ACE Fellows Program

Since 1965, nearly 2,000 vice presidents, deans, department chairs, faculty, and other emerging leaders have participated in the ACE Fellows Program, a customized learning experience that enables participants to immerse themselves in the study and practice of leadership and experience the culture, policies, and decision-making processes of another institution.

The ACE Fellows Program helps ensure that higher education’s future leaders are ready to take on real-world challenges and serve the capacity-building needs of their institutions.

Fellows:

Observe and participate in key meetings and events, and take on special projects and assignments while under the mentorship of a team of experienced campus or system leaders.
Participate in three multi-day seminars, engage in team-based project and case studies, visit other campuses, and attend national meetings.
Develop a network of higher education leaders across the U.S. and abroad.

This unique program condenses years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single year. As a result, the ACE Fellows Program is the most effective, comprehensive leadership development program in American higher education today. Of the nearly 2,000 Fellows to date, more than 80 percent have served as chief executive officers, chief academic officers, other cabinet-level positions, and deans.

An applicant’s institution must be or become an ACE member and remain in good standing throughout the duration of the Fellowship year.

Apply or Nominate

Apply

In seeking a broad representation from across the higher education community, ACE encourages candidates from diverse personal and professional backgrounds, functional areas, and institutional sectors to apply. Nominees must demonstrate a record of leadership in an institution-wide context. Successful candidates have held positions such as vice president, dean, department chair, or program director; others have served as unit leaders in student affairs, advancement, or admissions. Senior faculty who have successfully chaired a major committee or faculty senate are also eligible to apply.

HOW TO APPLY

Nominate

The president or chief academic officer from any ACE member institution may submit nomination forms for up to two candidates annually for the ACE Fellows Program. Nominations are also accepted from nonmember institutions; however, upon the candidate’s acceptance into the Program, the institution must become a member of ACE. Institutions must be ACE member institutions to nominate a Fellow.

HOW TO NOMINATE

Testimonials

Fellows come from all institutional function areas as well as from organizations and associations within the higher education community. This is how the Fellows Program has benefitted them, in their words.

The fellowship experience validated my ability to lead at the highest levels within the academy and allowed me to see future possibilities with great clarity.

Kenya Ayers

ACE Fellow 2015-16

Vice President and Chair of the Board, Northwest Educational Council for Student Success (NECSS) (IL)

I can say with certainty that I am a University President today because of the superior mentorship I received as part of the ACE Fellows Program. Without a doubt, the Fellows Program positioned me to be a better president, professional and person in the service of students.

Joe Bertolino

ACE Fellow 2010-11

President, Southern Connecticut State University

The ACE Fellows Program is core to leadership development in American higher education. I had such a transformational experience, I know the lasting impact of the program on me will be seen in how I lead and by why I lead. I will never just think about what's best for an institution, but rather what's best and ethical for student learning in my decision-making.

Sylvia R. Carey-Butler

ACE Fellow 2016-17

Associate Vice Chancellor, Academic Support, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

If you are serious about developing strategic thinking and building your institution’s capacity, the ACE Fellows Program can make a difference.

Joel Frater

ACE Fellow 2013-14

Executive Dean, Damon City Campus, Monroe Community College (NY)

For me, a major take-away from the Fellowship experience can be summed up in the following quote, 'You must make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change.' In fact, my lived experience as a higher education administrator has confirmed that taking a chance can change your life in unimagined ways.

Lisa Freeman

ACE Fellow 2004-05

Acting President, Northern Illinois University

The relationships that I built with other Fellows, the mentoring I received and spending time at another institution are all part of a great package that I would recommend to anyone.

Beatriz Gonzalez

ACE Fellow 2004–2005

Vice Provost & CDO, University of La Verne (CA)

The opportunity to visit over 40 campuses during my fellowship year allowed me to see what was going on in higher education in a wide range of institutions.

Jorge Gonzalez

ACE Fellow 2007–08

President, Kalamazoo College (MI)

If you are serious about developing strategic thinking and building your institution’s capacity, the ACE Fellows Program can make a difference.

Ming Tung "Mike" Lee

ACE Fellow 2001-02

Vice President and CFO California State University, Sacramento

Alumni

All ACE Fellows Program alumni/ae are members of the Council of Fellows (COF), an organization that provides Fellows ongoing professional development as well as an opportunity to continue their association with Fellows from all classes and with ACE. ACE encourages alumni/ae to become involved with the COF and other ACE activities. ACE also often invites Fellows alumni/ae to serve on ACE commissions, committees, panels, and in other advisory capacities.

Program

This Council of Fellows coordinates the activities of the Fellows Program alumni.

Program

Council of Fellows

Program

Current and former Fellows can use this directory to get in contact with over 2,000 Fellows.

Program

ACE Fellows Directory

Cohorts

Current Cohort

ACE Fellows Class of 2020-21

Peter F. Biehl
Associate Dean for International Education and Enrollment and Professor of Anthropology
SUNY University at Buffalo

Stacey Lowery Bretz
University Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Miami University (OH)

Robin Ann Cass
Professor, School for American Crafts, College of Art and Design
Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)

Ruma Chopra
Professor, Department of History
San José State University (CA)

Susan A. Colby
Director of Faculty Professional Development for The Center for Academic Excellence and Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Appalachian State University (NC)

Andrea C. Ellis
Assistant Vice President for Innovation
Wake Forest University (NC)

Katherine M. Faull
Professor of German and Comparative Humanities
Bucknell University (PA)

Bronwyn Fees
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Health and Human Sciences
Kansas State University

Wondwossen Gebreyes
Executive Director, Global One Health Initiative and Hazel C. Youngberg Distinguished Professor
Ohio State University

George Georgiou
Professor, School of Computer Science and Engineering
California State University, San Bernardino

Dana Michael Harsell
Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Administration
University of North Dakota

Danielle Holley-Walker
Dean, School of Law
Howard University (DC)

Haning Hughes
Deputy Department Head and Professor of Chinese
United States Air Force Academy (CO)

Jevon D. Hunter
Woods Beals Endowed Chair for Urban Education
SUNY Buffalo State

Adrienne King
Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications
University of Toledo (OH)

Natasha T. Martin
Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
Seattle University (WA)

Steven Anthony Mauro
Vice President of Academic Administration
Gannon University

Henrika McCoy
Associate Professor, Jane Addams College of Social Work
University of Illinois at Chicago

Laura E. McGrane
Director, Visual Culture Arts & Media and Associate Professor of English
Haverford College (PA)

Jillian E. McLeod
Associate Professor of Mathematics; Chair of the Superintendent's Equity Taskforce; President of the Faculty Union; and Member of the Senior Leadership Team
United States Coast Guard Academy

Chris Meiers
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Deputy Title IX Officer
Washington State University-Tri Cities

Jacqueline K. Morris
Professor of Biology
Baldwin Wallace University (OH)

Timothy J. Nohe
Director, Center for Innovation, Research and Creativity in the Arts (CIRCA) and Professor of Visual Arts
University of Maryland Baltimore County

Ian Norris
Associate Professor of Marketing and Chair of Psychology
Berea College (KY)

KerryAnn O'Meara
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Faculty Affairs, and Professor, Higher Education
University of Maryland College Park

Venetria K. Patton
Head, School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professor of English and African American Studies
Purdue University (IN)

Mary K. Ramsey
Professor of English and Assistant Vice President of The Honors College
Eastern Michigan University

Emily Ross
Associate Provost
School of Visual Arts (NY)

Tim Sellers
Associate Provost, Academic Affairs
Keuka College (NY)

Natalia Sidorovskaia
Professor and Chairperson, Physics Department
University of Louisiana at Lafayette

James A. Uchizono
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry and Associate Provost for Research
University of the Pacific (CA)

Tammi Vacha-Haase
Dean, Graduate College and Professor of Psychological Sciences
Boise State University (ID)

Janie Valdes
Assistant Vice President, Enrollment Management and Services
Florida International University

Moneque Walker-Pickett
Professor & Associate Chair, Department of Criminal Justice
Saint Leo University (FL)

Andria K. Wisler
Executive Director, Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service and Associate Teaching Professor, Justice & Peace Studies
Georgetown University (DC)

Diana Woolfolk
Associate Dean, International Affairs
CETYS University (MX)

Yuqing Melanie Wu
Department Chair and Professor of Computer Science
Pomona College (CA)

Manoochehr Zoghi
Dean, College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science
Purdue University Fort Wayne (IN)

Past Cohorts

ACE Fellows Class of 2019-20

Rashmi H. Assudani
Chair, Department of Management & Entrepreneurship and Professor, Department of Management & Entrepreneurship
Xavier University (OH)

Jeffrey Brand
Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and Associate Professor of Philosophy
George Washington University (DC)

David A. Brennen
Dean of Law
University of Kentucky

Juanita Cole
Associate Dean and Professor, College of Information and Cyberspace
National Defense University (DC)

James Cousins
Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Western Michigan University

Gary B. Crosby
Vice President for Student Affairs
Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University

Jerome Drain
Dean of Natural Sciences and Horticulture
Houston Community College

M. Omar Faison
Assistant Vice President, Research/Interim Executive Director, Center for Agricultural Research, Engagement, and Outreach
Virginia State University

Sonja Feist-Price
Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling
University of Kentucky

Robert J. Frosch
Senior Associate Dean, College of Engineering and Professor of Civil Engineering
Purdue University (IN)

Dale D. Grubb
Associate Dean, School of Social Sciences and Professor, Department of Psychology
Baldwin Wallace University (OH)

Rosalyn Hobson Hargraves
Associate Vice President for Assessment and Transformation
Virginia Commonwealth University

Laretta Henderson
Associate Dean and Associate Professor, School of Information Studies
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Catherine L. Horn
Professor of Higher Education and Chair, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
University of Houston (TX)

Kristi Hottenstein
Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management
University of Michigan—Flint

Tyson D. King-Meadows
Associate Dean for Research and College Affairs, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and Associate Professor of Political Science
University of Maryland Baltimore County

Rachael A. Kipp
Associate Professor and Chair, Division of Physical Sciences
Suffolk University (MA)

Robert M. Klein
Interim Dean, Associate Professor of Mathematics
Ohio University

Jeffrey B. Leak
Professor of English and Faculty Fellow, Martin Scholars Program
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Christopher E. Manning
Assistant Provost for Academic Diversity
Loyola University of Chicago

Edward A. Martinez
Interim Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management
New Mexico Highlands University

Karla S. McCain
Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Professor of Chemistry
Austin College (TX)

Pamela Moolenaar-Wirsiy
Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs
Perimeter College at Georgia State University--Clarkston Campus

Sharon Nagy
Associate Provost for Global Engagement
Clemson University (SC)

Elizabeth Orwin
Professor and Chair, Department of Engineering
Harvey Mudd College (CA)

Jennifer Ostergren
Associate Dean of Student Success and Academic Affairs, College of Health and Human Services, and Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology
California State University, Long Beach

Eileen Carlton Parsons
Professor, Science Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
and Incoming President-Elect, National Association for Research in Science Teaching

Rhonda Phillips
Dean, Honors College and Interim Dean, Libraries and School of Information Studies
Purdue University (IN)

Kara M. Rabbitt
Dean, Humanities & Social Sciences
William Paterson University of New Jersey

Jay Roberts
Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs
Earlham College (IN)

Robert A. Schultz
Department Chair, Early Childhood, Higher Education and Special Education and Professor of Gifted Education and Curriculum Studies
University of Toledo (OH)

Dianna Shandy
Associate Dean, Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship and Professor of Anthropology
Macalester College (MN)

Suzanne Wilson Summers
Special Assistant to the Provost and Professor of History
Austin Community College District (TX)

Ann T.S. Taylor
Chair of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Haines Professor of Biochemistry
Wabash College (IN)

J. Kathleen Tracy
Associate Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and Director, Clinical and Translational Research Informatics Center
University of Maryland Baltimore

Artika R. Tyner
Professor and Founding Director, Center on Race, Leadership and Social Justice, School of Law
University of Saint Thomas (MN)

Gabriela C. Weaver
Special Assistant to the Provost for Educational Initiatives and Professor of Chemistry
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Nicholas S. Wigginton
Assistant Vice President and Chief of Staff
University of Michigan

James A. Wilson, Jr.
Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Director of Faculty Innovation and Enhancement (FIE)
Prairie View A&M University (TX)

ACE Fellows Class of 2018-2019

Chana K. Akins
Area Coordinator and Professor of Psychology
University of Kentucky

Venkat Allada
Vice Provost Graduate Studies, and Professor of Engineering Management & Systems Engineering
Missouri University of Science and Technology

Jill M. Baren
Professor of Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, Medical Ethics and Health Policy
University of Pennsylvania

Andrea L. Beach
Professor of Higher Education Leadership and Co-Director, Center for Research on Instructional Change in Postsecondary Education
Western Michigan University

Brian D. Beitzel
Director of Education Assessment and Accreditation; and Professor of Educational Psychology
State University of New York College at Oneonta

Lori M Berquam
Vice Provost for Student Life and Dean of Students
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Shawn Marie Boyne
Professor of Law
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis

Craig Calvert Brookins
Associate Professor, Psychology and Coordinator, Africana Studies Program
North Carolina State University

Howard G. Brown
Professor of History
Binghamton University, State University of New York

Dale Jason Brugh
Associate Dean for Innovation and Technology and Professor of Chemistry
Ohio Wesleyan University

Jesús Castro-Balbi
Professor of Music, Faculty Senate Immediate Past-chair
Texas Christian University

Craig T. Cobane
Executive Director of the Mahurin Honors College and Professor, Honors Academy
Western Kentucky University

James Dalske
Dean of Students
California Maritime Academy

Kumer Pial Das
Interim Associate Provost for Research; Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research; and Professor of Mathematics
Lamar University

Lowell K. Davis
Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Student Success
Western Carolina University

James Denniston
Professor of Psychology
Appalachian State University

Lisa M. Di Bartolomeo
Senior Advisor for Global Affairs
West Virginia University

Ardis R. Eschenberg
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Windward Community College

Joseph Foster
Senior Military Faculty and Assistant Professor
United States Air Force Academy

Tara Giblin
Dean of Mathematics and Sciences
Orange Coast College

Yolanda Gibson
Associate Dean of First Year Experience
Marymount University

Kimetta Hairston
Curriculum and Instruction Specialist
Bowie State University

Chad Hamill
Vice President for Native American Initiatives
Northern Arizona University

Stephen Hegedus
Dean, School of Education
Southern Connecticut State University

Elizabeth Heise
Vice Provost Fellow for Faculty Affairs and Diversity and Associate Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley

Kathryn J. Jervis
Professor of Accounting
University of Rhode Island

Michael S. Laver
Department Chair and Associate Professor of History
Rochester Institute of Technology

Anthony F. Lemieux
Director, Global Studies Institute and Professor of Global Studies and Communication
Georgia State University

John Marx
Professor and Department Chair of English
University of California, Davis

Cameron John McCoy
Associate Vice President for Economic Engagement
Lehigh University

Karen D. Morgan
Interim Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Experience and Associate Professor of Mathematics
New Jersey City University

Claudia Petrescu
Dean of Graduate Education
Oakland University

Lisa Rafalson
Associate Professor and Department Chair of Health Services Administration and
D'Youville College

Jennifer Scanlon
Director of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program & William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies
Bowdoin College

Eileen Spain
Associate Dean of the College and Carl F. Braun Professor of Chemistry
Occidental College

Doria Kathleen Stitts
Associate Provost and Dean of University College and Lifelong Learning, and Interim Dean, the College of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education
Winston-Salem State University

Asmara M. Tekle
Professor of Law
Texas Southern University

Francisco Velez Torres
Dean of the College of Business and Administration
CETYS University

Juli Wade
Associate Provost for Faculty and Academic Staff Development
Michigan State University

Meenakshi Wadhwa
Director of the Center for Meteorite Studies and Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration
Arizona State University

Nancy Wayne
Professor and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research
University of California, Los Angeles

Penny L. Yee
Associate Dean of Faculty and Professor of Psychology
Hamilton College

David Yoo
Vice Provost of the Institute of American Cultures
University of California, Los Angeles

Support the Program

Connect With Us

Juanita Banks

Associate Director

Professional Learning

Juanita Banks

Associate Director

Professional Learning

Sherri Hughes

Assistant Vice President

Professional Learning

Sherri Hughes joined the American Council on Education (ACE) in June 2016 and currently serves as assistant vice president of professional learning. In this role, she oversees the Council's flagship professional development program, the ACE Fellows Program, and the innovative online learning and community platfo...

Sherri Hughes

Assistant Vice President

Professional Learning

Learn More

Applications for the 2020-21 cohort of ACE Fellows are now closed, and the application process for the 2021-22 cohort will open later this year. In the meantime, you can learn more about participating in the program.

EXPLORE THE PROGRAM

Looking Back and Looking Forward: A Review of the ACE Fellows Program

ACE released a report sharing select findings from a comprehensive review of the Council’s signature leadership development program. This report helps contextualize the value of the ACE Fellows Program, and continued professional learning.

READ THE REPORT (1 MB PDF)