St. Johns County Schools Superintendent Dr. Joseph Joyner will become the next president of Flagler College, it was announced yesterday.
Joyner’s appointment was confirmed by the Flagler College Board of Trustees Nov. 29. He will succeed Dr. William T. Abare Jr., who is retiring at the conclusion of the current academic year in June 2017 after serving 15 years as president of the private, 2,500-student college in St. Augustine.
“It has been my honor to serve the college for the past 45 years,” Abare said. “I know it will be in great hands with Joe Joyner taking the helm. I will do everything possible to make sure the transition is smooth and that the future continues to be bright for Flagler College under the new leadership.”
As superintendent of the top-rated public school system in the state of Florida, Joyner oversees a school district with nearly 35,000 students and a budget of $633 million. He will officially conclude his 14-year tenure as superintendent in early January 2017, when former Deputy Superintendent for Operations Tim Forson succeeds him.
“It is an honor to be asked to serve as president of Flagler College,” Joyner said. “I will do my utmost to build on the great legacy of excellence that the two former presidents built with so much commitment and determination.”
According to the Flagler College Board of Trustees, Joyner was selected for the president’s position following a national search that began in April 2016, when Abare announced his plans to retire. After reviewing more than 170 applications and interviewing nine candidates for the position, the college’s presidential search committee narrowed the list to two finalists in November.
Board of Trustees Chairman Frank Upchurch said Joyner was the committee’s top choice among an impressive field of candidates.
“We think Dr. Joyner is the best choice to lead the college into a new era,” Upchurch said. “He will be a worthy successor to Dr. William T. Abare, Jr. and Dr. William L. Proctor. He shares their commitment to the college’s core values of teaching, learning, student success and civility. Under Dr. Joyner’s leadership, I have every confidence that the college will continue the pursuit of excellence of his two esteemed predecessors.”
