View the 2021–2022 Academy information.

The Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) is a yearlong program cosponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI) to prepare experienced provosts and vice presidents to move to positions of greater responsibility, including presidencies. Participants will acquire knowledge, skills, and experiences germane to the responsibilities and activities central to the work of a president or other senior-level leader. The program assumes that participants will remain in their current positions throughout the program.

Developing the Next Generation of Presidents

The ELA program was incredibly helpful to me in reaching my career goals. I believe my ascendency to the presidency is a direct result of learning about what gaps in experience I had along with encouragement and practical ways to fill those gaps. We can’t know what we don’t know when walking into these complex positions, yet the ELA enabled me to think about the presidency in realistic ways.”—Richanne C. Mankey, ELA 2012–2013, President, Defiance College

​The program consists of:

• Two seminars in Washington, DC, (June 23–25, 2022, and June 12–14, 2023) led by current and former presidents as well as specialists in key areas;
  
  
• A highly individualized Professional Experience Plan (PEP) designed to fill “gaps” in the participant’s expertise and experience;
  
  
• Mentorship by both the participant’s current president and the program director;
  
  
• Individualized executive coaching; and
  
  
• Peer-to-peer participant-led webinars, regional gatherings, and activities.

​​The opening seminar for the 2021–2022 ELA cohort met virtually June 24–25, 2021. The closing seminar will take place Monday, June 13–15, 2022 in Washington, DC.

Since 2009, 100 of the participants in the ten cohorts that have completed the Executive Leadership Academy have been appointed as presidents or chancellors, and many more have advanced to other senior positions.

In addition to the professional advancement of participants, successful outcomes also occur when participants strengthen their leadership in their current positions or when they realize that they do not want to pursue a presidency.

The ELA, hosted by CIC, was a transformational professional experience for me—it was one of the most pivotal career development opportunities in my life thus far. The Academy allowed my cohort to engage with colleagues from across the nation who were focused on advancing higher education beyond the 21st century. Every member of my cohort had a mission to position their current campus for the next frontier of higher education, while building their respective toolkits to advance in the profession. I highly encourage any executive-level higher education practitioner to consider this dynamic opportunity.”—Wayne Knox, ELA 2017–2018, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Huston-Tillotson University

2022–2023 Executive Leadership Academy brochure

Participating in the ELA was an essential step in my journey toward a presidency. The program gave me the confidence to seek and apply for positions offering the right fit, helped me forge a robust professional development plan that addressed my growth opportunities in meaningful and head-on fashion, and substantially expanded my network of passionate higher education leaders. I am honored by and grateful for my affiliation with the ELA.”
—Matthew vandenBerg, ELA 2020–2021, President, Presbyterian College

With generous support from AALI, CIC offers fellowships to encourage racial, ethnic, gender, and other forms of diversity in ELA. Preference is given to nominees from under-resourced institutions that otherwise might be unable to support their participation. Nominators should indicate whether they wish the nominee to be considered for a Diversity Fellowship.

Two seminars will be held in Washington, DC, led by current and former presidents as well as specialists in key areas, on June 23–25, 2022, and June 12–14, 2023.

The program fee for the 2022–2023 academic year is $2,800. This fee includes all program costs as well as meals during the two seminars. The participants or their institutions are responsible for travel and lodging expenses.

For questions about the nomination process, selection process, or program logistics, contact Alana Cassidy, director of sponsorships, CIC, at acassidy@cic.edu or (202) 466-7230.

For questions about program content, contact Linda Bleicken, president, AALI, at linda@americanali.org or (202) 263-7488.