Photo | Courtesy of Fitchburg State University
Fitchburg State University President Richard Lapidus will retire at the end of the 2023-24 academic year.
April 3, 2024
Final Four: Fitchburg State names contenders in presidential search
Photos | Courtesy of Fitchburg State University
The four finalists for the Fitchburg State University presidency (clockwise from upper left) Karim Ismaili, Donna Souder Hodge, Mark Overmyer-Velázquez, and Michael Godard.
Image | Courtesy of Fitchburg State University
Michael Godard, provost at Southeast Missouri State University
Image | Courtesy of Fitchburg State University
Donna Souder Hodge, vice president of operations & advancement at Colorado State University, Pueblo.
Image | Courtesy of Fitchburg State University
Mark Overmyer-Velázquez, dean and chief administrative officer at the University of Connecticut Hartford
Image | Courtesy of Fitchburg State University
Karim Ismaili, executive vice president and provost at Bridgewater State University
Fitchburg State University is one step closer to naming its next president, as the school has released a list of four finalists for the position.
The candidate who is selected by Fitchburg State will succeed Richard Lapidus, the 11th president of the university who has been in the role since 2015.
Fitchburg State has planned public forums for each candidate, giving students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other stakeholders an opportunity to hear from each potential president. All of these forums will be held at Ellis White Lecture Hall in the university’s Hammond Hall, according to a press release issued by Fitchburg State on Tuesday.
The four finalists for the position are:
- Karim Ismaili, the executive vice president and provost at Bridgewater State University. Ismaili’s public forum will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 11.
- Mark Overmyer-Velázquez, dean and chief administrative officer at the University of Connecticut Hartford. Overmyer-Velázquez’s public forum will be held at 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17.
- Donna Souder Hodge, the vice president of operations & advancement at Colorado State University, Pueblo. The public forum for Hodge will be held at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23.
- Michael Godard, provost at Southeast Missouri State University. Godard’s public forum will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30.
Fitchburg State has not yet had a person of color or a woman lead the university as president.
The search for the university’s next president is being led by its Board of Trustees, chaired by Fitchburg State alum Eric Gregoire.
“The opportunity to lead Fitchburg State generated substantial interest and today I'm proud to report the recommended finalists each embody the characteristics required of our next president,” Gregoire said in the press release. “These accomplished academic leaders come from diverse backgrounds and impressive experiences that distinguish themselves and with an understanding of our special role as a regional comprehensive university prepared to lead Fitchburg State to a dynamic and bright future.”
The university worked with WittKieffer, an executive recruiting firm based in Burlington, to help identify these candidates.
In October, President Lapidus announced his intent to retire at the end of the 2023-24 academic year, citing a desire to spend more time with family and friends.
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