New College of Florida has named Patricia Okker as its president elect. Okker will assume the role on Thursday, July 1, and will succeed current president Donal O'Shea, who has led New College since 2012. Okker has served as dean of the College of Arts and Science at the University of Missouri since 2017, and was selected by New College's Board of Trustees following a national search. The New College Presidential Search Committee selected 12 applicants from more than 130 candidates to interview for the position. The choice must go to an official confirmation vote by the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees the state university system, during a public meeting on Wednesday, June 23, at the University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus. At the University of Missouri, Okker oversaw 450 full-time faculty, 135 staff and 6,500 students across 26 departments and schools with an annual operating budget of $120 million.