Isaacson, Miller Seeking President for Marquette University

October 31, 2024 – Boston-based Isaacson, Miller was recently retained by Marquette University to lead in its search for its 25th president. Vice president and director Julie Filizetti, partner Phillip Petree, and senior associate Rafael Escobedo, are leading the assignment. Past president Michael Lovell recently died after a three-year battle with cancer. The president serves as the CEO for Marquette and has overall responsibility for the university.
The president provides leadership and oversight for all aspects of the university, including academics, finance, planning, student affairs, enrollment, advancement, athletics and other key areas. The provost, executive vice president and chief operating officer, vice presidents, and several other staff members report to the president.
The president works closely with the provost, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and vice presidents to ensure that the strategic direction and policies of the university are aligned with its mission. The president reports to the board of trustees and works with the board in establishing policies to guide the institution.
The successful candidate for president will be an experienced and accomplished academic leader and fundraiser with a high level of energy, political savvy, drive, and the engaging personality necessary to achieve ambitious university-wide goals. Candidates will bring a commitment to Marquette’s Catholic, Jesuit mission and values, including the ability to work successfully with the Marquette Jesuit Community and other Catholic higher education leaders; and an unwavering commitment to academic freedom and the ability to navigate the crosscurrents in Catholic higher education.
“The search committee held listening sessions with faculty, staff, students, our Jesuit community, University Academic Senate and the University Leadership Council,” said Todd Adams, chair, Marquette board of trustees and chair, presidential search committee. “It was clear throughout these sessions how much you care about Marquette and take seriously the board’s important charge of identifying our next president. The search committee will continue to provide updates as the search moves forward.”
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Catholic, Jesuit institution in Milwaukee, WI. The university has an enrollment of approximately 11,400 students: 7,700 undergraduates (1,900 first-year students), 3,700 graduate and professional (i.e., dental, education, health sciences, law and nursing) students; students typically come from all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Founded in 1881, Marquette is one of 28 Catholic, Jesuit universities in the United States and is the largest private university in Wisconsin.
Director of Athletics Search
Marquette also recently called in Raleigh, NC-based Collegiate Sports Associates to lead in its search for a new vice president and director of athletics. Kimo Ah Yun, Marquette’s acting president and provost, announced in June that the athletic director search is on hold until the president search is completed. Bill Scholl, who has been Marquette’s athletic director since 2014, had said he would retire as soon as the school names his successor. “The athletic director position is one in which the president has a key role in vetting and hiring, so it is prudent that we pause this important leadership search during this time of transition,” Dr. Ah Yun said in a statement.
Related: Isaacson, Miller Assists University of Michigan in the Recruitment of New President
A nationally recognized search firm focused on recruiting transformational leaders for mission-driven organizations, Isaacson, Miller has conducted thousands of placements over more than three decades. More than half of the firm’s work has been in academia, involving university presidents, college chancellors and deans. The firm has filled top leadership posts at Wellesley College, Washington State University, Miami University, Howard University, Bowdoin College, Dartmouth, NYU, Virginia State University, and the University of North Carolina, among others.
Ms. Filizetti leads Isaacson, Miller’s San Francisco office. She focuses primarily on higher education leadership roles in public and private institutions, including presidents, provosts, vice presidents, deans and directors. She also conducts searches in a range of areas, including academic medicine, training and development, advancement, research, and technology. Since coming to Isaacson, Miller in 2007, Ms. Filizetti has developed strong relationships with many clients who turn to her for her ability to adapt to an organization’s needs and grow their leadership capacity.
Mr. Petree joined Isaacson, Miller in 2006 and serves as co-lead of the firm’s human services practice. He spearheads a diverse portfolio of executive leadership searches in higher education, human services and environmental organizations and has been lauded for his experience in finding successors to long-serving leaders across all sectors. In higher education, Mr. Petree has conducted leadership searches for Harvard Business School, John Carroll University, University of Chicago and University of South Carolina; he serves as the human services practice area lead and has recruited CEOs for Chimes International, Community Resources for Justice, Hope Haven, Key Program, and South Middlesex Opportunity Council; and for environmental organizations, he has conducted searches for the EARTH University Foundation, Pure Earth and Second Nature.
Mr. Escobedo joined Isaacson, Miller as an Associate in 2021. Prior to joining the firm, he was an assistant director of admissions at Dartmouth College, where he worked on access initiatives. Before that, Mr. Escobedo worked on the global initiatives team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s office of admissions and recruitment.
Related: The Bruce Taps Isaacson, Miller to Find New Executive Director
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media