Dean of the Honors College

The University of Tampa (UTampa) seeks a visionary and entrepreneurial academic leader to serve as the inaugural dean of the Honors College. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of honors education at a thriving institution recognized for academic quality, student success, and innovation. The dean will provide strategic leadership for the newly established Honors College and play a key role in advancing the University's commitment to excellence, interdisciplinary learning, undergraduate research, and transformative student experiences.

Located in downtown Tampa, The University of Tampa is a private, independent university enrolling approximately 11,500 students from across the United States and around the world. Renowned for its distinctive blend of liberal arts and professional education, UTampa offers more than 200 academic programs and is consistently recognized among the nation's leading universities by U.S. News & World Report, Forbes, and The Princeton Review. The University's beautiful 110-acre residential campus, accomplished faculty, strong record of enrollment growth, and location within one of the nation's most dynamic metropolitan regions create an environment of exceptional opportunity and momentum.

UTampa's Honors Program has developed a reputation for providing a rigorous and interdisciplinary educational experience for academically talented students. The Honors community enrolls approximately 400 students and features an innovative interdisciplinary curriculum built around Idea Labs, Dialectic courses, undergraduate research, faculty mentorship, international experiences, and a culminating honors thesis or creative project, supported by a community of faculty fellows from across the University. As the University transitions the program into a newly established Honors College, the inaugural dean will have the opportunity to build upon this strong foundation while helping define the future vision and impact of honors education at UTampa.

The dean will report to the provost and serve as a key member of the University's academic leadership team. The dean will be expected to articulate and implement a compelling strategic vision, strengthen the Honors College's institutional profile, enhance the student experience, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, expand faculty engagement, and cultivate philanthropic and external partnerships that support the College's continued growth. Working closely with academic and administrative leaders across the institution, the dean will help position the Honors College as a defining feature of the UTampa experience and a catalyst for academic excellence, student achievement, and institutional distinction.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished academic leader with an earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree and a record of scholarly achievement appropriate for appointment as a tenured full professor at the University. UTampa seeks an individual who combines strategic vision, organizational leadership, and entrepreneurial thinking with a deep commitment to student success and undergraduate academic excellence. Experience with honors education, undergraduate research, highly engaged student populations, or similarly mission-driven academic programs is highly desirable. The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional relationship-building skills, success leading through collaboration and influence, the ability to engage effectively with alumni and external stakeholders, and the integrity, judgment, and authenticity necessary to inspire confidence across the University community.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile.

WittKieffer is assisting The University of Tampa in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by December 14, 2026.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer's candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Lauren Bruce-Stets and Tyler Workman at UTampa-HonorsDean@wittkieffer.com.

The University of Tampa embraces diversity in its many forms, including but not limited to sex, race, color, national origin, disability, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, military or veteran status, marital status, genetic information, ethnicity, religion, spiritual belief, geographic origin, socio-economic status, language, political beliefs, and first-generation status. UTampa seeks to enhance the diversity of its students, faculty, and staff in the belief that doing so contributes to a more impactful learning environment for everyone in the UTampa community.

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