COM-FSM Board of Regents Names Dr. Theresa Koroivulaono as New COM-FSM President
November 21, 2022
The College of Micronesia-FSM Board of Regents announced today the successful completion of the presidential search process and unanimous selection of Dr. Theresa Koroivulaono as the college’s 6th President. Dr. Koroivulaono will begin her tenure at COM-FSM in February 2023. She succeeds Dr. Joseph M. Daisy, who stepped down as President in January 2020 after serving since 2012.
The Presidential Search process invited broad participation from the college community via a Search Committee, which comprised faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community representatives. The Committee considered many applicants from a deep and diverse pool of highly accomplished leaders over a nine-month intensive international search process before recommending three candidates for the Board’s consideration.
The position profile sought a leader with exceptional executive leadership, communication ability, personnel management skills and strategic planning experience, all of which Dr. Koroivulaono possesses. Dr. Koroivulaono holds a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and PhD in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and is the former President/CEO of the College of the Marshall Islands from 2015 to 2020. Dr. Koroivulaono has the proven leadership commitment, educational qualifications, values and ethics and multidimensional networks, with more than 20 years of experience in higher education and a long-standing commitment to student achievement and success.
After the unanimous vote at the Board of Regents meeting on November 21, 2022, Chair Suzanne L. Gallen stated, “Dr. Koroivulaono’s career has demonstrated quality in her deep commitment to the success of higher education. She possesses leadership of impressive strategic initiatives across a wide range of priorities. Dr. Koroivulaono assumes the role of the next COM-FSM President with confidence and experience, and with the strength needed to lead the college forward on its path as a learner-centered institution characterized by continuous improvement and best practices.
“The Board is confident that at this point in the history of COM-FSM, what we do to prepare our students in this complex, rapidly changing world has become more urgent and critical than ever and Dr. Koroivulaono brings both stability and ingenuity to that mission. The Board looks forward to working with her in our commitment to the success of the FSM by providing programs of higher learning. Her contagious enthusiasm for the work ahead will make COM-FSM an even greater college under her leadership.”
The Board owes tremendous thanks to members of the first Search Committee (2020-21) and the second Search Committee (2022) and supporting staff for their expertise, guidance, collaboration, patience and full commitment to the long and rigorous search over the past two years. The Board is also sincerely appreciative to the college community, including faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni, who were an integral part of the search process by contributing to various surveys, polls, interviews, evaluations and summits that invaluably aided the Search Committee’s work. And finally, the Board also thanks former Interim President Mrs. Karen Simion and current Interim President Manny Mori, for their leadership, dedication and professionalism in leading the college while the search was ongoing.
