Description

Coastal Carolina University seeks a Dean of the Graduate School
Click here to view position profile: https://summitsearchsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CCU_DeanGradSchool_Profile.pdf
Location: Conway, South Carolina

The Position:
The next Dean of the Graduate School at Coastal Carolina University will be a visionary, collaborative, and student-centered leader who embraces the University’s mission and values while advancing a bold vision for graduate education. This individual will report to the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and serve as a key member of the Provost’s leadership team and a strategic partner in shaping graduate education across the institution. The Dean will oversee a team of five including the Associate Dean, Marketing Coordinator, Graduate and Special Populations Enrollment Coordinator, Student Success Coordinator, and Administrative Coordinator/Budget Manager. 

Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership for the Graduate School, advancing a clear vision aligned with university priorities for graduate enrollment growth, student success, academic quality, and institutional advancement.
• Lead the expansion and refinement of master’s and doctoral program portfolios using data-informed, market-responsive strategies that reflect workforce demand, regional needs, and CCU’s academic strengths.
• Strengthen the role of graduate education in supporting research productivity and doctoral culture, collaborating with academic colleges and research leadership to advance institutional research goals.
• Champion the development and quality of in-person, online and hybrid graduate programs, ensuring appropriate academic standards, student support systems, and sustainable faculty workload models.
• Serve as a collaborative, service-oriented partner to academic colleges, building strong relationships with deans, chairs, and faculty while establishing centralized policies, processes, and administrative support structures.
• Advocate for graduate students and enhance enrollment strategy by partnering with enrollment management on recruitment, marketing, and yield efforts, while ensuring graduate student needs are represented in campus-wide planning and services.
   

Qualifications:

• Terminal degree in one's field.
• Minimum of five years of progressive leadership experience in higher education with a track record of demonstrated achievements in the oversight of graduate programs including but not limited to strategic planning, budgeting, personnel administration, and/or enrollment management.
• Demonstrated ability to constructively facilitate teamwork and foster the trust of graduate programs, faculty, staff, and students; commitment to transparency and shared governance.
• Evidence of extensive and broad decision-making ability; comfortable with making decisions related to financial impact on revenue, enrollment targets, costs, budgetary outcomes, and/or assets.
• Knowledge of current higher education trends, challenges, and demands as they may relate to graduate education and scholarly activity at CCU, and of how to advocate for CCU as a graduate institution.
   

About the Graduate School:
Over the past several years, the Graduate School at Coastal Carolina University has expanded its graduate program offerings, including approval of a new Doctorate in Physical Therapy to begin next year, and the university seeks continued expansion in graduate programs and enrollment. The school plays a vital role in CCU’s move toward enhancing its research profile and its commitment to supporting local, regional and national needs. The school is committed to fostering innovation and growth in graduate education by collaborating across disciplines to develop new programs, degrees and pathways. This strategic direction reflects CCU’s dedication to building robust academic programs, strengthening its research culture, and advancing toward R2 status as an emerging research institution.

The Graduate School collaborates with academic units and leverages relationships with key external constituents to provide quality programs that meet the educational, professional development, and workforce needs of the state and region. The Graduate School encourages the development of new knowledge through dynamic learning experiences of graduate faculty and students, builds innovative academic pathways through inter-institutional partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration, promotes excellence in teaching and learning supported by scholarly research and professional engagement, promotes student success through engaged academic advisement and progress monitoring systems, and delivers operational excellence supported by innovative instructional technologies and flexible learning systems.  

About Coastal Carolina University:
Coastal Carolina University is a public institution on the rise, recognized for its student-centered mission and bold advancements in enrollment, retention, and student success. The University provides a dynamic educational experience emphasizing academic excellence, student engagement, and comprehensive support services. The University’s dedicated faculty and staff are committed to mentoring and guiding students, fostering a personalized and enriching learning environment.  

Established in 1954, CCU has grown into a vibrant comprehensive University serving more than 12,000 students (just over 90% are undergraduate students) enrolled in over 115 undergraduate and 30 graduate programs, setting record enrollments for three consecutive years. Applications continue to surge, with a 16% increase of over 24,000 first-year applications received in 2025 and the largest freshman class in school history enrolling over 2,900 new students in 2025. This sustained growth reflects CCU’s increasing visibility, value, and reputation for providing an engaging and supportive educational environment.  

CCU seeks to develop students who are both knowledgeable in their chosen fields and prepared to be productive, responsible, and healthy citizens with a global perspective. To deliver on this commitment, the University recruits highly qualified and motivated students, faculty, and staff from the region, state, nation and world to create a student-centered learning environment. To nurture an active learning environment, CCU maintains a broad range of programming, technologies, and support services aligned with the University’s mission, values, and dedication to student success. These programs are designed to reach across disciplines, offering students valuable opportunities to grow, lead, and innovate.  

The University is home to a student body representing South Carolina, the broader Southeast, and regions across the nation and globe. Approximately half of the student body is from South Carolina. The University maintains a student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1 and the average freshman class size is 25 students, ensuring accessible faculty interactions and meaningful mentoring relationships. In addition, roughly 76% of undergraduates receive financial aid, with an average award of over $11,600 — underscoring CCU’s commitment to affordability and access.  

CCU is also building momentum in graduate education and research, expanding offerings that meet regional and national needs while deepening opportunities for student engagement. In February 2025, CCU earned a Research Colleges and Universities designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Signature strengths in coastal ecology, sustainability, and marine science anchor CCU’s research identity, while new interdisciplinary initiatives and partnerships extend their impact in areas such as public health, data analytics, and educational leadership. These programs reflect CCU’s bold vision for solving real-world challenges and shaping the future of its region and beyond.  

Student success is central to CCU’s mission, reflected in rising retention and graduation outcomes and a robust support system. The first-to-second year retention rate has climbed to 79%, with more than 91% of first-year students continuing from fall to spring. Comprehensive services — including centralized advising, the Coastal Student Success Center, academic coaching, tutoring, and faculty engagement programs — have led to measurable gains. Beyond academics, CCU fosters a vibrant campus life. More than 180 student organizations contribute to a strong sense of community, and Chanticleer student-athletes excel in Division I competition while setting GPA records. Coastal Carolina University offers both momentum and opportunity: a thriving and ambitious student body, measurable progress in student success, and a supportive institutional culture eager to build upon ongoing achievements.  

Leadership
James J. Winebrake, Ph.D., assumed office as the fourth president of Coastal Carolina University in July 2025. He previously served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where, under his leadership, the institution saw record enrollment and retention gains, launched new academic programs (including doctoral degrees), and strengthened its research and scholarship ecosystem. Before that, Winebrake held leadership and faculty roles at the Rochester Institute of Technology and James Madison University and worked as a policy scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy. A distinguished scholar in environmental and transportation policy, he has earned international recognition, contributed over 100 scholarly publications, and served on numerous professional boards and committees, including several National Academies of Science committees and the New York State Energy Planning Board. He holds a Ph.D. in Energy Management and Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Physics from Lafayette College. 

Strategic Plan
In 2024, Coastal Carolina University launched its new strategic plan – CCU Reach. Inspired by the words of the University’s alma mater, “We come to you to lead our search, and learn to reach beyond ourselves,” CCU Reach is a call to action for every member of Teal Nation. Each person associated with the University plays an essential role in the fulfillment of this plan as they reach up to achieve their potential, reach out to serve others around them, and reach across to bring people together. CCU Reach focuses on three pillars and the keystones, each backed by several strategic initiatives, actions, and related metrics: Learning, Living, Legacy, and Keystones. 

Accolades
Coastal Carolina University has been named to the “Most Innovative – Regional Universities (South)” list in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 rankings. CCU is tied for No. 4 in the category. This rating underscores the institution’s commitment to enhancing its academic profile through unique, experiential learning opportunities. CCU’s other highlights in the U.S. News (South) rankings include:

• No. 15 in Top Public Schools.
• No. 16 in Best Colleges for Veterans.
• No. 33 in Regional Universities (up one spot from 2025) 

Discover more highlights and achievements regarding CCU here. 

Accreditation
CCU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), with specialized accreditations from AACSB and CAEP, among others. The University is a hub for intellectual enrichment, cultural engagement, and lifelong learning, offering students a wide range of internship, research, international, and online learning opportunities. 

Why Consider the Opportunity:

• Architect of a New Era. As the leader of the newly rebranded Graduate School, you will have the rare opportunity to design a vision from the ground up within an established university. Graduate education is a central pillar of the new CCU Reach strategic plan, moving from a peripheral focus to a core institutional priority.
• Uncommon Momentum and Stability. While many higher education institutions face contraction, CCU is experiencing a period of record-breaking success, including an enrollment milestone of over 12,000 students, record retention rates, and strong financial health. This role offers the stability of a thriving institution combined with a mandate for growth in graduate enrollment and online programming.
• Drive the R2 Transition. You will play a pivotal role in Coastal Carolina University’s strategic evolution toward Carnegie R2 research status. This position offers the chance to lead the expansion of the doctoral portfolio and foster a research-intensive culture that elevates the institution’s national profile.
• Vibrant Coastal Location. Located just minutes from the Atlantic Ocean in Conway, SC, the University offers a unique quality of life in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. This dynamic setting not only provides an exceptional place to live but serves as a "living laboratory" for flagship programs in marine science, hospitality, and regional economic development.
   

To Apply:
A confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. For full consideration, individuals are encouraged to apply by March 23, 2026. Please submit a PDF version of your letter of application outlining your interest/suitability for this position and your CV/Resume.  

To Apply Online: https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=su501  

Tammarah Townes
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
302-388-9480
ttownes@summitsearchsolutions.com 

Coastal Carolina University is committed to ensuring that all persons are able to learn, work and enjoy a workplace, educational and living environment that is free from discriminatory harassment, treatment or services.