New College Presidential Search Committee Names Three Finalists

SARASOTA, Fla. — New College of Florida’s (NCF) presidential search committee has submitted three finalists to the NCF Board of Trustees for consideration. The three finalists for consideration by the trustees are Richard Corcoran, Tyler Fisher, and Robert Gervasi.

“The search committee worked diligently through a long list of highly qualified applicants to find and forward these outstanding finalists, and I thank everyone involved in the application and interview process for their interest in the future of New College,” said Dr. Matthew Spalding, NCF trustee and presidential search committee chair.

Corcoran is the interim president of NCF, a role to which he was appointed in February 2023. Previously, he served four terms in the Florida House of Representatives, holding the seat of Speaker of the House during his final term. From 2018-2022, Corcoran was Education Commissioner of Florida, leading the state’s K-12 education and state college systems including COVID-19 response. He is a member of the Florida Bar, earning his Juris Doctor from Regent School of Law.

Fisher is an associate professor of modern languages and literature, Burnett Honors College faculty fellow, and core faculty in the Ph.D. program for texts and technology at the University of Central Florida. A Rhodes Scholar, Fisher earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees in philosophy at the University of Oxford. He conducted a wealth of scholarly work abroad before joining UCF in his current position in 2018.

Gervasi was most recently interim president at the University of Mount Union, and was previously president of Ohio Dominican University and Quincy University. He sits on the board of directors of the Fulbright Association and chairs its selection committee for the annual Fulbright Prize for International Understanding. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees in classics from Ohio State University, in addition to an MBA in marketing from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

The 15-member search committee, comprising a distinguished group representing the SUS BOG, NCF Board of Trustees, student body, faculty, NCF Foundation, alumni and other stakeholders and supporters of NCF, started its work on April 7. Over the last four months, the committee received and reviewed 63 applications and conducted eight interviews. The committee was tasked with identifying candidates who could guide New College beyond its recent history of enrollment and economic challenges while restoring its reputation for providing a nationally-recognized liberal arts undergraduate education.

“This was an exceptionally thorough search process, and the pool of candidates was so impressive,” said Dr. David Harvey, former NCF faculty chair. “This is a critical time for New College and I’m very proud of the quality of the finalists we’ve identified for consideration by the trustees.”

“The search process which meticulously followed the BOG regulations, was well planned and excellently carried out to provide a fair review of all applicants and efficiently reveal three great finalists,” said Alan Levine, State University System Board of Governors and NCF presidential search member.

“Participating in the search process has been a great experience and I’m excited about the quality of the finalists we identified to continue New College’s growth and development for the future,” said Joshua Broyhill, student representative for the search committee.

Details on candidate forums and interviews will be posted on the NCF.edu Board of Trustees page.