Presidential Search Process

The appointment of President-Elect Dr. Summer McGee concludes a comprehensive and inclusive search process. The Board of Trustees formed an 17-member search committee comprised of faculty, staff, students and alumni, to lead the national search. The search committee was co-chaired by Madeline Dassow, chair of the Board of Trustees, and Cat Niekro, vice president for advancement and communications.

The process included more than a dozen in-person listening sessions and an online survey to gather input on the desired qualities and qualifications of the next president. The executive search firm, Coleman Lew Canny Bowen—with offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, and New York City— identified a robust applicant pool of more than 150 individuals. 

The search committee focused its intensive review on more than a dozen of the most highly qualified candidates, ultimately recommending Dr. Summer McGee as the ideal leader to advance Lenoir-Rhyne’s mission.

Regular updates were provided throughout the search process to keep the LR community informed. 

Lenoir-Rhyne University President Dr. Fred Whitt announced in August 2024 that he would retire at the end of the 2024-25 academic year, ending what will be 50 years of a distinguished career in higher education.