Marymount President to Step Down After 10 Years

With the start of the spring semester came the announcement that Dr. James Bundschuh would be stepping down as President at Marymount University after a decade of service to the institution.  Marymount has announced the kickoff of a nationwide search for his replacement as the head of the university.

“I thought I would be president for only four or five years,” said Bundschuh about his service.  “Ten years is a substantial amount of time.”

The University’s Board of Trustees is responsible for conducting the search, and has employed the expertise of executive search firm R. H. Perry & Associates to assist.  In addition to working with the board to articulate the qualifications for the next president, R. H. Perry & Associates has familiarized themselves with the Marymount community to find the best match.

“The next president of Marymount University will take this vibrant, thriving Catholic institution of higher education to new heights of excellence,” states the profile listed on the Marymount website.  “As the public face of this growing University just outside our nation’s capital, the next president will plan and spearhead a capital campaign for growing the endowment and constructing/renovating buildings to enhance its academic and residential programs.”

Barry Fitzpatrick, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Marymount, is the official spokesperson for the search.  “This is a process that began in January, and we have already received an excellent response,” he said.  “We have received applications from a very wide geographic area that includes at least the United States.”

“We are looking for the best possible candidate, and we’re not dictating where they should come from or what type of background they may have,” Fitzpatrick said.  “There’s a certain level of quality that we’re seeking, and I feel confident that we’ll find it.”

The Board is expected to begin the application review process in March, with interviews to commence on campus in April.  One of the last official events that Dr. Bundschuh will lead is the graduation commencement ceremony in May, although he will serve through the end of the fiscal year in June.  “We are not hand-cuffed by our deadlines, as we are seeking the best candidate,” Fitzpatrick noted.  “If extra time is needed, Dr. Bundschuh has informed us that he would be willing to stay on for a few months to ensure a smooth transition.”

“The most important quality that we’re looking for is someone that is a practicing Catholic,” Fitzpatrick said.  Marymount is the only Catholic university in Virginia.  “Past that, we’re going to find the best qualified candidate that meets our needs as an institution.” 

In May 2009, Marymount University developed a new strategic plan that is based on four shared strategic priorities: enhancing the intellectual experience at Marymount; capitalizing on the region’s rich resources; building community on campus and with the world around us; and honoring the values and traditions of Marymount’s Catholic heritage.

“We expect the next president to take this strategic plan seriously,” Fitzpatrick said.  “Significant strides have been made in the last 10 years at Marymount, and we want someone to pick the ball up and keep moving it forward.”

Bundschuh said that once his term is over, he and his wife Lois will be returning to their home in St. Louis to spend more time with their children and grandchildren.  “Lois and I still own a home in St. Louis and we always intended to go back,” he said.

For more information and updates on the search, please visit the official Web page at http://marymount.edu/presidentialSearch.