Cornell College seeks a successful and innovative leader with proven communication and collaborative strengths to build on its many distinctive qualities and support its core values. The next president will lead with an appreciation of Cornell’s singular place in higher education and its high standards in teaching, scholarship, and student engagement. Candidates should hold the credentials needed to inspire an academic community, including a terminal degree and an appreciation of teaching and scholarship.

Cornell College is located in Mount Vernon, Iowa, on a wooded hilltop overlooking the town’s historic main street. The main campus includes 68 buildings across 120 acres and is listed in its entirety on the National Register of Historic Places, reflecting a longstanding commitment to preservation even as facilities are modernized. Cornell enrolls approximately 1,000 students representing nearly all 50 states and more than two dozen countries.

Cornell College’s sixteenth president will have an opportunity to work collaboratively with the campus community to develop a shared purpose for the college’s future, building on the strengths of what makes the 173-year-old institution unique in higher education.

All inquiries, expressions of interest, and nominations should be sent to: cornellcollege@russellreynolds.com. For priority consideration, please submit a CV and an optional cover letter by August 24, 2026.