Southeastern Search Committee advances five semifinalists
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND - The Southeastern Louisiana University Presidential Search Committee
selected five semifinalists to interview for the school’s top post.
“The search committee has fulfilled the first part of its mission by narrowing
the field to a group of semifinalists with specific qualifications to lead Southeastern
Louisiana University,” Committee Chair and System President Jim Henderson said. “We
look forward to meeting the candidates next week and recommending finalists to the
UL System Board.”
The semifinalists are:
- Joseph Odenwald, President, Southwestern Michigan College
- Mary Parker, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Associate Provost, University of Florida
- Eric Summers, Vice President for Student Affairs, Southeastern Louisiana University
- Sebastian van Delden, Dean, School of Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering, The College of Charleston
- William Wainwright, Chancellor, Northshore Technical Community College
The committee will interview the semifinalists on Southeastern’s campus next
week with opportunities for students and campus community involvement. The next Southeastern
president will be selected by the full Board of Supervisors for the University of
Louisiana System at a special meeting April 27.
“I’d like to thank those individuals who showed interest in this position for
their willingness to engage in this process,” UL System Board Chair Liz Pierre said.
“I look forward to interviewing the semifinalists in Hammond next week.”
Chairing the Southeastern Presidential Search Committee is UL System President
and CEO Jim Henderson as a non-voting member. Voting members are Southeastern Faculty
Senate President Erin Horzelski and UL System Board Members Elizabeth Pierre, Jimmy
Clarke, Brad Stevens, Lola Dunahoe, Jo Lethermon, Al Perkins, Julie Stokes, and student
member Ethan Estis.
Non-voting members are Southeastern Foundation President Toby Cortez, Community
Representative Louis Nick Joseph, Southeastern Alumni Association President Stephanie
Stafford Kropog, Southeastern Foundation Board Member Wallace Lewis, Southeastern
SGA President Baileigh Picou, Community Representative Carla Tate, and Southeastern
Athletic Foundation Chairman Allen Waddell.
All information regarding the search, including a video of the meeting, is posted
at ulsystem.edu/southeastern-search.
