Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost

Columbia College (the College), a private liberal arts college with a legacy of transformation and impact, seeks a seasoned leader to serve as its next Executive Vice President and Provost (the Provost). This is a defining opportunity for a bold leader to join a college on the rise, reimagining liberal arts education through inquiry-based learning, deep community engagement, and a steadfast commitment to social mobility. The Provost will be an architect of possibility, helping to articulate and advance the College’s mission in ways that expand opportunity and empower students to shape meaningful futures.

As the College’s chief academic officer, the Provost will provide strategic leadership across the academic enterprise, guiding the development and delivery of programs that span the College’s four schools, graduate and online offerings, and professional programs. This leader will shape the academic strategy, steward resources, and cultivate a culture of excellence in teaching, learning, research, and scholarship. The Provost will collaborate closely across campus to strengthen academic planning, support innovation, and ensure that the College’s programs remain responsive to student and societal needs.

This is a moment of forward momentum for the College. With the launch of its new strategic plan that guides progress toward the end of the decade, the College is investing in academic areas that align with workforce needs and directly serve the needs of its surrounding communities. Most graduates remain in South Carolina, and the institution takes seriously its role in preparing students to contribute meaningfully to the region’s social and economic vitality. The next Provost will be a key driver of this work, leading efforts to amplify the College’s academic identity, empower distributed leadership, strengthen community partnerships, and shape programs that allow students to thrive as engaged citizens and professionals.

Columbia College has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to support the search. Please submit all inquiries, nominations, and applications (including CVs and letters of interest) below.