Presidential search at Northwestern State University narrowed to six candidates

The search for the next president of Northwestern State University has narrowed down to six candidates with backgrounds ranging from administration at LSU Shreveport to the federal government.

The candidates are: 

• Nancy D. Albers, international business coordinator for the College of Business at LSU Shreveport. 
• Darrell Kruger, former provost and executive chancellor for academic affairs at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.
• Kim LeDuff, vice president for the division of academic engagement and student affairs as well as the chief diversity officer at the University of West Florida, Pensacola.
• Jeremy Thomas, interim president at Oklahoma City Community College.
• Virginia Burkett, chief scientist for Climate and Land Use Change at the U.S. Department of Interior.
• Marcus Jones, current interim president for Northwestern.

“This is an extraordinary slate of candidates,” Jim Henderson, UL system president and chair of the 2021 Northwestern Presidential Search Committee, said as the committee voted on the semifinalists.

The committee will interview the candidates on Northwestern’s campus Nov. 1. The interview period will take about two and a half days, Henderson said.

“We’re going to get it right, and the 20th president of Northwestern State will serve the institution well,” he said.

Chris Maggio retired this summer after serving as president since January 2017. He had been a member of staff, faculty and administration for the university for 33 years.

The new president is scheduled to begin in the spring 2022 semester.