Executive Leadership Academy (ELA)
The Opening Seminar for the 2024–2025 Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) took place in June in Washington, DC. ELA is a yearlong program jointly sponsored by CIC, and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), led by Javier Cevallos. From a competitive pool of applicants, 37 higher education leaders participated in the selective program that prepares experienced provosts and vice presidents to take on positions of greater responsibility—including college presidencies. Since 2009, more than 100 of the participants who completed the ELA program have been appointed as presidents or chancellors, and many more have advanced to other senior positions. The ELA program develops the wide-ranging skills that new presidents and senior executives need to meet the challenges of today’s educational environment.
“Preparing the next generation of leaders is essential. As we have seen, leadership requires a complex combination of skill, character, and vision,” said CIC President Marjorie Hass. “I’m proud that CIC has such wonderful partners in AASCU and AALI to continue offering the ELA program that encourages diversity in higher education leadership. The program has evolved over the past 15 years to ensure that new leaders from varied backgrounds will be equipped to serve all students.”
“The need for strong leadership in higher education, amid the mounting pressures our institutions face, has never been more important than it is today,” said AASCU President and CEO Charles L. Welch. “AASCU’s long-standing commitment to identify, prepare, and mentor future leaders has been a cornerstone of the association, and the Executive Leadership Academy in partnership with CIC and AALI enables participants to develop the wide-ranging skills required to meet the challenges of today’s educational environment and serve today’s diverse student population.”
Some highlights of the ELA program include an individualized professional experience plan designed to fill gaps in the participant’s skills and experience; mentorship by the participant’s current president and the ELA program director; individualized executive coaching; and peer-to-peer participant-led webinars, regional gatherings, and activities. ELA participants will return to Washington, DC, in June 2025 for the Closing Seminar.
Read more about the 2024–2025 cohort.
Senior Leadership Academy (SLA)
The Senior Leadership Academy (SLA) is a yearlong program to prepare college and university leaders in mid-level positions who aspire to cabinet-level positions in independent colleges or universities. It consists of mentorship and executive coaching; a fall seminar held in conjunction with the CIC Institute for Chief Academic Officers; a spring seminar in Washington, DC; experiential activities throughout the year; and a series of readings and case studies. The SLA fills a gap in the current leadership pipeline by preparing talented leaders with the skills needed to advance to a senior leadership position on campus. The SLA also helps participants broaden their understanding of the higher education ecosystem and of the full range of leadership roles needed for institutional success.
Thirty-nine higher education administrators were selected from a pool of over 80 applicants for this years SLA. The Opening Seminar for the 2024–2025 cohort will take place in October in Portland, OR, however participants have already begun to meet and will continue to do so until the Closing Seminar in June 2025. This yearlong program is jointly sponsored by CIC, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), led by Javier Cevallos. With support from AALI, CIC was able to offer nine fellowships of $5000 each. These fellowships enhance the gender, racial, and ethnic diversity of the leadership pipeline.