Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eCampus News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Movers and shakers: New higher ed leaders emerge

PROPEL Center announced that the U.S. Department of Education has named its President, Dr. Lisa N. Herring, as Strategic Advisor to the Secretary. Herring, who officially begins her tenure with PROPEL on Monday, September 18th, will help shape the USDOE’s strategy to engage state and local officials.

“I am delighted to have Dr. Lisa Herring join us at the Department of Education, a leader whose decades of experience as a teacher and administrator will be a tremendous asset to the Biden-Harris team. As strategic advisor, Dr. Herring will draw upon a professional career that has spanned both rural and urban communities, and teaching in both public and private schools to deepen our relationships and collaboration with state and local education leaders. Dr. Herring shares our commitment to accelerating academic recovery in our schools and empowering educators to help students of all backgrounds to find their purpose and fulfill their potential. I look forward to working with her to raise the bar in education for all students,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

As the incoming president of the PROPEL Center, Dr. Herring is singularly enthused by the distinctive appointment, and the many potential ways in which the strategic role with the USDOE aligns with and complements her important work with PROPEL on behalf of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their students. “I am honored to serve in this capacity to help impact and influence education across both the K-12 and Postsecondary spectrum communities,” Herring states. “I am incredibly eager to lead and work together to forge innovative, creative and student focused opportunities for scholars across our country through this collective work.”…Read More

Developing higher-ed leadership from within

 [Editor’s note: This post originally appeared in Community College Daily.]

Rachel Benavides is getting a look behind the community college curtain. What she sees is an industry going through tectonic change.

“In the past, community colleges have been more enrollment-based than outcome-based,” said Benavides, director of Del Mar College’s adult education and literacy program and a member of its inaugural Next Generation Leadership Academy (NGLA). “Now, instead of looking at the front end, we’re looking at the back end and what we as a college have to do to help students get to completion. This is all fresh and new to me.”…Read More

Here’s a way for colleges to help develop tomorrow’s leaders


[Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on the AACC 21st Century Center.]

Metropolitan Community College (MCC) students who want to grow their leadership skills get the opportunity at the Missouri college’s MCC LEADS Academy.

The program, designed by the Campus Life & Leadership coordinators, is targeted to help MCC students develop their leadership skills over the course of their education. It was created by Caitlin Mountjoy, an MCC-Penn Valley student and the Student Government Association president on her campus.…Read More

Josie and the Podcast

Our first Podcast of the Week is Josie and the Podcast – Connecting Tech & Leadership in Higher Ed. In each episode, Dr. Josie Ahlquist, an author, researcher, and speaker, interviews on- and off-campus leaders and new media professionals through the lens of social media and leadership.

Recent episodes include a discussion on the responsibilities of digital influence with Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab, founder of the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice; using technology to support student persistence with Dr. Jason L. Meriwether, vice president for student success at Rhode Island College; and a chat about building community in higher ed with Dr. Mary K. Boyd, provost at Berry College.…Read More

7 college presidents on “the worst leadership advice I ever received”

eCampus News asked a handful of college presidents: What is the worst leadership advice you’ve ever received? Here’s what they had to say.

“If anything, that great leaders are ‘born, not made’—as if one can’t learn or improve leadership skills.”
—Michael V. Drake, MD, president, The Ohio State University

“Work harder.”
—Michael J. Smith, president, Berkeley College, New York and New Jersey…Read More

8 college presidents on “the best leadership advice I’ve ever received”

eCampus News asked higher-ed leaders: What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten about leadership? Here are their answers.

“The most significant thing I’ve learned about leadership is that you don’t get there alone. It’s so important to find good people who will help guide you through your career and life journey.

“This is especially crucial for young women and I often advise our students on this. As women grow in their leadership capabilities and are eligible for promotions, they need someone to turn to for support in reaching that next level. Mentors can support your career ambitions and help you reach your goals by offering useful guidance and encouraging you to succeed.…Read More

College presidents share “the best book I’ve ever read”

eCampus News asked higher-ed leaders: What is the best book you’ve ever read and why? Here are their answers.

“I don’t have one best book. The best one I’ve read lately is The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workforce, by Ron Friedman.”
—Kris Williams, PhD, president/chief executive officer, Henderson Community College, Kentucky

“I would pick two. Good to Great, by Jim Collins, and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by the late Stephen Covey. Collins’ book offers wonderful examples of how 11 major companies changed their focus and went from acceptable performance on the stock market to exemplary performance. The alignment across this diverse set of companies was remarkable—they each had leaders who focused on the company’s mission, not themselves; each company had a singular operational focus; and their performance metrics, technology systems, and human resources approach supported that operational focus.…Read More