Director, Bruce D. Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization

The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, https://www.colorado.edu/) invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for the position of Director of the Bruce D. Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization (https://www.colorado.edu/center/benson/). The Director will be a distinguished scholar and dynamic academic leader who brings intellectual vision, collaborative instinct, and entrepreneurial energy to one of the nation’s most highly endowed university-based centers dedicated to the study of Western civilization, civic culture, and free inquiry.

The University of Colorado Boulder is Colorado’s leading public research university, transforming lives since 1876. As the state’s flagship university and one of only 38 U.S. public research institutions in the Association of American Universities (AAU), CU Boulder has proudly served Coloradans since the state’s founding. Home to five Nobel Laureates since 1989, CU Boulder provides a strong return on investment by aligning efforts to achieve research and creative excellence, global sustainability impact, and the success of all students, faculty, and staff.

The Benson Center promotes the study of the intellectual, artistic, and political traditions that characterize Western civilization. Central to this mission is our commitment to fostering dialogue about fundamental values and controversial questions. The Center provides a forum for free inquiry and respectful open debate and promotes academic freedom and intellectual diversity.

At a moment of both opportunity and scrutiny for higher education, the Benson Center occupies a distinctive and important role at CU Boulder: fostering rigorous scholarship, undergraduate learning, and public engagement on foundational ideas, institutions, and values that have shaped Western societies and the United States. The next Director will build on the Center’s momentum, strengthen its integration into the University's academic life, and advance CU Boulder’s mission as Colorado’s flagship public research institution.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished, tenured faculty member with a record of scholarly distinction and teaching excellence, as well as experience in administrative leadership. CU Boulder seeks a director who can lead with credibility and care, engage productively across differences, raise and steward significant philanthropic resources, and position the Benson Center as an indispensable contributor to campus life, student success, and public discourse.

All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications can be submitted through the WittKieffer Candidate Portal at https://apptrkr.com/7261137. Applicants should submit, as two separate documents, a CV or résumé and a letter of interest that addresses the themes outlined in the leadership profile https://api.wittkieffer.com/wp-content/uploads/position/director-bruce-d-benson-center-for-the-study-of-western-civilization-leadership-profile.pdf. WittKieffer is assisting CU Boulder in this search. For full consideration, candidate materials should be received by Friday, August 14, 2026.

This search is being led by Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, Ph.D., Suzanne Teer, and Bronwen Bares Pelaez, Ph.D., of WittKieffer. Nominations and inquiries may be directed to Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, Ph.D. ([email protected]) and Bronwen Bares Peleaz, Ph.D. ([email protected]).

The Benson Center Director includes $90,000 in annual compensation for the Director role, in addition to the base academic-year faculty salary of $175,000-$220,000, depending on the discipline of the joint appointment. Potential research support, course releases, and relocation assistance available, subject to University policy.

Commitment to Job Application Fairness: Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.