AUGUSTA, Maine — A new president has been named to lead the University of Maine at Augusta.
Dr. Jenifer Cushman was selected after an extensive national search to fill the position, according to a news release from the University of Maine System.
Cushman is the current chancellor at Penn State Beaver since July 2016, and she brings more than 25 years of higher education experience, including several leadership positions, and has "extensive experience cultivating donors and securing awards and grants," the release stated.
"Dr. Cushman's background as a faculty member turned international educator and subsequently head of campus has given her profound understanding of the challenges and opportunities prevalent in higher education," Dannel Malloy, chancellor of the University of Maine system, said in the release.
The search for the position began in October 2022 under the leadership of Augusta native and UMS trustee Roger Katz alongside 13 committee members representing university stakeholders.
In its UMA Presidental Prospectus, qualities and qualifications sought for the next person to serve at the helm included an "authentic leader with a passion for the university's unique culture, mission, and values, as well as a strategic vision for moving the university forward."
"Dr. Cushman received high marks from all corners of the UMA community, and we are confident she will be an outstanding president," Katz said in the release. "I know she is anxious to get started, and we look forward to working with her as UMA begins this new chapter."
According to the release, Cushman is "devoted to small campus communities that transform the lives of lesser-resourced students."
Cushman will begin her appointment July 1 of this year.