Presidential Search

The 16th President of Lycoming College

President-Elect Charles Edmonds, Ed.D. '98

The Lycoming College Board of Trustees is honored to announce the appointment of Charles Edmonds, Ed.D. '98, to the presidency of the College. Currently the executive vice president at Lycoming College, Edmonds will commence his role as president beginning July 1.

The selection of Edmonds follows an extensive national search, with participation from members of Lycoming's Board of Trustees, the student population, faculty, and staff, that considered 107 applicants for the position. Edmonds' appointment follows the September announcement that current president, Kent Trachte, will retire in June, at the close of the 2024-2025 academic year.

Presidential Announcement

“It will be an extraordinary privilege to build on Lycoming's distinguished history and harness the community's collective capacity to provide one of society's most important public goods — an education that prepares students for exceptional careers and service to humanity.”

President-Elect Charles Edmonds, Ed.D. '98

The Lycoming College Board of Trustees has launched a search to find the next president of Lycoming College, successor to the institution's 15th president, Kent C. Trachte, who announced his retirement effective June 30, 2025. Search consulting firm, Academic Search, has been appointed by the Board to lead a national search for top candidates.

The Presidential Search Committee, with input from the Lycoming community, developed the following position profile that defines the leadership agenda and qualifications of the next Lycoming president.

View Position Profile

Applications and nominations may be sent to Academic Search at LycomingPresident@academicsearch.org. Other questions related to the presidential search should be directed to presidentialsearch@lycoming.edu.

Updates on search progress will be shared with the Lycoming community via emails and through this website.

Presidential Search Timeline

Phase 1

July-Sept 2024

Pre-search Prep & Launch
Gathering community input
Developing Presidential Profile

Phase 2

Oct 2024-Jan 2025

Recruitment & Application Review

Phase 3

Feb-March 2025

Reviewing and interviewing applicants

Phase 4

July 2025

New President Begins

Presidential Search Communications

March 6, 2025 An Important Message from Mark Fultz '80, Chair of the Lycoming College Board of Trustees

January 22, 2025 Update from Presidential Search Committee Chair

December 13, 2024 Update from the Presidential Search Committee Chair

October 8, 2024 Important Message Regarding the Launch of the Presidential Search Profile

September 19, 2024 Presidential Search - Anonymous Survey

September 9, 2024 An Important Message from President Trachte

September 9, 2024 An Important Message from Mark Fultz, Chair of the Lycoming College Board of Trustees

Presidential Search Committee

Trustee Representatives

Don Hughes
Search Committee Chair, Trustee
William Evans
Trustee
Mark Fultz
Board Chair
Colleen Heisey
Trustee
Leigh Howe
Trustee
Steven Johnson
Trustee
Tammy Weber
Trustee

Faculty, Staff & Student Representatives

David Andrew
Assistant Professor of Biology
Andrew Leiter
Professor of English, Director of the Humanities Research Center
Jordon Lewis
Class of '25
Misty Palmatier
Director of Counseling Services
Sarah Silkey
Professor of History

Presidential Search News

Lycoming College names Charles Edmonds as its 16th president

March 6, 2025

The Lycoming College Board of Trustees today announced the appointment of Charles Edmonds, Ed.D. ’98, to the presidency of the College. Currently the executive vice president at Lycoming College, Edmonds will commence his role as president beginning July 1.

Lycoming College launches national search for next president

October 9, 2024

The Lycoming College Board of Trustees today announced the next phase of a national search for its 16th president. With the newly-launched position profile posted to the presidential search website, Academic Search will now solicit and accept applications for the Lycoming College presidency. Today’s news follows the Sept. 9 announcement that after 12 years of exemplary and dedicated service, Kent Trachte, the 15^th president of Lycoming College, will retire in June 2025.

Lycoming College President Kent Trachte announces retirement

September 9, 2024

Following 11 years of exemplary and dedicated service, Kent Trachte, the 15^th president of Lycoming College, announced that he will retire in June 2025. Trachte provided thoughtful and bold leadership during a period of rapid change in higher education, including significant demographic shifts and the Covid 19 pandemic, while advancing initiatives that softened the boundaries of the residential campus and established bridges to the Williamsport community.