hiring qualified and effective new team members is critical to the life of any institution. As a trusted search partner, Academic Search is dedicated to providing service that our partner institutions can rely on unequivocally to achieve their recruitment goals and to support their overarching missions. We pledge to serve our partners with robust advocacy for their institutions and complete attention to their needs, while providing expert, ethical advisement and assistance throughout every search.

EXECUTIVE COACHING

Academic Search has long been committed to enhancing presidential and executive effectiveness and capacity through executive coaching. Our Executive Coaching Practice is designed to make strong leaders stronger. Our coaches serve as trusted companions and guides, committed to helping the executives with whom we work accomplish their leadership and institutional goals. This partnership is an invaluable investment in institutional vitality and well-being as much as it is an investment in the executive.

TRANSITION AND ONBOARDING

The creation and execution of a well-structured transition and onboarding plan is imperative to a successful integration process. We work with newly appointed leaders and their institutions in assuring that all are equipped to succeed and to advance the institutions. Our collaborative process is built on the imperatives of culture, context, and relational capital and includes custom-designed workshops that quickly acclimate any new leader to key stakeholders and the campus and broader communities.

For more information, visit www.academicsearch.org.

ACHIEVEMENTS

RECENT PLACEMENTS

Academic Search

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Academic Search is mission driven: We are institution builders focused on partnering with colleges and universities to assemble the best teams possible. We understand that hiring qualified and effective new team members is critical to the life of any institution. As your trusted partner, Academic Search pledges to serve you with robust advocacy for your institution, enthusiasm for your mission, complete attention to your needs, and expert, ethical advisement, and assistance throughout the search process.

One of the hallmarks of Academic Search is our use of a team approach that involves one or more senior consultants as well as a consultant and/or associate consultant. The team we propose for a search will have direct, hands-on overall responsibility for all consulting services provided throughout the search. This is a characteristic that distinguishes us from others and reflects our mission-focused approach. Our accomplished consultants are seasoned and thoughtful leaders who have an intimate understanding of what makes a successful executive leader as well as vast professional networks.

Biographies for other members of our team can be found on the Academic Search website at www.academicsearch.org/our-team.

Academic Search

Solutions And Expertise

Solutions
  • Executive Coaching
  • Executive Search
  • Leadership Consulting
  • Leadership Develop.
  • Onboarding
Industries
  • Associations
  • Colleges/Universities
  • Education
  • Non-Profit
Functions
  • Board/Governance
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • General Management
  • Human Resources

Academic Search

News Briefings

Academic Search Seeking New Leader for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Jay Lemons, Jennifer Kooken, and Maria Thompson of education-focused executive recruiter Academic Search was recently selected by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to lead in its search for a new president and CEO. After five years of service, the current president, Mildred García, has stepped down. The president leads an accomplished and diverse staff of

The Shifting Landscape for Leadership Skill-Sets

Reskilling has been a simmering hot topic for the past several years, especially as it applies to professional and technical skills. But the past year and a half may go down as the great shake-up for leadership skills, according to executive search consultants. Traditional leader skill-sets (including communication), which could once be mastered, now need

In Changing Times, Higher Education Sector Seeks New Types of Leaders

Recruiting senior leaders in the higher education sector has become a dynamic and evolving process. As universities face numerous challenges, including financial constraints, enrollment declines, and the need to prioritize diversity and inclusion, the demand for visionary and transformational leaders has never been higher. In recent years, the higher education sector has witnessed a significant

Academic Search Seeks President for Saint Michael’s College

Jay Lemons, Scott Flanagan, Jennifer Kooken, and Kate Cusimano of education-focused executive recruiter Academic Search was recently selected by Saint Michael’s College to lead its search for its 18th president. Lorraine Sterritt recently announced she was stepping down after becoming the first woman to lead the college. Ideally, the college’s next president will be person of faith with

Academic Search

Press Releases

Academic Search Assists with Ivy League Leadership Searches

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 8, 2017 — Academic Search, Inc., celebrated its 40th anniversary of conducting higher education leadership searches in 2016. Now it starts 2017 by celebrating some Ivy League successes. On February 1st, Cornell University announced that it was appointing Madelyn F. Wessel as the next University Counsel and Secretary of the Corporation. Academic Search’s Vice

Utah Valley University Appoints New Dean

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 11, 2017 — Utah Valley University has appointed Saeed Moaveni as the new dean of the College of Technology and Computing, effective May 1. Moaveni comes from Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he has been serving as professor of mechanical engineering. “Dr. Moaveni is an accomplished engineer and academic administrator with a commitment to

Mount Mary University Appoints President

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 30, 2016 — Dr. Christine Pharr, a higher education administrator with more than 20 years of experience, has been named the twelfth president of Mount Mary University. Dr. Pharr will assume her duties as president in July 2017 when President Dr. Eileen Schwalbach steps down; Dr. Schwalbach served as president since 2008. For the

CSU Chico Appoints Provost

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 23, 2016 — California State University, Chico has named Debra Larson as its new provost and vice president for academic affairs, following a three-month nationwide search. Larson will begin her position March 1. Larson has previously served with distinction as an educational leader at two institutions of higher education. She comes to CSU, Chico from

Lyon College Names New President

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 6, 2016 — The Lyon College Board of Trustees has announced that Dr. W. Joseph (Joey) King will become the 18th president of Lyon. He will succeed Dr. Donald V. Weatherman, who is retiring. King and his family will move to Batesville next summer, and he will begin work July 1. “The Board of

Academic Search

Multimedia

Talent Talks

Videos

Academic Search: Setting the Standard for Excellence in Higher Education Executive Search
Academic Search: Executive Coaching Designed for Higher Education Leaders
Academic Search: Committed to Identifying and Developing Leaders in Higher Education

Podcasts

Today’s higher education leaders share their stories and insights about leadership in the academy. Join host Jay Lemons and his guests for thoughtful conversations and interesting perspectives on leadership.

Leaders on Leadership is brought to you by Academic Search and the American Academic Leadership Institute, who together support colleges and universities during times of transition and through leadership development activities that serve current and future generations of institutional leaders.

To listen to the Leaders on Leadership podcasts, click here!

Further Research/Insights