NE North Dakota News

Minot State University's Alaric Williams has been chosen for the 2024-25 Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) cohort. This program, aimed at preparing future college and university presidents, is organized by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI).

Williams expressed his gratitude for being selected, stating, “I am humbled and honored to be selected as a member of the 2024-2025 Executive Leadership Academy.” He acknowledged the program's reputation for developing higher education leaders and thanked Dr. Steve Shirley for endorsing his participation.

Since February 2023, Williams has served as assistant vice president for academic affairs at Minot State University. He brings over two decades of experience in higher education to this role.

The ELA program is designed to equip experienced provosts and vice presidents with skills necessary for higher positions, including presidencies. This year, 37 leaders from a competitive pool were chosen, with CIC selecting 18 participants from its members and AASCU selecting 19.

The first seminar took place in Washington, D.C., from June 13-15, led by experts in higher education. Since its inception in 2009, more than 100 ELA graduates have advanced to roles as presidents or chancellors.

CIC President Marjorie Hass emphasized the importance of leadership preparation: “Preparing the next generation of leaders is essential. As we have seen, leadership requires a complex combination of skill, character, and vision.”

The ELA program includes personalized professional development plans, mentorships, executive coaching, webinars, regional gatherings, and activities. Participants will return to Washington in June 2025 for a second seminar.

Charles L. Welch, AASCU President and CEO stated: “The need for strong leadership in higher education...has never been more important than it is today.” He highlighted AASCU’s commitment to developing leaders through the ELA program.

Organizations like CIC and AASCU stress diversity in leadership preparation. With support from AALI, fellowships are offered to encourage participation from under-resourced institutions.

Candidates eligible for ELA include those serving in cabinet-level positions across various divisions within their institutions. Each year about 35 participants are selected equally from CIC member institutions and AASCU institutions.