ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Augustana has named its newest president, set to take the office in July 2022.
In a press release, college officials announced that Dr. Andrea Talentino would be taking the job as college president on July 1, 2022, following the retirement of Steve Bahls.
Dr. Talentino is an accomplished graduate of some of the country's top schools, including her bachelor's degree from Yale and a master's and doctorate from UCLA, all in the subject of political science.
She is also a veteran of college administration, having served as provost of Nazerath College in Rochester, New York, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Vermont's Norwich University, where she earned an MBA in organizational leadership, a postdoc at Princeton, and a faculty position at Tulane University in Louisiana.
Dr. Talentino was unanimously recommended to Augustana's Board of Trustees by the 13-member presidential search committee, which consisted of faculty, alumni, trustees, and a student representative.
“We are proud to present Dr. Andrea Talentino as our next president,” said John Murabito chair of the search committee. “She will embrace the values, principles and beautiful traditions of Augustana, while fully understanding the challenges of private colleges in 2021.
“Augustana’s mission and vision reflect what I most care about,” Dr. Talentino said. “I’ve focused on creating an inclusive, holistic, challenging, integrated student experience that offers a real transformational opportunity. Any institution can have internships, study abroad, opportunities for research, but it’s how you put them together, how you create natural connections and meaning between all of them that makes the difference in what’s outstanding and what is ‘just fine,’ and Augustana is committed to being outstanding.”
She will be the ninth president in the college's 161 year history following the retirement of Steve Bahls who has held the position since 2003.
RELATED: Stay in the know with WQAD online