The President’s Office is inviting full-time faculty and staff at CSU to apply for the third cohort of the university’s Leadership Fellows program, with a note that diverse candidates from all disciplinary backgrounds and roles are encouraged to apply.

The fellowships, which will run from Aug. 22, 2022, through May 15, 2023, offer interested applicants the opportunity to work closely on key projects directly related to Courageous Strategic Transformation priorities in units including the President’s Office, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Provost’s Office, and Human Resources. The full program description, specific descriptions of fellowships available for 2022-2023 and the application form can all be found on the Fellows Program website.

The CSU Leadership Fellows program was developed in 2020 by President Joyce McConnell and university leadership to identify and support the many tremendously talented leaders among CSU faculty and staff to help them strengthen their leadership skills, enhance their understanding of higher education and gain experience that will benefit them in current and future positions.

Paired with a mentor

The program identifies those current and future leaders, then links each fellow with a senior mentor, either a vice president or vice provost. Fellows will work directly with their mentor on one or several projects in a specific area of focus and will also have the opportunity to participate in professional development throughout the academic year.

“Our Fellows program has already been so powerful in terms of both bringing incredibly talented people into leadership roles and focusing their talents on some critical initiatives,” McConnell said. “I’m even more excited about bringing in this newest cohort of Fellows because their work will be done through the specific lens of Courageous Strategic Transformation. They will have a demonstrable impact on our future through their work, even as we provide them the tools to refine their own leadership skills.”

The inaugural cohort of CSU Leadership Fellows included eight Fellows from diverse units, including Parking and Transportation, the School of Global and Environmental Sustainability and several colleges.  More information about this 2021-2022 cohort can be found on the Fellows website.

Second cohort

Also now listed on the website are the four members of the January 2022-May 2023 cohort of leadership fellows:

• Lucia Delgado, the director of College Access in the Access Center. She is working with the associate vice president for inclusive excellence to help the university seek and attain status as a federally recognized Hispanic Serving Institution.
• Marissa Dienstag, the associate director of engagement for University Advancement. She is working with Chief of Staff/Director of Communications Ann Claycomb on the university’s new thematic year, which will launch this fall with a year focused on health.
• Susan Matthews, the deputy director of the Colorado State Forest Service in the Warner College of Natural Resources. She is working with Provost Mary Pedersen and Laura Jensen, the vice provost for planning and effectiveness, on preparing the university for our upcoming process of re-accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission.
• Heather Reimer, associate director of Central Receiving. She is working with Claycomb on professional development opportunities for current CSU employees that emerge from the President’s Office, including the Leadership Fellows program itself.