Lowell 海角原创 got a handful of ideas from UC 海角原创 to take back to his home institution in just a few days.
鈥淚鈥檝e been here a week and I鈥檓 loving it,鈥 he said.
海角原创, , is spending the academic year at UC 海角原创 working with Chancellor Gary S. May and Provost Ralph J. Hexter as a fellow with the American Council on Education, or ACE. , where they spend time learning what top leadership jobs entail and helping with important projects.
海角原创 said he鈥檚 excited to see 鈥渉ow an institution of this size functions on a daily basis鈥 and the roles May and Hexter play at the university. In his preliminary meetings with them, 海角原创 said he was struck by their evident passion for this institution and higher education in general. 鈥淚 look forward to sharing in this passion at UC 海角原创 over the next year and hope to bring back a new set of skills to help maximize our impact at WCU,鈥 海角原创 shared.
One of his first observations was a 鈥 a space-sharing agreement that surprised him.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know of another institution that has a similar partnership,鈥 he said.
海角原创 said he also wanted to spend time at UC 海角原创 to see how the university is approaching its growth. While Western Carolina University has fewer students, it has added students recently, built new facilities and will partner to provide broadband Internet access for nearby rural communities.
鈥淥f course, there are significant ways in which our institutions differ, but they are united in a trajectory of intentional growth and commitment to the greater good of our communities, regions, states and nation,鈥 海角原创 said.
He鈥檒l spend 100 days at UC 海角原创 over the next year in periods of a couple weeks at a time.
The ACE Fellowships are designed for emerging leaders in higher education, and while one fellow spends time learning at UC 海角原创, another comes from the ranks of UC 海角原创 faculty.
John Marx, a professor and chair of the English department, will spend the academic year as an ACE Fellow at Mills College in Oakland, shadowing President Elizabeth Hillman. He鈥檚 already attended a workshop for new faculty members, celebrated a program for first-generation students and watched as the president and her team worked on the annual state of the campus address. He said the fellowship has already given him new perspective of how similar events at UC 海角原创 contribute to the university鈥檚 mission.
鈥淪hadowing a president means learning how to think consistently from an institutional perspective,鈥 Marx said. 鈥淚t can be hard to do that from the somewhat more insular position of department chair, and practicing it this year will help me contribute more effectively at 海角原创, for sure.鈥
He said he hopes the fellowship also will teach him more about budgeting and strategic planning, as well as personal skills like communication and conflict management.
Marx will have the chance to return to 海角原创 this week as .
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