After two years as president of Eckerd College, Damien Fernandez announced Monday that he is stepping down, citing exhaustion as the reason he is leaving the small Florida liberal arts college early.
“I accomplished the work with a tremendous team and a lot of energy, but also exhaustion,” Fernandez told The Tampa Bay Times. “I called these last few years dog years.”
Monday was Fernandez’s last day as president.
Fernandez, who previously served as a chancellor in the Pennsylvania State University system, formally announced his plans to step down in June. Fernandez will be succeeded in an interim capacity by James Annarelli, the longtime vice president for student life and dean of students. Eckerd’s Board of Trustees will conduct a national search to find Fernandez’s replacement.
