ACC hosts ACE Fellow to strengthen institutional and leadership capacity
Submitted by sydney.pruitt on Wed, 09/28/2022 - 8:03am
Austin Community College District (ACC) welcomes its inaugural American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow, Dr. Desmond Lewis. Lewis is one of 46 Fellows selected nationwide for the 2022-23 academic year.
The ACE Fellows Program is designed to strengthen institutional and leadership capacity in American higher education by identifying and preparing faculty and staff for senior positions in college and university administration.
“We’re honored Dr. Lewis selected ACC for his fellowship. It is a testament to our reputation as a national leader for excellence in teaching and learning and our commitment to innovation,” says Dr. Monique Umphrey, ACC provost/executive vice chancellor of Academic & Student Affairs. “As an ACE Fellow, Dr. Lewis will work closely with ACC leadership to understand and experience our culture, policies, and decision-making processes. He will be invited to participate in key meetings and special projects, engage in seminars and case studies and share his insights and expertise.We look forward to working with him along his leadership journey and growing together to make our educational system even stronger.”
Lewis comes to ACC with more than 25 years of higher education experience, with extensive knowledge in developmental education, accelerated learning program design, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. He aspires to impact higher education reform and developmental education reform by advancing research on co-requisite design and other accelerated learning approaches for marginalized populations.
“The ACE Fellows program and its career-enriching developmental opportunities offer institutions and its participants the unique opportunity to learn from one another," says ACE President Ted Mitchell. “These Fellows engage in immersive learning experiences before they return to their home campuses armed with a fresh outlook, prepared to address whatever challenges lie ahead.”
The ACE Fellows Program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities, campus visits, and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single academic year. More than 80% of ACE Fellows have served as senior leaders of colleges and universities. Lewis will serve as ACC’s ACE Fellow for the duration of the 2022-23 academic year.