“Elmhurst College in Elmhurst Ill. is searching for a new president, and the University of Akron’s Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth Stroble might is a finalist for the position. Elmhurst College’s current president Bryant Cureton is retiring after fourteen years of presidential service to the college.”
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Elmhurst College in Elmhurst Ill. is searching for a new president, and the University of Akron’s Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth Stroble might is a finalist for the position.

Elmhurst College’s current president Bryant Cureton is retiring after fourteen years of presidential service to the college.

The search to find a replacement for Cureton’s position was a comprehensive process that began in early 2007, shortly after Cureton informed Elmhurst that he would be stepping down.

According to Thomas Tyrell, Chair of the presidential search committee for Elmhurst, a presidential search committee worked along side a search consultant group called Academic Search Inc., based out of Washington D.C., are looking at the current candidates. Academic Search Inc. helps colleges and universities select the appropriate candidate for their needs and wants.

Dr. Bruce T. Alton was the consultant specifically assisting Elmhurst. Alton also helped the Elmhurst in their selection of Cureton fourteen years prior.

Stroble acknowledged her application to Elmherst in an e-mail to the Buchtelite.

I truly love working at the University of Akron. At the same time, I have sought the opportunity of serving as President of Elmhurst College, she said. It is not appropriate for me at this time to comment further about the Elmhurst search.

The Presidential Search Committee consists of a total of 15 people, seven of those people being board members, one administrative representative, four faculty representatives, one alumni representative, and three students.

The board had many meetings in order to train the representatives how to look over the applications and additional candidate reviewing techniques.

Elmhurst advertised the position on the colleges’ website and in academic publications, accepted nominations and expressions of interest electronically. The college had nominations from many organizations including national education and foundations officials, other colleges and universities, and friends of the college. Candidates responded to advertising that was featured the Chronicle of Higher Education as well as other national print and on-line publications.

Stroble is one of three candidates left in the running for presidential position. Kathy A. Krendl, executive vice president and provost at Ohio University, and S. Alan Ray, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of New Hampshire, are the other two candidates remaining.

Tyrell said the candidacy began with 300 prospects in Sept. 2007. By early Dec. 2007, Tyrell and the committee had narrow the group down to the eleven candidates that they felt had the best background and experience that seemed to be the most consistent with the presidential qualities and qualifications established for the search, he said.

Tyrell and the committee then spent time checking with the eleven remaining candidates, five references and spent 45 minutes to an hour on the phone with each reference, in order to narrow down the eleven candidates to six candidates.

The six chosen were narrowed once again, according to Tyrell. Three candidates were then invited to participate in the more extensive on-campus interviews with a broad range of Elmhurst’s constitutes, Tyrell said.

Today, Tyrell will go over the final interview information from the on campus interviews, Friday he will present his recommendation to the board, and because he has been working so closely together with the board a unanimous decision will be made.

On Feb. 25 a formal press release will be made declaring who the new president of Elmhurst College will be.

Tyrell said that Stroble is a prime candidate because of her background in the liberal arts. Also she is a team player, considerate, collaborative in putting ideas together, and has a strong theological, and spiritual background.

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