Job Description

Job Location: Columbia College - Columbia, SC 29203

Position Type: Full TimeTHE OPPORTUNITY

Columbia College (the College), a private liberal arts college with a legacy of transformation and impact, seeks a seasoned leader to serve as its Dean of the School of Health Sciences. This is a defining opportunity for a bold leader to join a college on the rise, reimagining liberal arts education through inquiry-based learning, deep community engagement, and a steadfast commitment to social mobility. The Dean will be an architect of possibility, helping to articulate and advance the School of Health Science’s mission in ways that expand opportunity and empower students to shape meaningful futures. The Dean will mold the academic strategy, steward resources, and cultivate a culture of excellence in teaching, learning, research, and scholarship for the School. The Dean will collaborate closely across campus to strengthen academic planning, support innovation, and ensure that the School of Health Science’s programs remain responsive to student and societal needs. The Dean will be a key driver of this work, leading efforts to amplify the School of Health Science’s academic identity, strengthen community partnerships, and shape programs that allow students to thrive as engaged citizens and professionals.

ABOUT COLUMBIA COLLEGE

Columbia College is a private liberal arts institution committed to preparing students for lives of purpose, responsibility, and impact. Since its founding, the College has cultivated a learning environment where academic rigor is paired with a deep investment in personal growth, ethical leadership, and community engagement. Leadership at the College is cultivated through action, reflection, and connection, not defined by titles or hierarchy. Students are encouraged to engage deeply with their communities, take initiative, and approach challenges with resilience. Whether in the classroom, through service, or in professional settings, they learn to lead with empathy and integrity. The College offers undergraduate, graduate, and

online programs that blend a liberal arts foundation with career-focused preparation. Small class sizes and close faculty mentorship foster a culture of support.

This is a moment of forward momentum for the College. With a new Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs as well as the launch of a strategic plan that guides progress toward the end of the decade, the College is investing in academic areas that align with workforce needs and directly serve the needs of its surrounding communities. Most graduates remain in South Carolina, and the institution takes seriously its role in preparing students to contribute meaningfully to the region’s social and economic vitality.

History

Founded in 1854 and rooted in the United Methodist Church, Columbia College has a rich legacy as one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in South Carolina. Originally established as Columbia Female College, the institution opened its doors to students in 1859 with a mission to provide a rigorous liberal arts education for women. Over the decades, Columbia College has evolved in response to societal shifts, education needs, and student demographics, becoming fully coeducational in 2020 and welcoming its first coed residential class in 2021. Throughout its history, Columbia College has demonstrated resilience and adaptability. The campus has endured and rebuilt after fires, including a major one in 1964 that destroyed Old Main, a beloved campus landmark. The surviving columns of Old Main remain a powerful symbol for the College and have since been incorporated into the logo. Today, the College offers a personalized liberal arts education that is open and inclusive to all. The College is committed to cultivating critical thinking, effective communication, lifelong learning, and a strong sense of personal responsibility.

Strategic Vision

In 2025, Columbia College launched On the Rise: A Plan for Growth and Impact, a strategic framework designed to guide institutional transformation through the end of the decade. The plan reflects the College’s vision for the future: to be a model of intentional liberal arts education, a champion of inquiry-based and experiential learning, and a catalyst for community transformation. The College’s academic approach redefines what it means to be a liberal arts institution. It moves beyond knowledge acquisition to foster critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and collaborative inquiry. Graduates will be prepared for their first job and the challenges and opportunities of a future that can’t yet be fully imagined. Columbia College envisions a campus deeply embedded in its surrounding community, working in partnership to dismantle the barriers that undermine health and opportunity. The School of Health Sciences will have profound and reciprocal community engagement, and faculty, staff, and students will be actively engaged in addressing the social determinants of health in one of the most medically vulnerable zip codes in the country.

Academic Schools

The College offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, minors, and certificates, as well as graduate and online programs that support a wide range of academic and career goals. Small class sizes, close faculty mentorship, and a commitment to student success define the academic experience at Columbia College. Academic offerings are organized across four schools:

• The School of Arts and Sciences provides a strong liberal arts foundation through programs in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the arts.
• The School of Business and Leadership prepares students for careers in business, management, and organizational leadership in a rapidly evolving global economy.
• The School of Education has a legacy of excellence in teacher preparation and offers degrees in early childhood, elementary, middle-level, and special education, as well as educational studies and leadership. Students benefit from strong partnerships with local schools and a focus on student-centered teaching practices.
• The School of Health Sciences provides students with foundational knowledge in health and wellness while developing the skills needed for graduate study or entry into health-related professions.

All students benefit from a robust mentoring model that includes an academic advisor, a staff advisor, and a peer mentor. This integrated support system helps students navigate academic planning, personal development, and the transition to campus life. As part of the College’s commitment to student success, all students take a first-year seminar course designed to help them build a strong foundation for college. Columbia College also offers the Dr. John Zubizarreta Honors Program, which provides an enriched academic experience for highly motivated students. Honors students participate in small, discussion-based seminars focused on critical thinking, creativity, and self-directed learning. The program includes experiential opportunities, global study experiences, and access to national honors organizations and fellowships.

ROLE OF THE DEAN, SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES

The Dean reports to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. Alongside the other School Deans as well as the Dean of Library, Learning, and Student Success and the Dean of Online and Digital Learning, the Dean of the School of Health Sciences will provide overall academic leadership, administrative support, and coordination for academic affairs across the College. The Deans lead the College’s academic mission through transparent communication, adept change management, and collaborative decision-making. Further, the Deans foster a structure that supports distributed leadership, enabling each School to guide its programs, develop its faculty, and contribute meaningfully to the College’s priorities. In addition to being an academic leader, the Dean cultivates and inspires leadership at all levels of the College.

KEY OPPORTUNITIES

The Dean will join the College at a significant moment of transition and opportunity. To succeed, the Dean must be a visionary leader with proven experience in leading positive organizational and cultural change. The Dean will provide collaborative, strategic, and operational leadership for programs in both the natural sciences and allied health disciplines. As a key member of the College’s academic leadership team, the Dean will guide growth in undergraduate programs and development of graduate and professional programs that respond to regional workforce needs, improve health outcomes for the larger community, and advance the priorities of the College’s strategic plan. Identifying and obtaining funding and resources to drive this growth will be key to this position.

The Dean will help strengthen the School’s established programs in chemistry, biology, environmental health, public health, exercise science, and speech-language pathology while leading the evaluation and development of new academic programs. The Dean will connect academic quality, enrollment strategy, workforce alignment, experiential learning, research, community engagement and resource development into a coherent vision for the School. The successful candidate will be a relationship-centered leader who can build productive partnerships across and throughout the health and science communities. Primary responsibilities include supervising assistant and associate deans and program chairs; providing strategic direction/managing the School’s budget and funding/resources; supporting faculty and program development; overseeing assessment, accreditation, and continuous improvement; collaborating with Enrollment, Marketing, Advancement, Facilities, and other College units; and expanding clinical, research, community, and workforce partnerships.

QualificationsPRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES of the DEAN

• Oversees School-wide curriculum programs;
• Hires and supervises School faculty and staff;
• Manages and proposes school budget in collaboration with School’ two assistant deans;
• Serves as a liaison with administration and other College Schools;
• Works with admissions on recruitment and retention of quality students;
• Along with the Provost and assistant deans, when available, actively represents the School and College externally, especially in the health sciences professional community;
• Collaborates continuously with Development Office to identify and apply for grants and other external funding sources;
• Collaborates with Development Office to recruit and maintain active advisory boards for all programs.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS of the DEAN

The successful candidate will possess the following required qualifications and characteristics:

• Terminal degree in natural, physical, clinical, allied health, public health, or closely related field;
• Record of teaching, scholarship and service sufficient for appointment at the professor level at Columbia College;
• Demonstrated ability to lead collaboratively across multiple disciplines and to work effectively with faculty, students, administrators, and external partners;
• Experience with academic planning, program assessment, faculty development, and resource management;
• Strong communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills;
• Leadership experience at the dean, associate dean, assistant dean, department chair, or comparable level;
• Personal and professional integrity;
• Ability to make complex, timely, and principled decisions;
• An entrepreneurial spirit to realize the ambitions of the School;
• A participatory and collaborative management style that empowers and develops their team.

The successful candidate will possess the following preferred qualifications:

• At least three years of progressive administrative or leadership experience;
• Demonstrated success in budget management, enrollment planning, program growth, and development of sustainable academic programs;
• Experience with specialized accreditation, professional licensure, clinical education, or regulated health programs;
• Professional experience or sustained partnerships in health, science, public health, clinical, or allied health settings outside higher education;
• Record of developing community, clinical, workforce, research, or philanthropic partnerships;
• Success securing grants, gifts, appropriations, or other external resources;
• Experience supporting laboratory and clinical facilities, scientific instrumentation, or research infrastructure.

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA

Columbia is the capital of South Carolina with a growing metropolitan population of over 800,000. The city is a central hub for government, healthcare, and commerce, and is home to more than 40,000 college students, contributing to a vibrant academic and research community. The city’s central location in the state's geographic center provides convenient access to the Atlantic coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Columbia’s downtown features over 70 restaurants and shops, with ongoing investment in infrastructure, housing, and public spaces. The Main Street District, Five Points, the Vista, and The Bull Street District have become key destinations for dining, arts, and community events, including the weekly Soda City Market, where vendors must make or grow their own products. The city supports a range of cultural institutions, including the Columbia Museum of Art, the South Carolina State Museum, and the Nickelodeon Theatre, South Carolina’s only nonprofit art house cinema. Columbia is also home to the Columbia Fireflies, the city’s minor league baseball team. Outdoor amenities are easily accessible, including the Three Rivers Greenway, which connects parks and neighborhoods along the Congaree, Saluda, and Broad Rivers. Just outside the city, Congaree National Park offers hiking and kayaking opportunities in one of the country's largest old-growth bottomland hardwood forests.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

Inquiries may be directed to Executive Vice President and Provost, Dr. Gillian Stewart-Wells at gstewartwells@columbiasc.edu Please go to https://www.columbiasc.edu/about/employment to submit an application which should include a CV, a letter of intent, and transcripts for all graduate level work (unofficial transcripts may be submitted for the application process). Should you advance in the interview process, official transcripts as well as the names and contact information for references may be requested.

Columbia College welcomes applications from candidates with disabilities. If you have any accommodation or access needs, we are happy to provide reasonable accommodations. Columbia College, an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer, is seeking candidates who will enhance its faculty, staff, and administration. Columbia College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, identity sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, national origin, results of genetic testing or service in the military.