Division of People, Equity, and Culture

As a Presidential Fellow, you will gain the experience, perspective, and competencies essential for advancing into formal leadership roles. Through this program, you will: 

• Develop Leadership Excellence - Engage in real-world challenges that are intended to strengthen your ability to inspire teams, manage change, and operate effectively within complex institutional environments. Learn skills to build the confidence and competencies needed to step into formal leadership.
• Enhance Administrative Expertise – Gain hands-on experience with the core functions of university administration, including strategic planning, institutional operations, budget management, policy review, and student success initiatives. Learn how decisions are made—and how leaders influence them. 
• Accelerate Your Career Growth – Receive personalized mentorship from senior university leaders and gain exposure to executive-level processes. Participation in high-impact, campus-wide initiatives will equip you for the next step in your professional journey, whether within GVSU or the broader higher education landscape.
• Strengthen Strategic Leadership Abilities – Learn skills needed to build expertise in strategy development, change management, and governance. Learn methods to assess institutional challenges, design innovative solutions, and advance strategies aligned with university priorities.
• Expand Your Professional Network – Have the opportunity to develop strong, lasting connections with university executives, fellow emerging leaders, and partners across campus. Participate in structured networking activities, leadership workshops, and collaborative discussions that broaden your perspective and influence. 
• Gain High-Impact Project Experience – Lead or contribute to major university initiatives, directly supporting the Reach Higher strategy. This hands-on work provides practical experience driving meaningful, measurable institutional progress. 
• Shape the Future of GVSU – As a Fellow, your contributions can help strengthen GVSU’s commitment to equity, inclusion, student success, academic excellence, and institutional innovation. Your work could have lasting impact on the university’s direction and culture. 
• Receive Recognition and Professional Support – Fellows will receive formal recognition for their contributions, along with dedicated professional development support. Guidance will be provided to help you identify next steps and continue your leadership journey beyond the program. 

Senior Leadership Engagement & Support

Fellows will work in close partnership with members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and their direct reports, gaining direct exposure to the decision-making, strategy development, and administrative leadership required at the executive level. Each Fellow will be paired with a primary SLT mentor whose portfolio aligns with the Fellow’s interests and growth goals. In addition to this primary mentorship, Fellows will receive guidance from leaders across divisions, participate in leadership conversations, and may observe senior-level meetings to deepen their understanding of institutional operations. Shadowing opportunities with SLT members or their direct reports in multiple functional areas will provide Fellows with a broad, enterprise-level perspective and foster connections essential for future administrative leadership.  

Project-Based Administrative Learning

Fellows will take ownership of a substantive project (or set of projects) within an assigned division, directly contributing to the Reach Higher strategy and institutional priorities. These projects offer hands-on experience in problem-solving, strategic execution, policy review, operational planning, and cross-divisional collaboration. Project work is intentionally intended to support fellows in: 

• Building administrative competency
• Strengthening strategic thinking
• Demonstrating leadership readiness
• Delivering visible institutional impact 

A curated list of project opportunities, identified by SLT members, will guide the placement of Fellows based on their aspirations and areas of interest

Integrated Leadership Development Program

The Fellowship includes a comprehensive, cohesive leadership development program designed to deepen participants’ understanding of university administration, strengthen leadership capability, and expand awareness of emerging trends in higher education.  

The program offers a unified learning experience that integrates executive insights, skill development, and professional growth. Fellows are invited to select the components that align with their leadership development journey.

The integrated program includes the following elements:

• Personalized Professional Development 
  • Each Fellow will collaborate with their SLT mentor to identify individualized development opportunities aligned with their career goals. This may include targeted training, specialized workshops, or unique experiential learning. The emphasis is on strengthening the competencies, confidence, and administrative readiness needed for the Fellow’s next step in leadership.
• Shared Cohort Learning Experience
  • The cohort, guided by the program lead, will collectively engage in sense-making and integration of the learning sessions. This shared experience fosters community, strengthens the cohort’s collective identity, and deepens learnings towards application. 

Cross-Functional Networking & Enterprise Engagement 

Intentional networking opportunities—including roundtable discussions, cross-functional workshops, and collaborative cohort sessions—will create space for Fellows to exchange ideas, share challenges, and explore solutions from multiple perspectives. These connections help build a university-wide network of emerging leaders prepared to work across divisions and contribute meaningfully to institutional initiatives.

The networking component is designed to: 

• Strengthen visibility across campus
• Encourage collaborative leadership
• Expand understanding of institutional interdependencies
• Build relationships that support long-term administrative success 

These experiences cultivate a vibrant, connected group of future enterprise leaders committed to GVSU’s progress.

Fellows are expected to fully engage in the program’s leadership and administrative learning experiences by committing to the following: 

• Deliver a Strategic Project: Complete a substantive project or set of projects that advance Reach Higher priorities and contribute meaningfully to institutional planning, innovation, or operational improvement. 
• Engage Actively in Mentorship and Networking: Participate in mentorship with senior leaders and take part in cross-functional networking campus opportunities. 
• Participate in Shared Experiences: Own participation in cohort sessions and program activities. 
• Provide Feedback and Reflective Input: Offer ongoing feedback and program evaluation to support continuous improvement of the Fellowship experience. 

Time Commitment

Fellows are expected to dedicate approximately one day per week to program activities, including project work, leadership learning sessions, mentorship, and cohort engagement.

Eligibility 

• Full-time faculty and staff with at least one year of employment at GVSU by the start of the program are eligible to apply.
• Applicants must demonstrate a clear interest in leadership exploration and development.
• Applicants must demonstrate understanding of and alignment with Reach Higher Together or a relevant divisional strategic direction.
• Applicants must have supervisor and Appointing Officer support for the time and participation expectations of the fellowship.
• Completion of Leading Lakers: Activate is a co-requisite.

Application Materials

Applicants must submit a letter of interest outlining:

• Areas of leadership interest and professional growth,  
• Alignment with GVSU strategic directions and values  
• Relevant skills and experiences that align with the Potential Areas for Leadership Contributions. 

Applicants should not propose a specific project. Final project scopes will be co-designed with selected Fellows and divisional leadership to ensure alignment with institutional priorities. 

A current resume or CV is also required.

Supervisor/Dean Approval

• Staff must secure supervisor approval and Appointing Officer approval, including release time, prior to submitting an application.
• Faculty must obtain endorsement from their dean and prior approval for a course release. 

Program Support 

Participants will receive dedicated institutional support for their involvement: 

• Staff: release time, in collaboration with supervisor and Appointing Officer
• Faculty: one course release each semester or one-time stipend

Appointment Term

Fellows will be appointed for the period August 1, 2027 – May 1, 2028, with the possibility of renewal for Spring/Summer Term as well as the following Academic Year. 

How to Apply

Submit the online application—along with your letter of interest and resume/CV, and the required supervisor and Appointing Officer acknowledgment—no later than April 18, 2025. Application linked here.

Rather than proposing a specific project, letters of interest are encouraged to highlight how an applicant's expertise aligns with the strategic directions found in Reach Higher Together or the divisional plans.  

Final project scopes will be co-designed with selected fellows in collaboration with divisional leadership to ensure alignment with strategic priorities and critical initiatives.