GW has started the search to find its next president, the University announced Thursday.

A 19-member search committee, chaired by Trustee Madeleine Jacobs and vice chaired by Alan Greenberg, a professor and chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics, will have votes “in the process of selecting finalists to be recommended to the board,” according to the release. The final presidential selection will be made by the Board of Trustees.

The presidential search comes after current University President Steven Knapp announced earlier this month that he would leave the University at the end of this upcoming academic year.

Jacobs said in the release that she and Greenberg will “keep the GW community informed about the search process” once the process begins.

“We look forward to engaging the university community and will provide additional details about how community members can provide feedback and input in the coming months,” Jacobs said in the release.

The search committee will come up with a “statement of desired presidential qualifications,” based on University priorities for the next decade and will be made public once approved by the Board of Trustees, according to the release. Finalists will be chosen by January and the final selection is expected to be made by early 2017, the release stated.

“We are looking for an exceptional leader who will build on the progress made by President Knapp and bring the George Washington University to new heights as it enters its third century,” Nelson Carbonell, the chair of the Board of Trustees, said in the release. “The committee will conduct a vigorous national search, and I am certain we will attract the most highly qualified candidates.”

The University will also seek help from an outside search firm, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and “a faculty consultative committee to be elected in the fall by the Faculty Assembly.” The search committee will begin its work over the summer, according to the release.