Division of People, Equity, and Culture

As a presidential fellow, you will gain transformative leadership experience, deep institutional insights, and the professional skills necessary to advance your career while making a meaningful impact at GVSU. Through this program, you will:

• Develop Leadership Excellence – Gain confidence, skills, and other professional competencies needed to lead effectively in diverse and evolving higher education environments. Engage in real-world leadership experiences that enhance your ability to inspire, manage change, and navigate complex institutional challenges.
• Enhance Administrative Expertise – Acquire hands-on experience in university administration, developing a comprehensive understanding of institutional operations, decision-making processes, and cross-functional collaboration. You will gain insights into areas such as budget management, policy development, strategic planning, and student success initiatives.
• Accelerate Your Career Growth – Receive personalized mentorship from senior university leaders, participate in high-impact projects, and gain exposure to executive-level decision-making. This experience will prepare you for future leadership roles within and beyond GVSU.
• Strengthen Strategic Leadership Abilities – Cultivate expertise in change management, strategic planning, and institutional governance. Learn how to analyze challenges, develop innovative solutions, and implement impactful strategies that align with university priorities.
• Expand Your Professional Network – Build lasting connections with university executives, fellow faculty and staff leaders, and external partners. Engage in structured networking opportunities, collaborative discussions, and leadership development workshops to broaden your professional influence.
• Gain High-Impact Project Experience – Lead or contribute to strategic university initiatives that support the Reach Higher strategy. Whether working on institutional planning, student success, or operational improvements, you will gain firsthand experience in driving meaningful change.
• Shape the Future of GVSU – Your participation will directly contribute to institutional innovation, helping to shape policies, programs, and initiatives that advance equity, inclusion, student success, and academic excellence. Your work as a fellow will leave a lasting mark on the university’s future.
• Receive Recognition and Professional Support – Fellows will receive a dedicated support, professional development, and institutional recognition for their contributions. You will also be supported in identifying next steps for continued leadership development post-program.

1. Senior Leadership Engagement & Support: Fellows will work closely with Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members, engaging in strategic projects that align with institutional priorities and their professional aspirations. While each fellow will have a primary SLT mentor, they will also receive guidance and support from other leaders within the division or office. Fellows will contribute to key initiatives, gaining hands-on experience that strengthens their leadership skills and deepens their understanding of university operations. Additionally, they will have opportunities to shadow SLT members across various functional areas to broaden their perspective and network.
2. Project-Based Learning: Work closely with an assigned division to take ownership of a specific project or project(s) that directly advances the Reach Higher strategy providing fellows with hands-on experience in problem-solving, execution, and institutional impact. See Potential Projects & Contribution Areas for Fellows for areas identified by SLT members.
3. Leadership Development Workshops:
   • University 101/201: Insights from Senior Leadership – The SLT and other division leadership will facilitate immersive cohort experiences, offering a comprehensive exploration of university administration and core employee competencies. Through interactive sessions, fellows will gain a deep understanding of each division’s functions, responsibilities, and strategic priorities, preparing them to navigate and contribute effectively across the institution.
   • Leadership Speaker Series – A dynamic series featuring accomplished leaders from higher education and various sectors to offer insights, inspiration, and exposure to diverse leadership styles and strategies.
   • Individual Professional Development – The program supports focused professional development and/or training for each fellow, determined in consultation with the SLT sponsor and lead Presidential Fellow. The experience intends to advance individual skills and knowledge or provide unique new experiences for the fellow.
   • Shared Professional Development – Each cohort of fellows will work with a Presidential Fellows lead to determine a shared professional development experience that supports new and experienced higher education leaders to learn more about innovative strategies, trends, and best practices.
4. Cross-Functional Networking Opportunities: The program will intentionally facilitate networking opportunities, such as collaborative roundtables or cross-functional workshops, enabling fellows to actively exchange ideas, share challenges, and foster innovative solutions. This will also build relationships and foster a sense of excitement and inspiration across the university, creating a robust network of enterprise leaders.

• Participants will commit to:
  • Attendance at program workshops and other cohort activities.
  • Completion of a strategic project or project(s) by the end of the program, contributing to the Reach Higher planning and/or strategy advancement.
  • Active engagement in mentoring and networking opportunities, building a cross-functional network within the university.
  • Providing evaluation and feedback throughout the program.
  • Serving on the Reach Higher Collaborative Leadership Network.
• Participants are expected to commit the equivalent of a day a week to the program, in addition to workshops and cohort activities.

• Eligible employees must be full-time and have a minimum of three years of experience at GVSU. Preference will be given to those with a passion for leading or a desire to grow their leadership experience.
• A letter including an area of interest for engagement and growth and a reflection on relevant skills and experiences must be submitted for consideration. Rather than proposing a specific project, applicants are encouraged to highlight how their expertise aligns with the priority areas outlined under Potential Areas for Leadership Contributions listed below . Final project scopes will be co-designed with selected fellows in collaboration with divisional leadership to ensure alignment with strategic priorities and critical initiatives.
• Staff must obtain prior supervisor approval, including release time, while faculty need endorsement from their dean and prior approval for a course release before submitting a letter of interest.
• Participants will receive dedicated support for their involvement in the program. For staff, release time will be provided to ensure participation. For faculty, a course release or an overload stipend will be provided. This is determined in consultation with their supervisor or dean based on institutional and departmental needs.
• Fellows will be selected for for an initial appointment from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026; fellowships may be renewable for an additional year (2026-2027).
• Complete an online application, including submitting a letter of interest and recent resume/CV, no later than April 18, 2025. Application linked here.
• Completion of Leading Lakers: Activate is recommended.
• Questions can be directed to Evan Potter at [email protected].

Rather than proposing a specific project, letters of interest are encouraged to highlight how an applicant's expertise aligns with the priority areas outlined below. Final project scopes will be co-designed with selected fellows in collaboration with divisional leadership to ensure alignment with strategic priorities and critical initiatives.

Academic Affairs (Executive Vice President Drake):

• First-Year Academic Experiences: Provide leadership and coordination to enhance first-year academic experiences across the institution.
• Curriculum Innovation: Support the design and expansion of innovative curriculum initiatives, including adult learner pathways, online degrees and credentials, experiential learning, and multi/interdisciplinary programs.
• Data-Informed Decision-Making: Contribute to planning and analysis efforts, particularly in academic portfolio strategy and institutional decision-making.

Enrollment Development & Educational Outreach (Vice President Truss):

• Strategic Enrollment Management (SEMP) 2.0: Serve as a thought partner in developing and implementing the next phase of SEMP.
• Workday Student & AI Implementation: Support deep engagement with Workday Student implementation and One Origin AI integration.

Information Technology (Vice President Topic):

• AI, XR, and Digital Transformation: Support IT Innovation + Research with cross-divisional artificial intelligence or extended reality related initiatives.

Omni (Vice President Van Dam):

• Omni Engagement: Contribute to key areas of Omni’s work, including adult learners, regional impact, career services, and skills-based continuing education, with opportunities to align fellowship projects to individual interests.

People, Equity, and Culture (Vice President Shorty):

• Organizational Development & Change Leadership: Support initiatives that drive institutional transformation, inclusive leadership, and effective change strategies.

Student Affairs (Vice President Hall-Jones):

• Student Success: Support efforts to integrate key data into the university's data lake (e.g., student organization participation, Recreation & Wellness engagement) to enhance insights and decision-making.
• Campus Vibrancy: Lead next steps based on findings from the Campus Vibrancy Project.
• Student Legal Services: Assist in developing systems and processes to support the Student Legal Services pilot program.
• Student Accessibility Resources (SAR): Engage faculty in SAR processes to improve awareness and implementation.

University Development (Vice President Aikens):

• Alumni Engagement & Strategy

University Initiatives (Vice President Bernal):

• Institutional Strategy: Support university-wide strategic initiatives, including Reach Higher Together.
• Charter Schools Office: Contribute to leadership and operational improvements in the Charter Schools Office. See areas of interest at www.gvsu.edu/cso. 
• GVNextEd Co-Lab: Engage in cross-functional innovation and collaboration efforts within the Co-Lab. See current areas of work at www.gvsu.edu/colab.
• REP4: Play a key role in REP4 by supporting student-driven innovation, mentoring at the Midwest Summer Summit, integrating REP4 methodologies into curriculum, and contributing to research on equity-centered education and learner-led change.

University Relations (Vice President Behler)