Fellowship programs offer transformative opportunities for growth and leadership. Designed to immerse participants in high-impact projects, collaborative learning, and strategic initiatives that shape the future of higher education, fellows gain access to mentorship from senior leaders, broaden their institutional knowledge, and develop skills in areas such as policy development, organizational strategy, and cross-functional collaboration.

Explore reflections from MSU faculty and academic staff about their fellowship experience.

Academic Leadership Fellows (ALF)

The Academic Leadership Fellows program creates partnerships between mentors (current administrators) and fellows. The year-long program involves a shadowing experience and work on a project developed jointly between the mentor and fellow.

M. Emin Kutay, Ph.D., P.E.
Professor
Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

I applied to the Academic Leadership Fellows (ALF) program because I felt it was the right time to move beyond my departmental duties and dive deep into how the university truly functions. I wanted to gain a clearer understanding of academic leadership at the institutional level, and to develop the skills needed to contribute more meaningfully to key decisions. Learning from a diverse group of peers and campus leaders was also a huge draw.

The program offered a structured, supportive environment where we could openly discuss the common challenges and exciting opportunities within higher education. I particularly valued the strong cohort atmosphere and the opportunity to engage in candid dialogue with top campus leadership.

My main takeaways were truly understanding that leadership is a highly collaborative and iterative process. I also gained a much clearer picture of university governance and strategic planning. Most importantly, it reinforced the critical value of building strong, trust-based relationships and ensuring clear, transparent communication in all our work.

Additionally, the program strengthened my skills in listening with intention, facilitating dialogue across differing viewpoints, and approaching problems with a systems perspective. It also helped me better align immediate decisions with longer-term institutional goals.

Since the program, I am incorporating these skills in my committee work, faculty mentorship, and research leadership. I find that I am approaching conversations and planning discussions with greater patience, clarity, and strategic focus. The program has also encouraged me to be more proactive in supporting colleagues and contributing to positive departmental culture. 

Department Executive Officer (DEO) Fellowship

Each fall, the Big Ten Academic Alliance (formerly the Committee on Institutional Cooperation; CIC) hosts a three-day workshop for Department Executive Officers (DEO).  This seminar focuses on departmental leadership skills and problem-solving and emphasizes analysis of case studies.

Hannah Burrack
Professor & Chair
Department of Entomology

I applied to the Department Executive Officers (DEOs) program to build my network within the Big Ten and to improve my skills specific to department management. The session was extremely well organized, and it was reassuring to hear that despite being from very different institutions and disciplines, other department leaders were dealing with many of the same challenges.

I left with several takeaways and benefits. A key reminder, although not new information, but often hard to prioritize, was that conversations and meetings are more effective when I make time to prepare and plan in advance. Additionally, network building was the main benefit for me, but it was also helpful to see leadership styles and leaders from other Big Ten schools.

I found the annual review discussion and presentation especially helpful and have integrated several of the strategies and recommendations into my annual review process. That will continue to be a process as changes to required and entrenched structures take time. 

November/December 2025 Newsletter