Aspen New Presidents Fellowship

“It can be difficult to remain connected with others during these unprecedented times. Fortunately, the dynamic network of the Aspen New Presidents Fellowship provides me and my peers with not only information and resources, but an engaged community where we frequently connect in order to grow and learn best practices in a rapidly changing environment. I am grateful to be a member of this fellowship. My colleagues across the nation have a range of experiences and expertise and I value this opportunity to discuss ideas and receive feedback. I received support that helped me fine-tune some of our new student success initiatives at Cerritos College.”

— Jose Fierro, Aspen Presidential Fellow 2020-21, Cerritos College

"Being part of the New Presidents Fellowship has been invaluable. The program created a safe environment to share, reflect, and navigate the leadership challenges presented by Covid-19 and the increased calls for racial justice in our country. To be among peers who share a commitment to student success and equity who are navigating this moment in history together provides the opportunity to reflect, refresh and re-prioritize personal and institutional commitments."

— Joianne Smith, Aspen Presidential Fellow 2020-21, Oakton Community College

“Participation in the New Presidents Fellowship has been rewarding and enriching. The knowledge and tools have positioned me to lead transformational change, while fostering collaboration across complex organizational structures.”

— Larry Johnson, Aspen Presidential Fellow 2020-21, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College

“The fellowship provided invaluable connections and inspiration. Connecting with colleagues who are dedicated to the community college mission provides counsel, support and levity as we navigate the changing landscape. The knowledge that we’re doing this together has inspired me to do better and be better for our students and our communities.”

— Hara Charlier, Aspen Presidential Fellow 2020-21, Central Lakes College

Return to Transformational Leadership

We are refining our fellowship offerings and will no longer be hosting the New Presidents Fellowship. We will open applications for a new offering, the Aspen Presidents Fellowship, in late April. The Presidents Fellowship is open to community college presidents who have been in-role for at least three years. We will share more soon.

Serving as a community college president is a hard job—and it's even harder for those trying to advance an ambitious student success agenda. To support these leaders, we have added a new initiative to the Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence: the New Presidents Fellowship.

Aspen selects exceptional leaders in the first five years of a college presidency for this intensive executive leadership program, in which participants:

Participate in two multi-day seminars led by Aspen Institute faculty and top community college professionals
Deeply analyze their colleges’ student outcomes in a focused, comprehensive way that fully integrates equity
Devise concrete plans to tackle student success challenges with structured support
Join a network of forward-thinking peers who support and challenge one another in pursuit of broad change
Engage in learning between sessions that includes peer consultancy, webinars, and mentorship

The College Excellence Program is proud to introduce the 24 presidents selected for the 2022-23 Aspen New Presidents Fellowship. They are among the nation's most promising community college leaders—committed to taking risks, building partnerships, and setting a bold vision to advance equitable student outcomes.

Meet the 2022-23 Class

Download the 2022-23 Informational Brochure