Skip to main contentSkip to main navigationSkip to footer content

Presidential Search

USM Presidential Search

The University of Saint Mary is Conducting a Nationwide Search for the Institution's 10th President

 

In the summer of 2025, the University of Saint Mary began the search process for a new president, following an announcement by current president Sister Diane Steele, PhD, of her intent to step down at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 school year. Sister Steele will depart the presidential role after 25 years of leadership.

“It has been my great honor and privilege to serve you and serve this institution,” Sister Steele said in an announcement to the campus community. “From the time I attended as a student, to my faculty tenure beginning in 1993, to my term as president, Saint Mary has been and is dear to my heart. I trust you, my friends and colleagues, to continue to live the mission and educate the next generation of Saint Marians.”

The university will conduct a nationwide search for a new president beginning this summer. Three USM Board of Trustees, who are also Saint Mary alumni, will lead the national search for the university’s 10th president. They are Board Chair Dr. Tes Mehring, C’74; past Chair Dr. Carol Wambeke, C’81; and Aaron Weissenfluh, C’95. The selection committee will also include Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth First Councilor Sister Melissa Camardo, as well as Saint Mary faculty and staff to be named in the coming weeks. Together, they will guide a nationwide search.

Learn More About The Search:

Presidential Search Committee Update October 22, 2025

The Presidential Search Committee had its initial search committee meeting on October 22, 2025.

A university web page will be developed in the next couple of weeks to provide updates about the presidential search and timeline to the campus community throughout coming months as we engage in the search for a new president.

Members of the search committee will observe strict confidentiality during and after the search is completed. They will not share information about candidates during or after the  search process is completed.

USM ByLaws requirements for the next President include the following: must be Catholic; be a leader in higher education; must support the USM mission, vision, and values; and shall have a doctorate or a terminal degree. The President of the University shall be appointed by the Members of the Corporation (e.g. Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth) upon consultation with the Board of Trustees (see Bylaws, University of Saint Mary, Inc, Article VI, p. 17). The search committee will submit unranked recommendations to the Board of Trustees.


The Board of Trustees at their Friday (October 17) meeting decided the search will be a closed – hybrid process to protect confidentiality of finalists and to insure a broad and deep pool of candidates. Candidates who apply for the position of president are taking a major risk at their institutions when submitting an application. Only search committee members will be involved in the semi-finalist interviews. Finalists will be interviewed by the search committee, Board of Trustees. and SCL council. A small select group drawn from campus constituent groups (10 to 12 individuals) will also interview finalist candidates after signing a confidentiality statement.

Parker O’Dell is the SGA representative on the search committee

To: Sponsors, Board of Trustees, Faculty, Staff, Students

From: Tes Mehring, USM President Search Committee Chair

USM President Search Update

Last Friday (October 3), USM signed an agreement with Academic Search (AS), the firm that will provide support to the Search Committee as we engage in the selection of a new president for USM.   Dr. Suzanne Mellon and Disa Mason will be the campus contacts from AS who will assist us in organizing the search, identifying and recruiting candidates, evaluating and interviewing semi-finalist candidates, conducting due diligence background checks on finalists, and assisting with the transition from Sr. Diane to the new president. Dr. Mellon and Ms. Mason will be coming to campus in the near future to learn more about USM and engage our various constituent groups in discussions about the characteristics we would like to see in a new president.

The members of the Search Committee have now been finalized and include the following individuals:

  • Dr. Tes Mehring (chair of the Board of Trustees and chair of the Search Committee)
  • Dr. Carol Wambeke (past chair of the Board of Trustees)
  • Sr. Melissa Camardo (Board of Trustees representative of the SCL Sponsors)
  • Aaron Weissenfluh (Board of Trustees)
  • Dr. Adrianna Ford (Chair of the Faculty Senate)
  • Nicole Bibler (USM Controller, staff representative)
  • Student Represenative Parker O'Dell (Student Government Association)
  • Alstin Benton (Head Cross Country/Track Coach, athletics)
  • John Shultz (USM VP of Marketing and Admissions, administration)

 

 

Dear Sponsors, Members of the USM Board of Trustees, Faculty, and Staff,

As you know, we will be engaged in searching for a new USM president this academic year. As the chair of the USM Board of Trustees and search committee, I want the process to be as transparent as possible.

In July, several search firms were invited to develop a proposal for being the firm that would assist with the USM presidential search. Seven proposals were received. The Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees will review the proposals at our monthly Executive Committee meeting on September 12 and narrow the pool to two firms. The four members of the Board of Trustees who will serve on the presidential search committee will interview representatives from the two finalists and select a firm to assist with the search process.

Duties of the selected search firm will include:

  • meeting with the campus community stakeholders to understand the leadership characteristics we want our next leader to possess,
  • assisting in developing the leadership profile and search timeline that will be used to advertise the position,
  • actively recruiting finalist candidates,
  • screening, conducting reference checks, and presenting qualified candidates for the position to be interviewed by the search committee,
  • managing logistics for search committee meetings and candidate interviews,
  • supporting offer negotiations for the selected candidate, and
  • supporting transition planning as needed.

Once a search firm has been selected and when all of the members of the search committee have been selected, another update will be provided.

Thanks to all of the members of the campus community for all you do to support USM students! You ARE appreciated!

                                                                                                                Tes Mehring Ph.D.

                                                                                                                USM Board of Trustees Chair

 

 

The members of the Search Committee have now been finalized and include the following individuals:

  • Dr. Tes Mehring, C'74 (chair of the Board of Trustees and chair of the Search Committee)
  • Dr. Carol Wambeke, C'81 (past chair of the Board of Trustees)
  • Sr. Melissa Camardo (Board of Trustees representative of the SCL Sponsors)
  • Aaron Weissenfluh, C'95 (Board of Trustees)
  • Dr. Adrianna Ford (Chair of the Faculty Senate)
  • Nicole Bibler (USM Controller, staff representative)
  • Parker O'Dell (student representative, Student Government Association)
  • Alstin Benton (Head Cross Country/Track Coach, athletics)
  • John Shultz (USM VP of Marketing and Admissions, administration)

Members of the search committee will observe strict confidentiality during and after the search is completed. Review the Code of Ethics & Confidentiality Commitment governing search committee members below:

Code of Ethics

Academic Search Consultants:

Suzanne Mellon, Ph.D., Senior Consultant and Senior Executive Coach 
SuzanneMellon@academicsearch.org
 
Disa Mason, MBA, Consultant
disa.mason@academicsearch.org