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APCU Leadership Development Institute

The 2024-25 APCU Leadership Development Institute provides opportunities 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 will be valuable for 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 Credo, a nationally-recognized higher education consulting firm dedicated to institutional thriving and the development of effective leaders. Credo will provide the experienced faculty who have provided leadership training and coaching to dozens of senior administrators on church-related college campuses.

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 APCU Leadership Development Institute:

Opening Workshop, November 13-15, 2024: 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 Symposiums, December 2024 – May 2025: 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 28-29, 2025: 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 will be evaluated by the Institute faculty and APCU staff and notified if a place has been reserved for them in the 2024-25 cohort. Each participant will be asked to pay a $500 registration fee. Additional information about the Institute will then be 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 2024-25 Leadership Institute marks the third consecutive year the APCU has offered this comprehensive program for aspiring leaders at member schools. Over 90% of the participants in last year’s Institute indicated they would definitely recommend the Institute to colleagues. Additionally, participants cited the emphasis on making a “mission-driven difference” as a key reason to participate in the Institute. Here are some of comments from participants in the 2023-24 Institute:

  • Absolutely recommend. Great people. Great ideas. Great mix of encouragement and challenge. And such an amazing group of folks – APCU staff, facilitators, participants. Top-notch and totally worth the investment of time and resources.
  • I was called to be an active participant from day 1- there is no talking down to us and we are treated as leaders from the first moment. That is a big difference from our day-to-day sometimes. Everything was practical and useful.
  • Return on time invested was greater than input. Many new and useful pieces of information and perspectives were shared. Having the time to reflect and share those reflections with others has been both helpful and enjoyable.
  • The opportunity to network with colleagues, and to set goals for my own personal development.
    It forces self-reflection and awareness, while doing so within the space that brings together others from higher education to share in the challenges and opportunities.
  • The professional, individualized focus on me was top shelf. This felt like a carefully curated, thoughtful approach.

Thank you for your interest in the 2024-25 APCU Leadership Development Institute.