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The Bluegrass Higher Education Consortium chair and Kentucky State University President M. Christopher Brown II recently announced that 32 fellows have completed its fifth Bluegrass Academic Leadership Academy recently at Georgetown College.

Thirty-two faculty and professional staff from Bluegrass Kentucky colleges and universities completed the curriculum as fellows in the class of 2018 including Rachelle Johnson, Mario Radford, Tanya Carr and Dr. Erin Gilliam of Kentucky State University.

The Academic Leadership Academy is a presidential initiative, led by the 12 presidents represented in the consortium, to build future academic leaders in the Bluegrass Region. 207 Fellows have now completed the program in five years. The purpose of the academy is to encourage faculty and staff to consider leadership career paths and to provide guidance in developing the skills that are requisites for effective institutional leadership to ensure a sound and successful future for their institution and the Bluegrass Region.

The fellows participate in two full-days of training where university presidents, vice presidents, provosts, deans and other key leaders presented keynote addresses, panels and workshops. The final session was highlighted by keynote presentations by President Dwaine Greene of Georgetown College, President Augusta Julian of Bluegrass Community & Technical College and David Adkisson, president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

Fellows also complete a research project for their specific institution between the spring and fall sessions. Completed campus projects were presented in four concurrent sessions at the final session at Georgetown. The Kentucky State University fellows presented “Crossing the Finish Line – Graduating in a traditional four-year window.”

The Bluegrass Higher Education Consortium and the Academic Leadership Academy is managed by Bluegrass Tomorrow. Member institutions include Asbury University, Berea College, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Centre College, Eastern Kentucky University, Georgetown College, Midway University; Morehead State University, Kentucky State University, Sullivan University, Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky.