SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA (July 2, 2025) — The national search for the twelfth president of Wofford College has begun. Christopher A P Carpenter (’90), chairman of the college’s board of trustees, has appointed an eleven-member presidential search advisory committee to guide the process.
The committee will be responsible for partnering with AGB Search LLC to solicit input from stakeholders, develop the presidential profile, and position criteria, and recruit and assess candidates.
“This is an important moment in the history of our college, and I am grateful that the following individuals have agreed to guide the process of finding another extraordinary leader,” says Carpenter. “Wofford College is in the best position of its 171-year history, and the individuals on the presidential search-advisory committee understand Wofford, the liberal arts, higher-education, and the qualities that will be required in our college’s next president.”
The presidential search-advisory committee is comprised of individuals representing the college’s board of trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, and the greater Wofford and Spartanburg communities.
PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE
• Howard Coker (’85), chair, trustee
• Ashley Richardson Allen, vice chair, trustee, former Wofford parent
• Justin Converse (’96), Wofford parent, former trustee
• Geneva Kowbeidu (’26), current student, Campus Union president
• Shawan Gillians (’04), trustee
• James Meadors (’81), trustee, former Wofford parent
• Steven Mungo (’81), trustee, former Wofford parent
• Greg O’Dell ’(92_, trustee
• The Rev Dr Ron Robinson (’78), Perkins-Prothro Chaplain and Professor of Religion
• Dr Natalie Spivey, associate professor of biology
• Dr Clayton Whisnant, Chapman Family Professor of Humanities and chair of the Department of History
The presidential search advisory committee — with the assistance of David Beacham (’77_, retired senior vice president for administration — will work to ensure that the entire Wofford community has the opportunity to participate in the process. Carpenter will serve in an ex officio capacity.
At the start of the fall semester, the search firm will begin holding listening sessions and administering surveys to gather feedback regarding institutional strengths and strategic opportunities, as well as the characteristics, qualifications and credentials considered essential for the next president. During this time, the search firm will begin developing a robust pool of candidates. The search will begin to narrow during the spring semester, and the goal is to have named a new president in the spring who will begin July 1, 2026.
The college will share progress through regular communications and a presidential search website (currently in progress).
About Wofford College
Wofford College, established in 1854, is a four-year, residential liberal-arts college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The college is nationally known for its outstanding faculty, study abroad participation, successful and supportive graduates, and commitment to making college affordable and accessible; 99% of students receive some form of financial assistance. The college’s 180-acre campus, located within walking distance of Spartanburg’s thriving downtown, is home to about 1,800 undergraduates. In addition to a rigorous academic program and experiential-learning opportunities (study-abroad, career preparation, research and community-based learning), Wofford students enjoy Division I athletics, fraternity, and sorority life and a thriving visual and performing arts scene. To learn more, visit wofford.edu.
