Carroll University names new president after first pick withdrew

Carroll University on Tuesday named Cindy Gnadinger as its next president — the first woman to hold the title, and the second woman offered the opportunity to succeed President Douglas Hastad, who is retiring.

Gnadinger, 50, comes to the Waukesha university from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky.  Two months after accepting the position, previous pick Sara Ray Stoelinga withdrew her acceptance, forcing the university to resume its search.

“We’re excited to welcome Dr. Gnadinger as our next leader,” said Jim DeJong, immediate past chair of the Carroll University Board of Trustees and chair of the presidential search committee. “Beyond her impressive credentials, she is a dynamic leader with a strong commitment to higher education."

Currently, Gnadinger is an executive consultant for Bellarmine University. She serves as a member of the president’s cabinet and provides input on all units of the university, with special focus on issues related to accreditation and regulatory compliance. 

She previously held many other roles at Bellarmine from 2000-2013, including faculty member, department head, dean and assistant vice president for academic affairs. She was instrumental in developing new programs and in helping lead faculty development at Bellarmine, according to the Carroll news release.

In addition, Gnadinger spent time at William Peace University in Raleigh, N.C. (2013-2014) as vice president for academic affairs and St. Catharine College in St. Catharine, Ky., serving as provost (2014-2015) and then president (2015-2016).
 
Gnadinger earned her bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University and master’s degree from the University of Louisville. She has a doctorate of education in education supervision from the University of Louisville.

She was selected by the Board of Trustees after a nationwide search and a unanimous recommendation from a search committee made up of trustees, faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students and alumni.

Gnadinger is a 2013 recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, which allowed her to travel to France with other administrators to visit many higher educational institutions and explore partnership opportunities. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries.

“Carroll Is impressive in every respect. In addition to its outstanding academic reputation, I was drawn to the university’s strong foundation in the liberal arts, its expanding role as a leader in the health sciences and its commitment to a culture of service in a diverse and global society,” Gnadinger said in a statement.

A native of Shepherdsville, Ky., Gnadinger has been married to her husband, John, an employee of Johnson Controls, for nearly 27 years and has three sons. Gnadinger and her husband will make the move to Waukesha with their bichon frise, Truman.