Dr. Scott McDowell, vice president for student life, has accepted the position of president of Lubbock Christian University, effective April 1.

McDowell has served on campus for two years, overseeing spiritual formation on campus, residence life, student organizations, student dining, multicultural affairs, career services, student productions, student recreation and wellness, on-campus medical and counseling facilities and more. He also served on the university’s Senior Leadership Team.

Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, and Kevin Campbell, senior vice president for operations, will assume leadership to the area of Student Life during the time of interim until a replacement has been found. Campbell said Student Life has reported to him for the last three to four years and he is familiar with the work of Student Life.

“Essentially I would be working directly with the leaders of Student Life that continue to progress on our goals and the support and care of our students,” Campbell said. “I will continue to keep the initiative that Scott has started in motion, and Dr. Schubert and I will be formulating a strategy to put a search committee in place to begin searching for the next V.P. of Student Life.”

In a campus-wide email, Schubert said a national search will begin immediately for the replacement of McDowell in the position of vice president for student life.

“Ideally, we would love to have somebody in place as we start the next school year, but if we do not feel confident that we found the right person yet, then we will not hire somebody just to have somebody filling that role at the start of the year,” Campbell said. “And if that’s the case then we would put together some kind of interim leadership plan, until we find the right person.”

Campbell said McDowell’s new position did not come as a surprise.

“Scott kept Dr. Schubert and I aware of the dialogue that he was having with Lubbock Christian,” Campbell said. “So he not only gave us an awareness of what was going on, but also a sense of timing. We were able to work in coordination with him and the folks at Lubbock Christian to agree upon the right transitional time for him to step into his work at Lubbock Christian.”

McDowell was In Lubbock for the announcement and was not available to interview.

Campbell said he remembers two years ago working to find Chris Riley’s replacement in the position of vice president for student life and found McDowell.

“I’m really grateful for what Scott has done,” Campbell said. “While we’re sad that Scott’s leaving, we’re also excited about what God might have in store for us as we find our next candidate.”