WVU Parkersburg associate dean selected for year-long American Council on Education Fellow program.

CONTACT:  Dr. Cynthia Kelley, associate dean of education, 304-424-8345. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The associate dean of education at West Virginia University at Parkersburg is the first from the Parkersburg campus to be selected an American Council on Education Fellow.

Cynthia Kelley will join 36 ACE Fellows, nominated by the presidents or chancellors of their institutions in a national competition, in the year-long program during the 2008-2009 academic year.

Established in 1965, the ACE Fellows program is designed to strengthen institutions and leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing promising senior faculty and administrators for responsible positions in college and university administration.  Of the more than 1,500 participants in the first 43 years of the program, more than 300 have become chief executive officers and more than 1,100 have become provosts, vice presidents or deans.

Dr. Kelley was nominated by WVU Parkersburg President Marie Foster Gnage, who was an ACE Fellow in 1990-91 with Winthrop College, Rock Hill, S.C., serving as her host institution. 

"I am delighted that Cindy will be participating in the program.  It provides an opportunity for her to sharpen and enhance her leadership skills and gain valuable knowledge in addressing issues of concern to the higher education community," President Gnage noted. 

Dr. Kelley joined the WVU Parkersburg faculty in 1991.  A professor of education, she received her bachelor's degree from Glenville State College, her master's from West Virginia University and her doctorate from Ohio University.  She was named chair of the college's Education Division in 2001 and promoted to associate dean of education in 2006.

“I look forward to the opportunity to observe and work with high-level administrators throughout the year," Dr. Kelley said.  "Being able to immerse myself in the study of leadership with the diverse group of individuals who make up the ACE Fellows class will prepare me both personally and professionally to better serve WVU Parkersburg upon my return to campus.”

Each ACE Fellow focuses on an issue of concern to the nominating institution while spending the next academic year working with a college or university president and other senior officers at a host institutions.  The ACE Fellows program combines seminars, interactive learning opportunities, campus visit and placement at another higher education institutions to condense years of on-the-job experience and skill development into a single semester or year.  The Fellows are included in the highest level of decision making while participating in administrative activities and learning about a project issue.

Fellows attend three week-long seminars on higher education issues organized by ACE, read extensively in the field and engage in other activities to enhance their knowledge about the challenges and opportunities confronting higher education today.

Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents, and more than 200 related associations nationwide.  It seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on higher education issues and influence public policy through advocacy, research and program initiatives.

cd04/23/08