Indiana State University Newsroom

The American Council on Education (ACE) recently named Josh Powers, Indiana State University chair of educational leadership, administration and foundations department (ELAF), as an ACE Fellow for the 2009-10 academic year.

"This is a tremendous honor," Powers said. "I am thankful for the support from the ISU community and this opportunity."

Powers was one of 42 fellows selected by ACE this year in a national competition after being nominated by ISU for the honor. The ACE Fellows program began in 1965 to strengthen institutions and leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing promising senior faculty and administrators for responsible positions in college and university administration. As part of the program, the fellows work alongside a university president or other senior administration members.

"We're extremely pleased with the incoming class," said Sharon McDade, director of the ACE Fellows Program. "The individuals selected have demonstrated strong leadership. The fellows program will sharpen and enhance their leadership skills and their network, and prepare them to address issue of concern to the higher education community."

Of the more than 1,500 participants in the program's 44-year history, more than 300 have become chief executive officers and more than 1,100 have become provosts, vice presidents or deans.

Powers said he is excited about the opportunity to spend one year learning about leadership at the senior level by working alongside a university president. Powers said he is beginning the placement process, but after conversations with ISU President Daniel Bradley, he hopes to work with a president at a university that is further along the strategic planning process.

During its strategic planning, Indiana State has recently focused on six areas: increase enrollment and student success; advance experiential learning; enhance community engagement; strengthen and leverage programs of strength and promise; diversity revenue through philanthropy, contracts and grants; recruit and retain great faculty and staff.

"When I return I hope I can offer particular insights on strategy implementation and assessment processes as well as innovative ideas from the field in some of these areas," Powers said.

In addition to leading the ELAF department, ISU named Powers a Promising Scholar in the first round of proposals supported by the Lilly Endowment. His scholarship interests are in technology commercialization in higher education and the pedagogy of teaching. Powers is also co-chair of the ISU Council on Diversity.

The ACE Fellows Program combines seminars, interactive learning opportunities, campus visits and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single year. Fellows also attend three week-long retreats on higher education issues organized by ACE, read extensively in the field and engage in other activities to enhance their knowledge about the challenges and opportunities confronting higher education today.

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Contact: Josh Powers, Indiana State University, educational leadership, administration and foundations chair, at 812-237-2900 or jopowers@indstate.edu 

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/photos/132799994_XJ9cF-L.jpg 

Cutline: Josh Powers