SEC Academic Leadership Development Program Fellows, Liaisons Meet at South Carolina

February 22, 2022

SEC Academic Leadership Development Program Cohort 13 at South Carolina

By: SEC Staff
SECU (Twitter: @TheSECU)

More than 60 administrators from each Southeastern Conference university met in person February 16-18 for the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program (SEC ALDP) workshop, hosted by the University of South Carolina. The workshop was the first in-person academic SEC event since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“Thank you to the University of South Carolina for hosting this session of the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “The SEC ALDP is one of the SEC’s important strategies to foster collaboration and growth among today’s and tomorrow’s academic leaders.”

During the three-day event participants had the opportunity to engage with several senior leaders from South Carolina, including Interim President, Dr. Harris Pastides and Interim Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Steve Cutler. The group was also able to view exhibits in the Hollings Special Collections Library; tour several areas of campus, including a recently installed statue honoring the university’s first African American faculty member; and watch a Gamecock women’s basketball game at Colonial Life Arena.

The SEC ALDP workshop featured several topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion; student success; and financing higher education. It also included a panel of former SEC ALDP fellows from South Carolina discussing how participation in the program prepared them for leadership in the academy.

A member of cohort 13 remarked, “I was pleasantly surprised with the emphasis on diversity and inclusion and all of this content can be put to use immediately. I also appreciated that USC discussed both successes and challenges. That kind of approach can help sustain us in these difficult times.”

Selected earlier this academic year, members of cohort 13 serve in a range of leadership positions, including department chairs and heads; assistant and associate deans; and program and center directors. Their academic interests range from nursing to sport management to engineering to psychology and music.

Due to the pandemic, cohort 13 has an altered schedule that includes two virtual sessions and two in-person workshops. The University of Georgia hosted a virtual program launch last October, and in addition to this workshop, fellows will participate in a summer virtual session and a second workshop at Georgia in the fall.

The goal of the SEC ALDP is to identify, prepare and advance academic leaders for roles within SEC institutions and beyond. It has four components: a university-level development program designed by each institution for its own fellows; two SEC-wide workshops held on specified campuses for all program participants; a competitive fellowship designed to provide administrative growth opportunities for former fellows; and a virtual forum continuing education opportunity for former fellows and liaisons.

There are 51 SEC ALDP fellows in cohort 13, and nearly 500 have completed the program since its inception in 2008.

Click here for a full list of 2021-2022 SEC ALDP fellows.