GVSU Education Programs News
Education faculty leader explores cross-sector leadership through Michigan ACE Women's Network Program
December 05, 2025
Dr. Catherine L. Meyer-Looze, Unit Head for Educational Leadership and Counseling at Grand Valley State University, has been selected to participate in the Michigan ACE Women’s Network Senior-Level Leadership Job Shadow Program, an initiative designed to strengthen the pipeline of women leaders in higher education. Dr, Meyer-Looze views the experience as a rare chance to explore leadership at the highest levels of higher education through direct, immersive learning. She described the opportunity to “engage in a hands-on comparative study of leadership” and deepen her understanding of how different sectors approach organizational decision-making.
With 30 years of PK–12 experience as a teacher and administrator, Meyer-Looze is particularly interested in examining the operational linkages between central office leadership in school districts and senior administration in universities. Her work suggests that significant parallels exist across both sectors. “This job shadow experience will provide the evidence needed to understand how leadership skills are transferable across educational sectors,” she said. “This ultimately informs my work building leadership capacity in the next generation of educators.”
Meyer-Looze emphasized that the program plays a key role in elevating women leaders statewide. She highlighted its individualized structure, noting that participants receive tailored support as they pursue personally defined goals. “The robust support network built into the program is key—it actively validates the ambitions of women in leadership, providing the necessary sponsorship and advocacy to succeed in complex roles,” she said. Experiencing another institution firsthand, she added, helps emerging leaders “see the full range of administrative structures and identify transferable skills and new career paths.”
The Michigan ACE Women’s Network, part of the national American Council on Education (ACE), works to advance women in higher education by providing leadership development, networking opportunities, and mentorship pipelines. Its Senior-Level Leadership Job Shadow Program pairs aspiring or current leaders with seasoned executives across Michigan campuses, giving participants a structured space to observe leadership practice, explore potential career pathways, and build a statewide support community.
As she progresses through the year-long mentorship, Meyer-Looze hopes to gain insight into how higher education executives strengthen their leadership practice over time. “I am very curious about the formal and informal learning opportunities higher education executives use to grow their skills,” she said. She plans to apply these insights to both her own administrative work and the curriculum she teaches, integrating best practices drawn from the university sector. She aims to “develop a more comprehensive model for leadership training that spans the entire educational continuum,” strengthening leadership preparation for future PK–12 and higher education administrators alike.