College Leadership
Wake Tech Leader Awarded National Fellowship
RALEIGH, N.C. (April 7, 2016) - Wake Tech Executive Vice President Dr. Gayle Greene has been awarded the prestigious Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence. The Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC, today announced that Dr. Greene will join the inaugural class of the Aspen Presidential Fellows, a group of 40 extraordinary leaders with the drive and capacity to transform community colleges for greater student success.
Over the next decade, a majority of current community college presidents will retire. At the same time, students are flocking to community colleges in increasing numbers, hoping to earn degrees that lead to good jobs – but too few actually graduate. The Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence wants to change that, by equipping college leaders with the tools they need to improve student outcomes significantly. The Fellowship is a highly-selective, year-long program to prepare leaders aspiring, or recently appointed, to the community college presidency. Fellows will participate in seminars and ongoing mentoring relationships focused on innovative leadership, delivered in collaboration with Stanford University faculty and top community college leaders.
“Dr. Greene is a truly extraordinary leader,” said Wake Tech President Dr. Stephen Scott, “and an excellent choice for this exciting inaugural program. She is committed to continuous improvement in every aspect of college operations, and most of all, she is committed to students.”
Dr. Greene was selected through a rigorous process that considers candidates’ abilities to take strategic risks, lead strong teams and cultivate partnerships, and focus on results-oriented improvements in student success and access.
“This is a truly great privilege for me – the opportunity to study with Aspen and Stanford and to learn from other community college leaders," said Dr. Greene. “We share a compelling interest in helping students improve their lives, and working together on the national level gives us the best chance of doing that.”
The 2016-2017 Aspen Presidential Fellows hail from 17 states and 30 community colleges of varying sizes. They will begin their program in July 2016 at Stanford University, with completion anticipated in spring 2017.
The Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, ECMC Foundation, Greater Texas Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation.
