Learn from Alumnus at AACTE Leadership Academy

AACTE’s Leadership Academy is the perfect professional development opportunity for you to discover who you are as a leader. Designed for new and aspiring deans, department chairs, and anyone looking to develop or enhance their skills as an academic administrator, the academy covers the essentials of leadership while helping attendees cultivate a supportive network of peers. Here’s what the newest member of AACTE’s Academy Faculty, John Kuykendall had to say about his experience, including being a previous Academy participant:

What do you feel is the most valuable reason for attending the Leadership Academy?

For new administrators, it is essential to know that you are not alone in your role. I consider it necessary to develop a support group around your new leadership position and to have colleagues to call upon for guidance and assistance. The sessions at AACTE’s Leadership Academy provided me with key awareness in the decision-making process and leadership practices and strategies. My experience with the Academy was essential in developing a confident start in my new role as a dean for a school of education.

What made you want to return to the Leadership Academy in 2019?

I attended the Academy in 2018 as an attendee in an effort to better prepare myself for the demands of my new position as dean of the School of Education at the University of Indianapolis. This year, I am fortunate to have an opportunity to serve as a member of the faculty. I will be able to offer a unique perspective of my reflections, opportunities, and challenges during the first year of deanship. Further, this allows me to reengage and meet new colleagues who are accepting the responsibility of leadership in higher education, many for the first time.

What are you looking forward to in your first year as a member of the Faculty?

I look forward to sharing my first-year takeaways with the 2019 Academy attendees. I’m also looking forward to serving with my longtime mentor and friend, Angela Sewall. I consider it an honor to share time with her and the other distinguished colleagues who make up the Academy faculty. I enjoyed all of the sessions last year, and find myself still referencing and learning from them today. To know I’ll get a closer look, by serving as faculty, is very exciting. The wonderful conversations that transpire during Academy are a great source of development, and I look forward to sharing in these exchanges.

Don’t miss out on your chance to participate in this year’s AACTE Leadership Academy, June 23-27, in Pittsburgh, PA.  Be sure to take advantage of the discounted hotel rate when you register by May 31

Visit aacte.org for conference details, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and join the conversation using #AACTELA19.


Tags: , ,

Matthew Wales

Vice President, Member Services & Events