The American Council on Education selected 52 emerging leaders in higher education as its 2021-2022 class of fellows. The new cohort will be joined by the previous year’s class, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nearly a third of the combined cohort are from underrepresented backgrounds, with a two to one ratio of women to men. The class also reflects institutional diversity, including service academies, religious institutions, one international institution, private institutions and local colleges and universities in Washington D.C. and Maryland.
Dr. Ted Mitchell“The unique composition of the cohort and the lessons they have learned during this past year will present us with some very exciting engagement and learning opportunities,” said Dr. Sherri Lind Hughes, ACE’s assistant vice president of professional learning.
As a part of the program, fellows participate in retreats and campus visits. They will also be placed at another higher education institution for a year. Support for the program – and grants to participants interested in addressing educational inequities – comes from ACE, the Lumina Foundation and the education and technology company Cengage.
The leadership development program has existed since 1965 and trained over 2,000 administrators, faculty and staff for leadership roles in higher education. More than 80% of fellows have gone on to senior positions at colleges and universities, serving as deans, chief academic officers, chief executive officers and other cabinet-level roles.
“ACE Fellows gain career-enriching experience in leadership, innovation, and problem-solving,” said ACE President Dr. Ted Mitchell in a statement. “These are just the kind of skillsets that will be absolutely essential for moving higher education forward during difficult times.”
