Three leaders at SCICU member colleges have been selected by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) to participate in the CIC 2017–2018 Senior Leadership Academy.
SCICU member college leaders selected for this leadership group include Dr. Judith Askew (Dean of Academic Programs, Presbyterian College), Mary Beth Knight (Director of Foundation, Corporate, and Government Relations, Wofford College), and Dr. Ryan Neal (Assistant Provost, Anderson University).
Individuals chosen for the yearlong program are administrators in higher education who have been identified by their institutions as having the potential for senior leadership positions in independent colleges or universities. Participants will take part in an opening seminar in San Antonio, Texas, November 3–5, 2017, and a closing seminar in Washington, DC, June 21–23, 2018. Other activities include a mentoring program, working with experts, participating in webinars, and engaging in a series of readings and case studies during the academic year.
The Academy is designed to prepare prospective leaders to assume positions as the chief officers in any division—including academic affairs, student affairs, finance, enrollment management, and advancement—in independent higher education.
“The need to prepare future leaders of colleges and universities has never been greater because the generation of people now in senior leadership positions on campus is rapidly approaching retirement,” said CIC President Richard Ekman. “Competition for the available places in the program was intense, and the review committee found the nomination materials to be most impressive.”
Sixty-one percent of participants in the first Senior Leadership Academy cohort (2010–2011) have advanced in their careers, and 25 percent of participants in the recently completed 2014–2015 cohort already have earned more advanced positions. “These indicators suggest that CIC is helping to meet the leadership needs of higher education by offering highly effective leadership development programs for modest fees to member institutions,” Ekman said.
Expanding participation in the 2017–2018 Senior Leadership Academy, this year the American Express Foundation gave CIC a grant to support diversifying the leadership of independent colleges.
Participants selected for the 2017-18 CIC Senior Leadership Academy include the following:
Keshia Abraham, Florida Memorial University (FL)
Judith Askew, Presbyterian College (SC)
Valerie Banschbach, Roanoke College (VA)
Trevor Bates, Heidelberg University (OH)
Shanna Benjamin, Grinnell College (IA)
Catherine Bishop, Augsburg College (MN)
Eric Boynton, Allegheny College (PA)
Kendrick Brown, University of Redlands (CA)
Fran’Cee Brown-McClure, Spelman College (GA)
Andrea Bucklew, Alderson Broaddus University (WV)
Jeremy Buckner, Carson-Newman University (TN)
David Canton, Connecticut College (CT)
Amy D’Olivo, Centenary University (NJ)
Maureen Finney, D’Youville College (NY)
Tamara Floyd-Smith, Tuskegee University (AL)
Meredith Goldsmith, Ursinus College (PA)
Gil Gonzalez, Whittier College (CA)
Michael Hammond, Taylor University (IN)
Laura Hartley, George Fox University (OR)
Brad Hastings, Mount Ida College (MA)
Karen Hunt, Wittenberg University (OH)
Mitchell Kinsinger, Augustana University (SD)
Mary Beth Knight, Wofford College (SC)
Michael Laney, Our Lady of the Lake University (TX)
Barbara Lawrence, Guilford College (NC)
Allyson Lowe, Carlow University (PA)
Rochelle Mason, Colorado College (CO)
Michelle Mattson, Rhodes College (TN)
Caroline Maurer, Messiah College (PA)
Jewerl Maxwell, Gordon College (MA)
Karla McCain, Austin College (TX)
Jamie McMinn, Westminster College (PA)
Megan Mustain, St. Mary’s University (TX)
Ryan Neal, Anderson University (SC)
Saib Othman, Marian University (IN)
The Academy is co-sponsored by CIC, the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), and Academic Search, Inc. Linda M. Bleicken, president of AALI, will direct the program. For more information about the Senior Leadership Academy, visit www.cic.edu/SeniorLeadershipAcademy.