The Search for SMCM's Eighth President
St. Mary’s College of Maryland has commenced a search for its eighth president with the naming of a Presidential Search Committee, following the May 9, 2024 announcement from President Tuajuanda C. Jordan, Ph.D., that she will retire in June 2025.
The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Presidential Search Committee is working in conjunction with leadership recruitment firm WittKieffer to identify a diverse group of candidates who are committed to SMCM’s mission, values, and future.
Please check back for updates as the search process continues.
Letter to SMCM Community, Sep. 11, 2024
A Message from the Board of Trustees Chair
Dear Campus Community,
On behalf of my fellow Trustees, I’d like to welcome the Seahawk community to a new school year. I am certain you have been busy getting acclimated to the pace of the fall semester, and hope you are enjoying the thrill of learning new things, meeting new people and connecting with old friends.
As many of you know, in May, President Tuajuanda Jordan publicly announced her intention to retire next summer. We are grateful for her decade of service to SMCM, and her impact on the trajectory of this institution we all love. We look forward to celebrating the progress of the College under President Jordan’s leadership later this academic year.
The Board of Trustees is now tasked with finding our next president. This is among our most important duties, and I wanted to update you on the steps we are taking to fulfill that responsibility with care and urgency.
- A rigorous and thorough vetting process has been completed by a special committee of the Board who has chosen WittKieffer, a well-regarded executive search firm, to lead our search.
- We are now in the final stages of forming a Presidential Search Committee comprised of approximately 13 stakeholders representing trustees, faculty, staff and the student body. I have appointed a trustee to chair the committee, and look forward to introducing you once committee membership is finalized.
- Critical to our process will be hearing from you as we shape the contents of the position prospectus and help guide the search committee on what is most important to you as we execute the search. To this end, we will host a series of stakeholder listening sessions in the coming weeks to hear directly from you.
As we move through the process, you can expect regular communications from me, as well as the chair of the search committee. Additionally, a website will be created for more frequent updates and serve as a place to share your thoughts.
I am energized by this important work as we endeavor to identify our next president and build on the momentum of the past ten years.
Thanks for all you do to support St. Mary’s College of Maryland. I’ll be in touch again soon.
John Bell '95
Chair, SMCM Board of Trustees
Listening Sessions
From Presidential Search Committee Chair, Trustee Raymond Wernecke:
“This is an exciting time for us and your participation in this process will be integral to our success in identifying our next leader. Please attend the listening session for your group; if you are unable to make that time work, please feel welcome to attend the Open Zoom Session and/or complete the survey referenced below. All sessions will be 50 minutes. The Zoom link for each session is included on the College events calendar through the individual links below. Note that only students, faculty and staff may access their respective events.”
Read Chair Wernecke’s full letter to the SMCM Community.
- Staff: Wednesday, September 18: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (requires SMCM login)
- Open Session: Friday, September 20: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Students: Monday, September 23: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (requires SMCM login)
- Faculty: Tuesday, September 24: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (requires SMCM login)
- Alumni: Thursday, September 26: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Share Your Thoughts
The search committee welcomes members of the community or those unable to attend one of the listening sessions to complete the survey linked below.
In addition, to provide confidential input to WittKieffer, please email SMCMPresident@wittkieffer.com.
Presidential Search Committee
Trustee Raymond Wernecke has agreed to serve as chair.
The other committee members are:
- Nicolas Abrams ’99, Trustee
- Dinush Athauda ’26, Student and SGA Vice President
- Donny Bryan ’73, Trustee
- Susan Dyer, Trustee
- Todd Eberly, Professor of Political Science and Faculty Senate President
- Kate Fritz ’04, Trustee & Alumni Association President
- Sven Erik Holmes, Trustee
- Ayse Ikizler, Associate Professor of Psychology
- Kimberly B. Kelley, Trustee
- Elizabeth Leininger, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Neuroscience
- E. Jenell Sargent, Associate Vice President of Information Technology & Chief Information Officer
- Marsha Williams, Community Member and Adjunct Instructor
- John Bell ’95, Chair, Board of Trustees (ex-officio)