Oglethorpe University announces leadership transition
The Oglethorpe University Board of Trustees announced today at its spring meeting that President Nick Ladany will resign his position as president, effective June 2, 2023. Dr. Kathryn McClymond, who currently serves as provost, has been selected to serve as interim president.
Ladany will transition this summer to the role of president of San Francisco Bay University in Fremont, California. Ladany was named Oglethorpe’s 17th president in July 2020. He is making the move to pursue new professional opportunities and move closer to family on the West Coast.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as Oglethorpe’s president,” Ladany said. “This was a difficult decision, but I know I’m leaving the university in capable hands. I particularly appreciate the support of the Board of Trustees and their work to launch our strategic plan. Being here has been incredibly productive and rewarding.”
During Ladany’s tenure as president, Oglethorpe’s enrollment reached its highest level in history of 1,446 after a record-setting first year class in fall of 2022 of 425. Under his leadership, Oglethorpe successfully strengthened its finances as well as student wellness and support, retention and graduation.
Ladany led the university through the COVID-19 pandemic response by prioritizing the health and safety of the university community and educational access for student success. He secured funds to support student success efforts and enhance the Hammack School of Business.
“We are grateful for President Ladany’s leadership during a critical time for this institution,” said Board of Trustees Chair Cameron Bready ’94. “He began his tenure during the COVID-19 pandemic and helped us navigate that significant challenge while building momentum in key areas that have positioned the university exceptionally well for the future. The Board appreciates President Ladany’s many accomplishments as president and wishes him much success in his future endeavors.”
The Board of Trustees is confident in McClymond’s leadership as they focus on the future of the university. Among the new interim president’s top priorities will be building upon the enrollment and advancement success experienced in recent years, maintaining an emphasis on student success, moving forward with the strategic plan and continuing to foster an inclusive environment for students and faculty.
“I look forward to leading the university during the transition, and I appreciate the support of the trustees, the university’s leadership, faculty, staff and students,” McClymond said. “The strategic plan outlined six priorities that will serve as our roadmap. The future of Oglethorpe is bright, and it is a privilege to serve the university.”
McClymond has served as Oglethorpe’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs since July 2021. As chief academic officer and a member of the president’s senior administrative leadership team, McClymond oversees all academic functions of the university, including academic divisions, the Core curriculum, Philip Weltner Library, the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, and the offices of the Registrar, Student Success, and Institutional Effectiveness.
Prior to Oglethorpe, McClymond was associate dean of Faculty Affairs in the College of Arts & Sciences at Georgia State University, where she was a faculty member for 22 years.
She received her Ph.D. and M.A. in Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a B.A. in History and Literature from Harvard University. McClymond is a historian of religions, trained in Hinduism and Judaism, with a research emphasis on comparative religious ritual.
The Board of Trustees will conduct a national search for Oglethorpe’s 18th president.
Originally published on The Source.