McNeese State University named Dr. Daryl Burckel as its 7th president on Thursday, April 20. Burckel was one of three finalists and will assume office in June.
What Happened?
McNeese State University has chosen Dr. Daryl Burckel as its next president. The decision had come down to three finalists: Burckel, Neil Aspinwall and Jeanne Daboval.
McNeese State University welcomes Dr. Daryl Burckel as its 7th president! pic.twitter.com/mrZCV0JYox
— McNeese (@McNeese) April 20, 2017
UL System President and CEO Jim Henderson, in a phone interview with the American Press on Monday said, “When you look at the tens of billions of dollars in economic expansion in the regional economy and how the town has depended on McNeese through the years, it’s critical that we find the right person for this job. Lake Charles is in the midst of an economic boom and McNeese’s next leader is charged with meeting the community’s rapidly changing needs. The demands for the next president will be even stronger because the stakes are so high.”
Earlier this week, Henderson said there are “three candidates with a great deal of experience and each brings a set of talent and experiences that can bode well for McNeese. I’m excited to watch as things develop and to see the three interviews on Thursday. I’m confident in the process and feel very strongly that the right person for the job will be the one that is chosen after the interviews.”
McNeese President Philip Williams, who has served since July 1, 2010, will retire on June 30. Williams is the sixth president in the university’s 78-year history.
Burckel was an accounting professor at the University and in his letter to the McNeese Search Committee, he said, “McNeese is an excellent university, but it is at a crossroads as it faces considerable challenges as well as many opportunities. One thing is for certain: its future will be different from its past. To be successful in the future, regional universities will have to enhance their role in the social, cultural, and economic life of their communities.”
McNeese State University
McNeese State University is a public regional university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1939 as Lake Charles Junior College, it was renamed McNeese Junior College after John McNeese, an early local educator. The school serves a total of 8,162 students.
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