The University of the Ozarks Board of Trustees unanimously voted Saturday to make Richard L. “Rich” Dunsworth the university’s 25th president. Dunsworth becomes president on July 1.
Dunsworth, 43, has been vice president for enrollment at Millikin University in Illinois since 2004. He will succeed Rick Niece, who is retiring in June after 16 years as president of the private, Presbyterian-affiliated university.
Dunsworth, who has a juris doctorate from the University of Illinois, has been at Millikin since 1991. In his role as vice president for enrollment, he oversees admission, athletics, financial aid, institutional research, marketing, media relations, registrar and student development.
He and his wife Holly have three children.
“At University of the Ozarks we found the perfect fit,” Dunsworth said. “When my family and I began this process, we hoped to find an institution that was grounded in faith, which would allow for the opportunity to share our personal and professional lives, and one that would welcome the entire family. We feel blessed to have found such an institution.”
David Rawhouser of Arlington, Texas, an Ozarks alumnus and chair of the university’s board, said Dunsworth impressed the search committee with his ability to interact with the campus community during a two-day interview visit to the university in late September.
“In various interviews and conversations with Mr. Dunsworth, it was very apparent that he could easily relate to the various segments of the campus community,” Rawhouser said. “He listened intensely to questions presented to him and presented his ideas in a concise, but affirmative, manner.”
The appointment concludes a nationwide search launched in February, led by an 11-member search committee chaired by trustee Chris Allen of Clarksville. The committee chose Dunsworth from more than 50 applicants.