Chancellor Gearhart Profiled in Chronicle of Higher Education

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Chancellor G. David Gearhart

Earlier this month, Chancellor G. David Gearhart was profiled in an article titled "From Fund Raiser to President: an Uncommon Path Pays Off,” written by Kathryn Masterson for The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The article pointed out that Chancellor Gearhart is one of only a few college or university leaders to come to the post after a career in advancement. Gearhart was vice chancellor for advancement before being named chancellor at the University of Arkansas and previously served in advancement and development roles at other universities and as a consultant for development at several universities.

The article cited the fact that fundraising is one of the main jobs of anyone who leads an institution of higher education. Several experts were quoted who predicted that more presidents and chancellors will follow this path in the future. These experts said that advancement experience puts administrators in position to see how a university works from inside its leadership circle. At the same time, heading up a large and successful fundraising campaign, such as the university's Campaign for the Twenty-First Century, which raised more than $1 billion, demonstrates strong leadership and administrative skills.

The article also made it clear that Gearhart came to the chancellor's position with academic, as well as fundraising credentials, and that his policies have emphasized working closely with faculty and putting "Students First."