Dean, Westminster College of Media & Performing Arts

Location: Lawrenceville

Salary: $ - $ Annually
Location : Lawrenceville
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: Rider
00316
Division: Academic Affairs
Department: Westminster College of Media & Performing Arts Dean's Office Administration
Opening Date: 03/26/2026
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: N/A

We take pride in the ever-evolving nature of our work, which transforms the lives of our students, preparing them for personal and professional success.

Rider University is consistently recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report as a best college, and as a best-value institution. With more than 100 majors, minors and programs, 21 Division I athletic teams and 150-plus clubs and organizations, Rider Broncs create their own pathways to success with the support of the University community.
Position Overview
Rider University invites nominations and applications for the position of Inaugural Dean, Westminster College of Media & Performing Arts, an extraordinary leadership opportunity to shape the future of one of the nation's most respected traditions in choral and performing arts education while advancing interdisciplinary programs in media, communications and creative industries.
Rider University seeks a dynamic and visionary leader to serve as the Inaugural Dean of the Westminster College of Media & Performing Arts. The successful candidate will be responsible for articulating a comprehensive unifying vision for the new college and developing strategies to address the challenges faced, particularly in programs in the performing arts and media, by higher education in the 21st century.

This full-time position requires an experienced leader with expertise in music, performing arts and/or media.
The Westminster College of Media & Performing Arts will house two academic units: the School of Communications, Media & Performing Arts and the world-renowned Westminster Choir College. While this is a newly created college, its constituent programs are long-standing and well-established. The new college structure affirms the University's recognition that communication, media, and the performing arts represent some of the University's greatest strengths and vibrant areas for growth.
Programs housed within the School of Communications, Media & Performing Arts include Film & Television, Game & Interactive Media Design, Music Production, Journalism, Graphic Design, Sports Media, Musical Theatre, Arts & Entertainment Industries Management, and more. These programs are known for hands-on learning, high-quality student productions, and a new Student Media Center, which brings together Rider's news, television, and award-winning radio programs.
Founded in 1926 by visionary conductor John Finley Williamson, Westminster Choir College has long been synonymous with artistic rigor, choral excellence, and professional preparation at the highest level. From its early years in Dayton, Ohio to its present home within Rider University, Westminster has cultivated generations of musicians, educators, composers, conductors, and arts leaders whose influence extends nationally and internationally. Programs include Voice Performance, Music Education, Choral Conducting, Sacred Music, Voice Pedagogy, and more.

Opportunities
The newly formed Westminster College of Media & Performing Arts stands at a defining institutional moment as Rider University builds upon its success in educating first generation college students through high-quality experiential learning opportunities. The inaugural Dean has the rare opportunity to shape the academic, artistic, and strategic identity of this newly configured college.

Key opportunities include:

• Articulating and implementing a bold, integrated vision that unifies music, media, communications, and the performing arts under a coherent academic and professional framework
• Positioning the new college as a distinctive national model for interdisciplinary arts education within a comprehensive university
• Strengthening and expanding relationships with alumni, arts organizations, media partners, donors, and foundations
• Developing and rejuvenating innovative undergraduate and graduate programs aligned with evolving creative industries
• Enhancing national visibility and brand recognition through artistic excellence, strategic partnerships, and entrepreneurial initiatives
• Advancing a culture of equity, belonging, and student success across all programs
• Building philanthropic capacity and securing external funding to support scholarships, endowed positions, facilities, and programmatic growth

This role offers a visionary and experienced leader the chance to translate Westminster Choir College's historic excellence into a contemporary platform for distinction and growth.

Reporting to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, it is expected that the inaugural dean of the Westminster College of Media & Performing Arts will join a collaborative team of academic deans who work with the provost and leadership team in supporting the mission and goals of the…