Presidential Search

Kenyon launched a national search for its new president in December 2022, when its 19th president, Sean Decatur, was tapped to become the president of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Kenyon trustee Aileen C. Hefferren ’88 H’12, member of the board’s executive committee, served as chair of the search committee and trustee David W. Horvitz ’74, H’98 served as vice chair. 

The search committee included voices from all Kenyon constituencies and was aided by the national search firm Storbeck Search. 

Julie Kornfeld, a highly regarded academic leader and committed educator, has been selected as the 20th president of Kenyon College. The Kenyon College Board of Trustees voted unanimously on June 14, 2023, to approve the appointment of Kornfeld who will assume the role on October 1, 2023.

Community Input

The search for Kenyon’s 20th president was conducted with careful attention to and significant input from the College’s many stakeholders. The search committee provided community members with a variety of opportunities to share views on qualities to seek in candidates and to nominate individuals. Recent opportunities included:

• Campus forum and stakeholder meetings. The search committee visited campus in mid-January to gather community input. They hosted a campus forum and met with members of the executive committee of the faculty, Student Council, Staff Council and Senior Staff. More than 100 people participated.
• Survey. Over 1,500 members of the Kenyon community provided input via an online survey: 1,004 alumni, 272 parents, 212 faculty and staff, 138 students, and 71 friends, neighbors and other supporters.
• Email the search committee. Additional feedback could be shared at presidentialsearch@kenyon.edu.