The Northwest Florida State College Board of Trustees announces an executive search for a dynamic, visionary executive leader and administrator to serve as President. Applications and nominations are accepted through this executive search process. Complete information is available in the Search Profile: http://www.myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/file/NWFSC-1.pdf

The Leadership Opportunity

The Board of Trustees seeks an executive leader who will build upon the tradition of excellence established by the College. The multi-campus institution serves 13,248 students and offers associate and baccalaureate degree programs in addition to vocational certificates and adult education.

NWF State College has been named one of the nation’s 150 top community colleges for three consecutive years by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. It was recently ranked #8 on schools.com’s list of best community colleges in Florida based on factors such as cost, graduation rate, and flexibility.

In concert with the board, the President sets the vision, direction, and priorities of the institution, ensuring that all are reflective of the College’s mission of addressing the educational needs of the service area and demonstrating a commitment to broad student accessibility and success.

NWF State College is an integral part of and a major contributor to the educational and economic vitality of the area. The President understands this vital role and builds effective partnerships and coalitions that will advance the College and its programs and services.

The executive officer also articulates ardently the mission of providing opportunities for learning and training that promote the economic growth and development of the area and the state.

The President takes an active role in successful resource development through private fundraising; state funding processes, such as PECO funds and state allocations; and enrollment management.

Other responsibilities include:

• Actively advancing the mission of the College with business, industry, government, and civic leaders
• Effectively representing the College within the community and with the media, government, and other constituencies
• Collaborating with public and private secondary and postsecondary institutions, businesses, and agencies
• Developing and sustaining relationships with foundations, corporations, alumni, and friends to advance the College’s resource development efforts
• Advocating for the College at the local, state, and federal level
• Establishing a strong relationship with the Board of Trustees

Qualifications

An earned doctorate and senior leadership experience in an accredited institution of higher education as both a highly skilled executive and as an accomplished educator are preferred. The successful candidate will be a motivated leader who has a record of sound fiscal management, experience in a senior administrative position, and proficiency in community engagement.

The Board of Trustees seeks candidates with:

• Demonstrated political acumen, along with a collaborative and inclusive leadership style that engages internal and external stakeholders as participants in the achievements and future goals of the College
• Passionate work ethic, proven analytical and reasoning ability, high energy, and strong oral and written communication skills
• Proven leadership in successful fundraising and resource development within the private and public sectors
• Demonstrated capability to engage and influence the general, civic, corporate, and governmental communities effectively
• Skilled at leveraging activities and resources of the area, such as tourism, to promote and recognize the College
• Demonstrated ability to be effective within a state and local political system, including interacting with elected and appointed officials, agencies, and boards
• Willingness to engage the general and business community and assume appropriate leadership roles
• An understanding of and commitment to the comprehensive Florida State College System, including the advancement of baccalaureate degree-granting programs that reflect local and regional needs
• Ability to foster a vibrant and empowered community through a proven leadership style that evokes trust, welcomes collaboration, reflects confident decision making, and effectively engages the talents and experiences of employees
• A commitment to the total educational development of student growth with a proven background, including attendance and participation, of supporting on-campus student events, student service efforts, and co-curricular activities in which the College participates under the Florida College System Activities Association (FSCAA)

Northwest Florida State College has a distinguished history of providing outstanding educational opportunities for students. Located in the heart of Florida’s Emerald Coast between Pensacola and Panama City, the College was established by the Florida Legislature in 1963 as Okaloosa-Walton Junior College. Its current name reflects the expansion of the College’s mission to provide educational access and opportunity for success to the region.

NWF State College’s service area stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line and is centered primarily in Okaloosa and Walton counties.  Two Air Force installations, Eglin AFB, including Duke Field, and Hurlburt Field, are in the service area.

The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

In addition to the picturesque 264-acre main campus located in Niceville, the College operates a joint campus with the University of West Florida in Fort Walton Beach, the Chautauqua Center in DeFuniak Springs, the Robert L.F. Sikes Education Center in Crestview, and centers at Hurlburt Field and in South Walton County.

NWF State College offers four baccalaureate degrees: Bachelor of Applied Science in Management and Supervision; Bachelor of Applied Science in Project Management; Bachelor of Science in Education, including early childhood, elementary education, middle grades general science, and middle grades mathematics; and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. More bachelor’s degree programs are being developed.

The College’s Associate in Arts degree provides full transfer of credit for those students who plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree. The Associate in Science degrees have companion certificates that may be used as a career path toward the AS degree.

Courses for adults in literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Adult Basic Education, vocational preparatory/job readiness skills, and GED preparation programs are also available.

Dual enrollment allows high school students to enroll and earn college credit and credit for high school graduation simultaneously. This is offered to public, private, and home-schooled students.

In its latest year of record, the College’s 2014-2015 Total Revenue was in excess of $40 million. State funding represented 40 percent of the total, while student fees & financial aid were 43 percent, and other revenues/transfers were 17 percent. It is anticipated these percentages will be approximately the same for 2015-2016.

The 2014-2015 Annual Financial Report reflects that NWF State College continues to be financially sound. The College takes great pride in consistently receiving clean annual audits of financial services and operations and expects this long-standing success to continue.

The institution receives remarkable community support. The Northwest Florida State College Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, has an endowment of more than $48 million, which is among the largest of a public college its size in the state.

NWF State College offers intercollegiate Baseball, Softball and Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs which consistently compete for conference, regional, and national titles. In 2014-2015, the Raiders won national NJCAA Division I championships in Baseball and Men’s Basketball.

Campuses, Centers, and Collegiate High School of NWF State College

The 264-acre Niceville Campus is located between state roads 85 and 285, less than 70 miles from Panama City and Pensacola. The campus houses the College’s central administration as well as a variety of other programs and services.

Academic programs range from adult literacy to a wide range of academic degrees and instructional offerings. The Learning Resources Center (LRC) provides a full range of library, database, and reference materials and services for all students in-person, online, and via intra-library loan. The LRC also houses the College’s Distance Learning/eCampus programs, which serve more than 1,200 students per year.

The 75,000-square-foot, three-story Student Services Center (SSC) was completed January 2012. Combined with the Student Activities Center, the SSC is the central hub of student and community life on the campus. The Student Activities Center is home to the Barnes & Noble bookstore and Starbucks Cafe, Career Resource Center, Academic Success Center, and more. The Academic Success Center is a proactive program reaching out to help every student perform at the college level as quickly as possible. It involves tutoring, advising, and distance learning resources.

The Mattie Kelly Fine and Performing Arts Center on the Niceville campus offers an annual series of traveling Broadway shows and is home to the College’s Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, the region’s premiere professional orchestra.

Two galleries in the center’s art wing feature traveling exhibitions and house a permanent art collection valued in excess of $8 million. The center also includes a music wing, visual arts building, a 3,000 capacity amphitheater, a dance studio, a recital hall and instructional facilities for students of the arts and humanities.

Fort Walton Beach Campus operates in conjunction with the University of West Florida, sharing the facilities and same general location, to provide higher education to the residents of Fort Walton Beach and surrounding areas. The campus offers a wide variety of programs, courses required by specific programs, seminars/workshops, and community activities.

Located in a growing region of Okaloosa County, the Fort Walton Beach Campus offers educational opportunities similar to those at the main campus. These include computer and science laboratories, a library (maintained by the University of West Florida), audiovisual materials, a student lounge, and student services, such as admissions/registration, counseling, and testing.

As part of the College’s commitment to provide leadership and support for the economic and workforce development of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, the Fort Walton Beach Campus houses various economic development programs including the Economic Development Council of Okaloosa County, the Technology Coast Manufacturing and Engineering Network, and other endeavors.

Hurlburt Field Center provides college credit courses and other programs designed to meet the needs of Hurlburt Field personnel. Housed at the base education center, the Center provides counseling, admissions/registration, financial aid information, and placement testing.

The Center has a special program that allows military members to expand a Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) degree to a second college degree with as few as 15 additional college credits from NWF State College. As a Service member’s Opportunity College, NWF State College allows degree completion in the event of a Permanent Change of Station move.

Chautauqua Center in DeFuniak Springs serves Walton County residents each year with programs and course offerings to meet the educational needs of Walton County citizens of all ages and levels of education – everything from adult basic education to college degree programs.

The Center provides services free-of-charge to adults who do not have a high school diploma, including adult literacy programs, English-as-a-Second-Language, and courses to prepare for the GED high school equivalent exam. An innovative distance learning program also is offered that provides adult basic education and other services by the Internet. A Family Literacy program provides literacy activities and instruction for the entire family.

The Center also provides college preparatory courses to help individuals improve their academic skills before entering college classes and a wide range of college credit and vocational credit programs. The facilities include 90 acres of land that will provide space for future expansion.

South Walton Campus opened January 2010 and serves the residents of South Walton County, Destin, Freeport, and surrounding areas with college credit and non-credit programs, adult basic education, college preparatory courses, academic advising, admissions, registration, financial aid information, and placement testing. The Center also houses the offices of the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), an environmental organization operated under the auspices of the college.

Robert L. F. Sikes Education Center in Crestview serves the residents of north Okaloosa County with college credit and non-credit programs, adult basic education, college preparatory courses, academic advising, admissions, registration, financial aid information, and placement testing. The Center was expanded to double the Center’s classroom and instructional space.

NWF State College Collegiate High School - NWF State College operates a public charter school of the Okaloosa County School District for high school age students in the 10th, 11th and 12th grade. This Florida A+ school allows students to earn a high school diploma and a college degree simultaneously. In 2013, it was designated a Blue Ribbon School.

Northwest Florida - Home to the main campus of NWF State College, Niceville offers towering pine trees, majestic oaks, unspoiled streams, cold water creeks and the picturesque bayous of Northwest Florida. The city is known for living up to its name to residents and visitors alike.

Niceville has welcoming neighborhoods, top-ranked schools, a responsive city government, and mild weather. Outdoor and indoor recreation are plentiful and the beach is only 18 miles away.

Named the “Best Place to Raise Kids in Florida in 2012” by Bloomberg Businessweek, Niceville has numerous youth programs and activities, sports leagues, parks, outdoor recreation, church youth ministries, outstanding schools, a thriving arts and entertainment center, state college, and residents who support and care about our young people.

Okaloosa and Walton counties are the primary service areas of the College. The counties are home to two Air Force installations. Eglin AFB, including Duke Field, and Hurlburt Field have a significant economic impact of the area and region, with nearly 24,000 military and civilian personnel.

Part of the Emerald Coast, the counties are popular tourist destinations as both border the Gulf of Mexico’s beautiful white sand beaches. The area also offers world-class attractions and outstanding dining and shopping.

Okaloosa County has a population of nearly 200,000 with Walton County having more than 63,000 residents.

Application and Nomination Process - Confidential inquiries are welcomed; nominations are invited.

To Apply - Applications must include:

1. A letter of interest
2. A current resume or curriculum vitae
3. At least five references with full contact information (References will not be contacted without consent from applicants.)
4. Your answers to the required questions at:  www.myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/file/MMQuestions.pdf

Submit applications to: NWFSC@myersmcrae.com  

For best consideration, submit application materials by October 7, 2016.

Nominations are invited and should include contact information for the individual being nominated. Submit nominations to: NWFSC-Nominate@myersmcrae.com

Emily Parker Myers, Chief Executive Officer, and Kenny Daugherty, Executive Vice President, of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting are assisting Northwest Florida State College with this search.

McRae Executive Search and Consulting

515 Mulberry Street, Suite 200, Macon, Georgia 31201

(478) 330-6222 | www.myersmcrae.com

NWF State College is dedicated to the concepts of equity and equal opportunity. It is the specific intention of the college not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, ethnicity, disability, marital status, national origin, race, pregnancy, religion, genetic information or gender, in its employment practices or in the admission and treatment of students in its programs or activities.