October 22, 2014

Missouri Hosts SEC Academic Leadership Development Program’s Fall Workshop

SEC ALDP participants take part in a media relations session with MU journalism students

By: Bryant Welbourne
SECU (Twitter: @TheSECU)

The SEC Academic Leadership Development Program’s (SEC ALDP) fall workshop was held at the University of Missouri from October 13-15. The three-day event gives participants from SEC universities the opportunity to share personal experiences, best practices and to network with peers from other conference institutions.

The workshop agenda included sessions on managing complex organizations, workload balance and university advancement through student affairs and alumni relations. SEC ALDP fellows also participated in an interactive session on media relations with faculty and students from the MU Reynolds School of Journalism. After analyzing a controversial scenario, SEC ALDP participants were questioned by journalism students, acting as media members, who were reporting on the situation.

“The content of the workshop was wonderful and all of the sessions had pearls of wisdom,” said Kathryn Cardarelli, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the College of Public Health at the University of Kentucky. “I also enjoyed meeting the participants and learning more about the diversity of positions at other SEC universities.”

Missouri Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, along with members of his staff, hosted a dinner for workshop participants on Tuesday evening. In his remarks, Loftin stressed the key to great leadership is building relationships with students and staff. Loftin also recognized SEC Commissioner Mike Slive for his vision of supporting conference universities through the SECU academic initiative.

In its 7th year, the SEC ALDP has two components: a university-level development program designed by each institution for its own participants and two, three-day, SEC-wide workshops held on specified campuses for all program participants.

The program is part of SECU, the academic initiative of the SEC. Through SECU, the Southeastern Conference sponsors, supports and promotes collaborative higher education programs and activities involving administrators, faculty and students at its 14 member universities.

The SEC ALDP spring workshop will be held February 18-20 at Texas A&M University in College Station.