Dr. Allison Jablonski, a University of Lynchburg professor of biology and biomedical science, has been selected by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) to participate in a year-long Senior Leadership Academy.
Dr. Jablonski is one of 28 mid-level administrators in higher education nationwide selected for the program, which is designed to prepare prospective leaders to assume positions as the chief officers in any division—including academic affairs, student affairs, finance, enrollment management, and advancement—in independent higher education.
Individuals chosen for the program have been identified as having the potential for senior leadership positions. Dr. Jablonski will participate in two seminars, one in Baltimore, Maryland in November 2015 and one in Washington, D.C. in June 2016. She also will undertake a mentoring program, work with experts, participate in webinars, and engage in a series of readings and case studies during the 2015–2016 academic year.
“The need to prepare future leaders of colleges and universities has never been greater because the generation of people now in senior leadership positions on campus is rapidly approaching retirement,” said CIC President Richard Ekman. “Competition for the available places in the program was intense, and the review committee found the nomination materials to be most impressive. They (and I) believe that Allison has the potential for highly effective leadership in a position of senior responsibility on campus.”
Dr. Jablonski is the chair of the Biomedical Science department, and she also is the Faculty-Student Research Coordinator and chair of the Student Scholarship Showcase Committee, which plans an annual, all-day event that celebrates student research and academic accomplishments. Her research includes examination of genetics and breast cancer. She received her Ph.D. from the Medical College of Virginia. She earned her B.S. in Biology from the College of William and Mary.
“Dr. Jablonski has demonstrated outstanding teaching and leadership in and outside of the classroom, and University of Lynchburg is proud of what she has done to enhance student engagement in learning and research,” said Dr. Kenneth R. Garren, president of University of Lynchburg. “Her participation in the Senior Leadership Academy will further develop her talents as a leader in the LC community and beyond.”
Since the program began in the 2010–2011 academic year, 48 percent of participants who have completed the program have experienced upward mobility. “These indicators suggest that CIC is helping to meet the leadership needs of higher education by offering highly effective leadership development programs for modest fees to member institutions,” Ekman said.
The Academy is co-sponsored by CIC and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI). Tom Kepple, president of AALI and president emeritus of Juniata College (PA), is the program director.
For more information about the Senior Leadership Academy, visit www.cic.edu/SeniorLeadershipAcademy.