Aspen Presidents Fellowship
Our intensive leadership development programs all center on three broad themes:
- Advancing a vision for excellence and equity in student success
- Leading internal change
- Partnering across the education and workforce ecosystem for broad impact
The Presidents Fellowship, offered for the first time in 2024, will likewise center on those themes. This new program will serve community college presidents who have been in-role for at least three years, and whose institutions are ready for transformation.
Sessions will provide fellows with a closer look at how leaders can accelerate student success and equity at their institutions. Fellows will apply learnings in real-time, sharpen plans to advance student success strategies, and build core institutional capacities.
Sessions will provide fellows with a closer look at how leaders can accelerate student success and equity at their institutions. Fellows will apply learnings in real-time, sharpen plans to advance student success strategies, and build core institutional capacities.
The Presidents Fellowship is will run from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024, with in-person sessions in March and October of 2024.
Who is eligible?
Presidents who have been in the role for at least three years and whose institution is ready for transformation. Alumni of the Rising and New Presidents Fellowships who meet the criteria above are encouraged to apply.
When do applications open and close?
Applications for the next cohort will open in spring of 2024.
How can I learn more?
Review the flyer linked above, reach out to kimberly.lowry@aspeninstitute.org, or attend a webinar (TBA).
What does the Aspen Presidents Fellowship include?
The Presidents Fellowship provides a perspective and skillset that equips fellows to become innovative and highly effective leaders of community colleges that achieve exceptional results for students and communities.
The year-long fellowship includes:
The year-long fellowship includes:
- Two multi-day in-person seminars led by Aspen Institute staff, veteran community college leaders, and some of the nation’s top community college professionals and higher education experts.
- Time working in collaborative small groups with peers and faculty.
- Support to analyze your college’s student outcomes in a focused, comprehensive way that fully integrates equity.
- Structure and support to help you advance a student success reform agenda.
- Connection to a network of forward-thinking peers who support and challenge one another in pursuit of broad change.
How is the Presidents Fellowship different than the New Presidents Fellowship?
The New Presidents fellowship was created for presidents in the first three years of the job. The curriculum focused on making the transition to the presidency and supported Fellows in developing a vision for excellence and equity in student success outcomes. Our new offering, Presidents Fellowship, is designed for Presidents who have served in the role at least 3 years and who are leading institutions that are ready for transformational change. With the Presidents Fellowship we hope to broaden our offerings to support more exemplary leaders doing the critical work of community college reform by focusing on the development of a reform agenda that advances excellence and equity in student outcomes at scale, supported by systemic internal and external change.
What is the application process for the program?
Applicants will submit an application through the fellowship’s online application system. Applications will be reviewed and scored by committees of current and former presidents and leaders. High scoring applications will be advanced to an interview round and selection decisions will be announced in fall 2024.
How much does the program cost?
This program is free for participants thanks to generous support from JPMorgan.
