APCU Leadership Development Institute
The 2026-27 APCU Leadership Development Institute provides an opportunity for aspiring leaders at APCU member institutions to evaluate their individual skills, gifts, and calling as professionals against the leadership needs of a rapidly evolving higher education landscape while also exploring of the role of faith-based leadership in the Presbyterian context.
The Institute is of great value to faculty and administrators who have demonstrated leadership potential and are interested in broader leadership roles in areas such as academic affairs, enrollment management, student affairs, student services, marketing, finance, advancement, and/or athletics. To facilitate the APCU Leadership Development Institute, the APCU has teamed-up with two dynamic facilitators:
- Emma Jones serves as the Executive Vice President for Leadership at Carnegie Higher Education, a nationally-recognized higher education consulting firm dedicated to institutional thriving and the development of effective leaders.
- Brian Ralph is the former president of William Peace University (an APCU school) and founder of Brian Ralph Leadership, a firm offering strategic consulting and executive coaching services across multiple non-profit sectors.
Ghandi reminded each of us to “learn as if you were to live forever.” College faculty and administrators should embrace this notion—forever striving to become the best, most able leaders they can be.
John Roush
President Emeritus,
Centre College
Components of the 2026-27 APCU Leadership Development Institute:
Opening Workshop, December 1 – 3, 2026: A set of in-person interactive sessions designed to assess individual leadership styles & growth opportunities, examine external marketplace trends and threats, explore traits of thriving Presbyterian institutions, and address the demands inherent to higher education leadership. Individual leadership roadmaps will be developed and discussed through a peer workshop format.
Online Leadership Symposiums, January 2027 – May 2027: A series of six monthly webinars that provide insight into key leadership and higher ed topics such as the executive search process, institutional governance models, the effective use of data, and building a successful leadership team.
Closing Workshop, May 26 – 27, 2027: A concluding in-person summit to discuss and evaluate individual roadmap progress, define next steps for ongoing leadership development, and celebrate the completion of the cohort experience with peers!
Building on the Success of our Previous Leadership Institutes
Candidates are evaluated by the Institute faculty and APCU staff and notified if a place has been reserved for them. Each institution nominating a participant is asked to pay a $500 registration fee. Additional information about the Institute is then shared along with the reservation link for the host hotel, the Hampton Inn & Suites in Decatur, Georgia.
Funded in part by a generous grant from the Council of Independent Colleges, the 2026-27 Leadership Institute marks the fifth consecutive year the APCU has offered this comprehensive program for aspiring leaders at member schools. Over 98% of the participants in previous Institutes indicated they would recommend the Institute to colleagues. Additionally, previous participants cite the emphasis on making a “mission-driven difference” as a key reason to participate in the Institute. Here are some of comments from previous Institute participants:
- This was a meaningful and helpful experience that I would recommend to anyone looking at VP and President level positions. Thank you for putting together such great content for us!
- I’ve valued this program more than most that I have attended. It truly develops you as a professional by providing tools and knowledge about the industry while also keeping a focus on individual goals.
- Brian and Emma were fantastic. They were flexible, well prepared, and did a great job delivering a large amount of information in engaging ways.
- I learned a great deal about my own leadership skills (and weaknesses) and how to work with others. Recognizing if my colleagues are counselors, coaches, drivers, or advisors, gives great insight into how I lead them and move initiatives forward.
- Absolutely recommend. Great people. Great ideas. Great mix of encouragement and challenge. Top-notch and totally worth the investment of time and resources.
Please click the button below to nominate candidates for the Institute. The Institute is limited to 25 participants and each candidate must be nominated by his/her president. We ask that you limit your nominations to 3 candidates so that multiple APCU institutions will be represented.