Presidential Search

- Hon. Elizabeth Ortiz, co-chair of the search committee; associate justice, R.I. Family Court
- Steve Smith, co-chair of the search committee; educational consultant, Steve Smith Consulting, LLC
- David Caprio, chairman of the Council on Postsecondary Education
- Michael Mello, member of the Council on Postsecondary Education
- Marcy Reyes, member of the Council on Postsecondary Education
- Mazin Adam, president, CCRI Faculty Association; professor of art & design
- Kim M. Barker, president, CCRI Foundation; executive vice president and chief legal officer, Bally’s Corporation
- Jude Tomasino, president, CCRI Professional Staff Association
- Alicia Anthony, Esq., associate, Howe & Garside, Ltd.

AGB Search will be the professional executive search firm to assist the council in recruiting, screening, and evaluating candidates for the position of president of Community College of Rhode Island.

THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED.

The Rhode Island Council of Postsecondary Education, in conjunction with the Association of Governing Boards (AGB Search), a national search board, is conducting an online survey to seek feedback from faculty, staff, students, adminsitration, and alumni to make your voice heard in the search for its next president.  
 
AGB Search is a professional executive search firm that assists the Council in recruiting, screening, and evaluating candidates for the position of president of the Community College of Rhode Island. 
 
Your responses to this survey will remain anonymous and will not be shared in any way that will identify you. All survey results will go directly to AGB Search. AGB Search plans to summarize common themes surfaced through this survey and other listening sessions for development of the leadership profile. 
 
Thank you in advance for your participation. Your contributions are valued and will be instrumental as we move forward with the process.

The Rhode Island Council of Postsecondary Education is pleased to announce a series of listening sessions, scheduled from February 7 to February 13, as part of its comprehensive presidential search process. These sessions are an opportunity for the CCRI community and stakeholders to share their insights and expectations for the college's next leader.

The listening sessions will be virtual and conducted by AGB Search, a professional executive search firm that assists the Council in recruiting, screening, and evaluating candidates for the position of president of the Community College of Rhode Island. Please mark your calendars and join the session you wish to attend.

CCRI Faculty

Friday, February 7 - 1:00pm-2:00pm EST

Monday, February 10 – 3:00pm-4:00pm EST

 

CCRI Staff

Tuesday, February 11 – 11:00pm-12:00pm EST

Thursday, February 13 – 2:00pm-3:00pm EST

 

CCRI Students

Thursday, February 13 – 12:00pm-1:00pm EST

 

Community/CCRI Foundation Trustees/CCRI Alumni

Monday, February 10 – 5:00pm-6:00pm EST

The Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education invites nominations and applications for the position of President of the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI).

As the state’s only public community college, CCRI serves as the gateway to higher education and career pathways for thousands of students each year. The next President will lead a dynamic institution dedicated to student success, academic excellence, and workforce innovation. With a focus on improving outcomes, expanding partnerships, and strengthening institutional effectiveness, CCRI seeks a visionary and collaborative leader to build upon the college’s rich history and drive it toward an even brighter future.

Founded in 1964, CCRI offers 98 academic programs leading to an Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), Associate in Applied Science (AAS), Associate in Applied Science Technical Studies (AAS-TS), Associate in Fine Arts (AFA), diploma, or certificate across its four major campuses and two satellite campuses.

A complete leadership profile, along with additional information about CCRI, may be found here.

Nominations and Applications

To ensure full consideration by the Community College of Rhode Island – President Search Committee, applicants should apply by April 22, 2025. 

Candidates are requested to submit the following:

-A detailed letter of interest that addresses specifically how the candidate’s experiences and qualifications intersect CCRI’s qualifications and listed strategic priorities outlined in this profile;
-A curriculum vitae; and
-Five professional references with email addresses and telephone numbers, including their relationship to the candidate. References will not be contacted without prior authorization from the candidate.

All application materials should be in PDF format and submitted through the AGB Search portal system at: Community College of Rhode Island - President.

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to: [email protected].

Nominations and confidential inquiries should be directed to:

Fred Moore, J.D./MBA
Senior Executive Search Consultant
[email protected] / (712) 299-2544

Jeanne Jacobs, Ph.D.
Executive Search Consultant
[email protected] / (937) 470-9068

On June 4 and June 6, the council will host campus visits and final in-person interviews for the two finalists. Each candidate will participate in forums for 1) faculty and staff; 2) students; and 3) the alumni and foundation boards.

The two candidates are Rosemary Costigan, Ph.D., R.N. and Christopher M. Reber, Ph.D.

Each will give a 10-15 minute presentation, then move to informal Q&A discussions. For access accommodations please reach out to [email protected] by June 3.

Wednesday, June 4 - Christopher M. Reber, Ph.D.

-11:15am-12:15pm - Faculty and Staff interview in 4090. 

-1:15pm-2:00pm - Students interview in 4090. 

-5:00pm-6:00pm - Alumni and Foundation Board at the President’s House. 

 

Friday, June 6 - Rosemary Costigan, Ph.D., R.N.

-11:15am-12:15pm - Faculty and Staff interview in 4090. 

-1:15pm-2:00pm - Students interview in 4090. 

-5:00pm-6:00pm - Alumni and Foundation Board at the President’s House. Virtual registration link (https://ccri.webex.com/weblink/register/r912c602d546be8226703d47101a2ad35)

 

Following each of the campus visits, a survey will be provided to share your thoughts and opinions regarding each of the finalists. These surveys will be distributed to those who attend in person or register for the virtual interviews. Note: the surveys will only be open for four days after the interviews. 

On June 18, the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education voted unanimously to name Rosemary Costigan, Ph.D., RN, as president of Community College of Rhode Island. The council’s vote caps a nationwide executive search that produced 44 candidates and two finalists. She is the first alumna to serve as the college’s president and the second woman to hold the seat. Now, she will oversee all operations of her alma mater.

“Dr. Costigan’s long list of accomplishments during her career and her lifelong commitment to CCRI were powerful assets in the eyes of the search committee,” said David Caprio, chair of the Council on Postsecondary Education. “Dr. Costigan is a deeply experienced administrator with decades of teaching experience who as interim president has provided strong and visionary leadership through this difficult post-COVID era.  Throughout her career at CCRI, she has demonstrated excellence in teaching, administration, and academic leadership. Because she is utterly committed to student success, we are confident that she will always keep the evolving needs of CCRI students as her priority. The caliber of the candidates overall was impressive, but Dr. Costigan stood out as the best person suited to lead the college now.”

“This is a great day for higher education in our state,” said Governor Dan McKee. “I congratulate Dr. Costigan and look forward to continuing to build on the momentum we’ve created. Dr. Costigan is a graduate of CCRI, taught nursing students for years, led the nursing department, and rose to the highest level as interim president. She knows CCRI inside and out, and I’m confident she will continue to elevate CCRI, its faculty and its students."

As interim president, Dr. Costigan led CCRI through a time of great change and challenge. Throughout her tenure, she led CCRI through a successful 10-year institutional re-accreditation; implemented workforce alignment strategies that yielded strong bonds with the employer community; doubled the college’s three-year graduation rate from 15% to 30% and quadrupled the two-year graduation rate from 4% to 18%. She led the expansion of early college access for students in urban districts, resulting in an approximately 15% increase in participation. She launched the CCRI Advantage program that aims to close equity gaps in English and math; expanded online classes by nearly 30%, implemented guided pathways; and increased retention from fall semester to spring semester this academic year from 80% to 85%. New programming in hospitality, culinary, apprenticeship readiness, and expansion in work-based learning opportunities further support the college’s strategic efforts to attract and enroll students and reverse pandemic enrollment losses.

Dr. Costigan, herself a first-generation college student, noted during her candidacy that CCRI provided her with “the opportunity, access, and support to pursue a career in nursing,” an opportunity that changed her life. As president, she will deliver the same impact on thousands of students seeking the same life-changing opportunities that a college degree affords. For nearly eight years, she served as CCRI’s vice president for academic affairs, leading institution-wide efforts to improve equitable student outcomes, expand academic offerings, and reinforce the college’s mission.

“This search attracted a highly competitive pool of candidates for the presidency, and we are confident that Rosemary Costigan is — and remains to be — the best person to lead CCRI,” said Chairman Caprio.  “On behalf of the council, I’d like to thank the members of the search committee, who devoted a great deal of time of time to vetting candidates, and to the members of the CCRI community who contributed to the success of the search process.”

Shannon Gilkey, Ed.D., Rhode Island’s Postsecondary Education Commissioner said, “Dr. Costigan has, in the last year and a half, provided continuity in CCRI’s institutional goals and mission of providing high-quality, affordable postsecondary education that prepares students to achieve their own academic success and career goals, including graduation and entry into the workforce and/or transfer to a four-year institution. Under her continued leadership, CCRI can continue to scale up its strengths, grow and evolve.”

Prior to her appointment as interim president, Dr. Costigan, a nurse by education and training, worked in Rhode Island’s postsecondary education ecosystem for decades at the nursing schools of CCRI and University of Rhode Island. She has progressively advanced from associate professor of nursing, to nursing department chairperson, to interim assistant dean of nursing, and as vice president of academic affairs. In addition to her postsecondary education experiences, she was a full-time nurse for 21 years at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island. She earned a Ph.D. and M.S. in nursing from the University of Rhode Island, a B.S. in nursing from Rhode Island College, and an A.S. in nursing from Community College of Rhode Island.