Indiana State University is making progress to replace President Deborah Curtis.
Curtis announced her retirement Oct. 4 after six years as president. She became the first female president of ISU when she was named to the position in late 2017.
The ISU Presidential Search Committee has submitted three finalists to the Board of Trustees, according to a press release.
“We were privileged to attract a strong and diverse candidate pool,” Board of Trustees Chair Bob Casey said in a statement. “I want to thank all the members of the Search Committee for their tireless commitment to this important process. We are excited to introduce these candidates to the Indiana State University, Terre Haute, and Wabash Valley communities.”
Read more: ISU President Deborah Curtis retires with one year left in contract
Finalist Matt Cecil is currently special advisor to the president at Northern Kentucky University. Before that, he was provost and executive vice president for academic and student affairs at NKU.
Provost of Southeast Missouri State University Mike Godard was also selected as a finalist. He’s a tenured faculty member and professor of exercise science.
Clarenda Phillips, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Texas A&M University, is the third finalist. She’s also a professor of sociology at the university.
Curtis spent 38 years in higher education and finish out the academic year. Her contract was set to expire in 2025 after extensions during the COVID-19 pandemic. She will retire one year before her contract expires.
“I hope to see someone with a vision, someone who understands and gets what we've done, and what the amazing potential is of this institution, and is ready to take that on and take us even further,” Curtis said about ISU’s next president.
Aubrey is our higher education reporter and a Report For America corps member. Contact her at aubmwrig@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @aubreymwright.
