The Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission program is built on a proven belief: success in a college presidency comes from aligning your personal calling with an institution’s mission. Misalignment can lead to shortened tenures, but with the right fit, you can achieve meaningful impact. The purpose of the program is to help participants gain a better understanding of how to discern both an institution’s mission and their own calling.
Program Benefits:
- Gain clarity on your vocational calling.
- Explore the distinctiveness of various institutional missions.
- Engage with a supportive community of peers and experienced facilitators.
- Strengthen your candidacy for a presidency by aligning personal and institutional missions.
- Explore alignment between your calling and your spouse’s/partner’s calling.
Program Structure:
This yearlong program combines seminars, small group discussions, individual consultations, and extensive reading, all guided by experienced presidents and their spouses/partners.
- An online community: Continuous online forum for cohorts to connect with peers to share updates, discussion topics, and conversations about current experiences through their vocational journey.
- Two Seminars: A four-day summer seminar and a two-day winter seminar, with pre-assigned readings.
- Ongoing Support: At least three video consultations with facilitators throughout the year.
- Mentorship: A team of facilitators—experienced presidents and their spouses/partners—guide participants in this inquiry over the course of one year.
Event Dates:
Summer Seminar: July 13–16, 2025 | Location: Lake Tahoe, California
Winter Seminar: February 22–24, 2026 | Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Costs: Thanks to Lilly Endowment Inc., most program expenses are covered. The registration costs are $425 for participants and $275 for participating spouses/partners.
Why This Program?
How one does the work of a college president is an essential question. Why one takes up the presidency as a calling in life is even more important and should be asked and answered first.
This is the premise of the yearlong seminar-based Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission program offered by the Council of Independent Colleges. In this program, a small cohort of college and university senior administrators and their spouses or partners join to read and think deeply about meaning and purpose in life as those values are applied to the presidency in independent higher education. At the same time, participants read and think about what makes the mission of one college or university different from that of another.
“So many aspects of the program, such as the readings, reflective conversations with other participants, and the coaching from former presidents, were helpful to me in clarifying the importance of my personal mission and beliefs and their alignment with an institution’s mission, vision, and values. Simply stated, I would not have wanted to consider the path toward a presidency without this experience.”
Tracy Espy, President, Mitchell College and former Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Pfeiffer University
Understanding the “Why” Behind Presidential Leadership
This program helps potential leaders discover whether a presidency is their true calling and, if so, where they can best serve. Remarkably, 35 percent of past participants have become college presidents, while others have advanced their careers in significant other ways. This experience is designed to set the stage for a fulfilling and successful presidency, benefiting you, your family, and your institution.
The yearlong seminar helps senior leaders explore the deeper purpose behind becoming a college president. It guides participants—and their spouses or partners—to reflect on their vocational calling and align with an institution’s mission while considering their next career steps. Through discussions, readings, and mentorship, the program helps you understand why now might be the right time to serve, as well as how to determine where you should serve, and how your unique values can lead to a successful and fulfilling presidency.
Who Should Apply?
This program is designed for senior leaders at CIC member institutions—typically vice presidents, provosts, or deans reporting to the president. Ideal candidates have at least three years in their current role and are considering a future presidency, whether certain or still exploring.
This program values diversity and invites leaders from all areas of college administration. Spouses and partners are encouraged to participate, as their involvement is crucial in this journey. Each cohort includes around 20 prospective presidents, most accompanied by their spouse or partner.
“This program was crucial in my search process and in eventually selecting the right “mission-fit” university for my first presidency. The readings, discussions, and mentoring by experienced presidents created the perfect dialogue at just the right time for me to think about the next steps in my career. The inclusion of spouses and partners was important to me and adds to the impact of the experience.”
Jeff Gingerich, President, St. Bonaventure University and former Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Scranton
Program Facilitators
Director
Steven C. Bahls, president emeritus, Augustana College (2003–2022)
Facilitators
Jane Bahls, former presidential spouse, Augustana College (2003–2022)
Donna M. Carroll, executive director, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, and president emerita, Dominican University (1994–2021)
Alan Cottrell, presidential spouse, Texas Lutheran University (since 2019)
Debbie Cottrell, president, Texas Lutheran University (since 2019)
Mary Dana Hinton, president, Hollins University (since 2020)
Robert Williams, presidential spouse, Hollins University (since 2020)
Contact Information
For more information, contact Titilayo Ufomata, CIC Senior Vice President for Academic Programs, at (202) 545-6041 or tufomata@cic.edu, or Emilee O’Dell, CIC Program Manager for Presidential Engagement, at (202) 773-0560 or eodell@cic.edu.
CIC is grateful to Lilly Endowment Inc. for its ongoing support of the Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission program.