As the first organization dedicated to higher education executive search, our service model has always focused on outstanding executive recruitment for colleges and universities. We have years of experience in the sector and understand the unique needs higher education institutions have when hiring.
We’ve proudly concluded more than 2,600 successful searches for Presidents/Chancellors, Provosts, Vice Presidents, and Deans in a variety of disciplines.
Administrative Areas:
Academic Affairs | Admissions & Enrollment | Advancement | Business & Finance | General Counsel | Human Resources | Information Technology | Marketing & Communications | Operations | Student Affairs | Student Success | And Many Others
Academic Disciplines:
Architecture | Arts & Humanities | Business & Economics | Education | Healthcare/Nursing | Hospitality | Libraries | STEM | And Many Others
We’re With You Every Step of the Way
Academic Search serves as your partner in a collaborative search effort. Our senior consultants interact extensively with your search committee to assist with organizing and managing the search process, and informing the crucial decisions of the search committees and hiring authorities.
We use a four-step process to frame our higher education executive search process: organize the search; lead recruitment; evaluate, select, and interview semifinalists; and close the search.
Organize
Academic Search works side-by-side with our partner institutions to analyze your needs, set specific goals, and develop operating guidelines. During this preliminary phase, we meet with appropriate departments such as human resources to ensure that the search process conforms to the regulations, requirements, and culture of our partner institution or organization.
Recruit
A key step in the search process is building a strong candidate pool with the unique qualifications of the open position. By getting to know your institution well, we guarantee we are finding candidates who fit with the mission and culture of the role. We cast a wide net to find the very best candidates, locally, nationally, and globally, and tap into our extensive networks to identify a broad group of candidates.
Through our connection to leadership development programs through our parent organization, the American Academic Leadership Institute, and many of our consultants actively participating in conferences and programs across the country, we are able to tap into an even larger range of candidates who are ready for their next role.
Evaluate, Select, and Interview
We partner with your search committee in designing and implementing a selection process tailored to your needs and campus culture. Our process involves working with you to develop an objective review method for evaluating candidates. Our senior consultants are actively involved in recruitment and evaluation and openly share insights into conversations with candidates and others throughout the interview process.
Close the Search
Our senior consultants work with you to not only select the finalists but also perform background checks and reference calls. We ensure consistent communication with all finalists throughout the process.
Once the campus interviews are completed, we ensure the search is brought to a successful conclusion. Our consultants can help develop recommendations to the hiring authority to facilitate a smooth transition for the newly hired candidate which might include communications strategies and a transition plan.
Beyond the Search
Leadership transitions can be both energizing and stressful times for institutional communities. We strive to guide you and your institution through these changes throughout the leadership lifecycle by providing transition and onboarding support as well as executive coaching.
Why Academic Search
As the first executive search firm dedicated to higher education, we bring a deep understanding of the evolving challenges and opportunities within the higher education landscape. Our team is composed of higher education leaders who bring a wealth of knowledge and expansive networks. Through this experience, we are uniquely positioned to understand, appreciate, and address the specific needs of each institution we partner with.
High Retention Rates
The very high percentages of appointees from our searches who remain in office five years later is strong evidence of our careful attention to institutional/appointee fit.
Meet Our Senior Consultants
Ann Die Hasselmo
Senior Managing Director
Ann.Hasselmo@academicsearch.org
Dr. Ann Die Hasselmo is unquestionably one of the most effective and influential senior consultants in higher education. By combining her rich experience as a leader, advisor, coach, and administrator with her passion for education and university governance, Dr. Hasselmo has earned a reputation in the industry for being a tireless worker determined to help each institution flourish.
In each search she leads, Dr. Hasselmo utilizes her broad higher education and leadership knowledge to recognize an institution’s needs and the qualities it seeks in a new hire. As the former president of Academic Search’s parent organization, the American Academic Leadership Institute, Dr. Hasselmo’s ability to identify a person’s strengths and potential within higher education is unparalleled. She is passionate about leadership development, and her work with Academic Search allows her to share her expertise and help administrators thrive. Furthermore, the professional networks she built over the years give her access to the country’s most talented candidates for senior executive positions.
Dr. Hasselmo graduated summa cum laude from Lamar University, earned a master’s degree from the University of Houston, and received a Ph.D. in psychology from Texas A&M University. As a licensed psychologist, she has a masterful ability to recognize a person’s unique attributes and foresee if those qualities will be advantageous in the job they’re seeking.
Dr. Hasselmo’s prolific career has spanned public and private institutions, and she’s lent her supreme leadership capabilities to countless boards and associations. Dr. Hasselmo was president of Hendrix College in Arkansas for nine years, and during that time, she held an array of leadership positions. In addition to many other roles, she was on the Board of Directors of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and the Foundation for Independent Higher Education, was Chair of the Presidents Council for Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, was a member of the Executive Committee of the NCAA, and served as Chair of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Before her presidency, Dr. Hasselmo was dean of Sophie Newcomb College and associate provost at Tulane University. At Lamar University, she was named regents professor of psychology, served as faculty senate president and associate provost, and directed a graduate program in psychology. She was also an ACE Fellow in the President’s and Provost’s Offices at William & Mary.
Outside higher education, Dr. Hasselmo recently rotated off the Board of Acxiom Corporation (now LiveRAMP Holdings, Inc.), a NYSE public company, where she served for 22 years. Most of those years were spent as Chair of the Governance/Nominating Committee, and she was a member of the Finance and Audit Committee.
We look forward to partnering with you. Contact us for a complimentary search consultation or request for proposal.
1250 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036-2657
Phone: 202-332-4049
Fax: 202-234- 7640
