Independent Institution

John Paul “Jay” Dowd III, Ph.D., has been appointed as the new president at Wofford College. His tenure begins July 1, 2026. Dr. Dowd currently serves as president and chief executive officer of The Citadel Foundation, a position he’s held since 2013. Previously, Dr. Dowd served as vice president for development and executive director at the Francis Marion University Education Foundation, where he was a member of the senior staff and the college’s chief fundraiser. He also has served as vice president for advancement at Columbia College, assistant vice chancellor for university advancement at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and vice president for institutional advancement at Methodist College. In each community, he was a leader and collaborator, discovering a passion for service and building and sustaining relationships based on transparency, communication and respect. He is a graduate of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he earned a B.A. in history. He holds an M.Ed., with a focus on student personnel services, and a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of South Carolina. He has more than 30 years of experience in higher education strategy, fundraising, institutional advancement and executive leadership. Read more.

Dr. David Tolentino has been appointed as the new Dean of Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine at Campbell University. Dr. Tolentino, currently serving as the Interim Dean, has been selected for the permanent appointment. As noted in the press release, "Dr. Tolentino emerged from the process as the candidate of first choice, earning the nod for “his demonstrated leadership in growing clinical education programs, developing new affiliate partnerships and contributing to medical training across the region” since joining the school as associate dean for clinical affairs in 2016." Dr. Tolentino is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in chemistry. He received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2002 and completed his internal medicine residency at St. John Medical Center in Westlake, Ohio. Read more.

Mr. John McKiernan has been appointed as the new Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at Holy Cross College effective May 1, 2026. Mr. McKiernan is a distinguished leader in higher education with extensive experience in administrative roles at Catholic institutions. Currently serving as Chief of Staff and most recently as Interim Chief Financial Officer at Wilmington College, he brings expertise in academic affairs, accreditation, strategic planning, and institutional governance. His previous roles include Assistant Vice President at Loyola University Maryland, where he managed board operations and strategic planning, and Director of Academic Counseling at Yale Law School. Mr. McKiernan holds a Juris Doctor and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from the University of Scranton, and a postgraduate diploma in theology from the University of Oxford. Read more.

Dr. Christopher Sindt has been appointed as the new President at Lewis University. Since joining Lewis University in 2018, Dr. Sindt has served with extraordinary distinction as provost, overseeing Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, Student Life, Athletics, and Campus Safety. He has played a central role in advancing the university’s strategic plan, strengthening student success, expanding academic innovation, and leading key initiatives that position Lewis for continued growth and impact. Under his leadership, Lewis achieved a successful 10-year reaccreditation term from the Higher Learning Commission, launched multiple new academic programs, expanded international partnerships, and supported major institutional milestones, including the merger with St. Augustine College and the growth of sponsored research and fundraising efforts. Dr. Sindt earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his master’s and doctoral degrees in English from the University of California, Davis. Read more.

Ms. Aubrie Willaert has been appointed as the new Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement at Columbia College Chicago. She will begin her position on February 1st. Ms. Willaert comes to CCC from the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music, where she served as the Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations for 4 years. Prior to that, Ms. Willaert served for 2 years as the Director of Development for the School of Music at DePaul University. Ms. Willaert holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Florida State University, and a Master of Music in Voice Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. Read more. 

Dr. James Antony has been appointed as the new Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of San Diego, effective March 1, 2026. Dr. Antony comes to USD following his tenure as Executive Vice President and Provost at George Mason University, the largest and most diverse research university in Virginia. Prior to his role at George Mason, he served as the dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs at UC San Diego. Dr. Antony has held notable academic leadership roles at Harvard, Yale and the University of Washington. From 2015 to 2019, he served as the faculty director of the Higher Education Program in the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University and co-directed Harvard’s Management Development Program. As an associate provost at Yale University from 2012 to 2015, he focused on faculty development and the promotion of undergraduate student leadership. His 17-year tenure at the University of Washington was marked by numerous leadership roles, including associate vice provost for graduate education, associate dean for the College of Education and director of two academic programs; he also facilitated the development of new graduate degree and certificate programs across the university, and created and led the Center for Leadership in Athletics, and its associated professional degree programs. Dr. Antony received his BA in psychology, and his MA and PhD in higher education and organizational change, all from UCLA. Read more.

Ms. Penny Reardon as the new Vice President for Finance and Treasurer at Bridgewater College, effective December 27, 2025. Ms. Reardon currently serves as the Director of Finance and Budget at Bridgewater, a position she has held since 2017.  Prior to her time at Bridgewater, she served as the Executive Dean of Administrative Services and Chief Financial Officer at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College for 11 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Business Administration, both from Eastern Mennonite University. 

Michael Ibba, Ph.D. has been appointed as the new executive vice president, provost, and chief academic officer at Chapman University. Dr. Ibba currently serves as interim provost. Dr. Ibba, who earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry with honors from the University of London and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Manchester, is an internationally known and award-winning microbiologist and researcher. He came to Chapman with significant R1 credentials from The Ohio State University. He served several progressively responsible positions at Ohio State starting in 2001, culminating in his roles as chair of the Department of Microbiology and associate director of the Infectious Diseases Institute. He joined Chapman in 2020 as Dean of the Schmid College of Science and Technology; he advanced the Schmid College’s academic offerings and research footprint in meaningful ways. His achievements include: the college successfully increased total student enrollments by 9% and the total number of credits taught by 18%; total grant funding awarded for research also increased by 300% with year-over-year publication growth; the college launched evidence-based faculty mentor training as a requirement for faculty to participate in a new program that provides credit for mentoring undergraduate researchers; and he helped to develop and launch a new doctoral program in Math, Physics, and Philosophy. Read more.

Mr. Brent White has been appointed as the new President at Golden Gate University. Mr. White will officially assume his new role on November 1, 2025. Mr. White currently serves as Chief Global Officer at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, where he directs all aspects of global engagement for the campus, and as Professor of Law at the William S. Richardson School of Law. Prior to joining the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Mr. White served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Golden Gate University, leading the creation of new programs and international partnerships that significantly expanded the university's student body and its global impact. Mr. White earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law, and his A.B., magna cum laude, in Public Policy from Duke University. His legal scholarship has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, and 60 Minutes. Read more.

Dr. Jim Burkee has been appointed as the new President at Saint Leo University. Dr. Burkee will officially begin his new role on September 1, 2025. Dr. Burkee currently serves as the 15th President and Chief Executive Officer of Avila University, a Catholic university founded and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSI), in Kansas City, MO. As President, Dr. Burkee achieved three-fold expansion of the institution in two and a half years, from just over 1,100 students to more than 3,100 (January 2025). He also developed major partnerships with organizations in the US and abroad to drive expansion in domestic undergraduate, graduate, online, and international programs. Under Burkee's leadership, over $34 million in fundraising commitments were made in three short years. Prior to Avila, Dr. Burkee served as the Vice President for Enterprise Programs and Dean of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies at College of Mount Saint Vincent in Bronx, New York. He also served as the Executive Vice President/Executive Dean of Concordia College New York in Bronxville. Dr. Burkee holds two bachelor's degrees from Concordia University in Wisconsin, as well as a doctoral and master's degree from Northwestern University in Illinois. Dr. Burkee feels strongly that his experience working in and leading mission-aligned institutions, building high-impact partnerships, and fostering communities of belonging is uniquely suited to Saint Leo needs right now and he is energized by the opportunity to walk this path forward with the Saint Leo family. Read more.