Administrative Fellows Program

The Administrative Fellows Program provides faculty members and mid-level administrators with exposure to issues, problems and trends on an institutional level, as well as the opportunity to work with several senior administrators in different areas over the course of a year. The program engages participants with the issues of the college and of higher education without requiring them to give up significant time with their other responsibilities. After serving as a fellow, participants will be better equipped to understand the institution’s major challenges and direction, and will bring this greater insight to service as a faculty member or administrator in general as well as department chair, contributor to major governance committees, program coordinator and other campus leadership roles. Fellows may also develop a richer sense of their own career potential, the necessary steps to further professional growth, and strong mentoring relationships that will help them along the way. Fellows will gain exposure to both a wide range of institutional issues and diverse leadership styles, undertake projects of use to them and to the college, and thus be more effective as campus leaders in whatever capacity they serve.

Note: Participation in this program should not be seen as a first step into an administrative position, and no preference will automatically be given to participants in consideration of future internal positions at the College.

Program Description
The year-long program accepts between two and four fellows per year. The program has two main components: individualized work with different senior administrators over the course of the year, and a structured series of discussions/readings around major institutional issues.

Each fellow will work with at least two senior administrators, learning about the responsibilities, challenges and issues in their respective area of responsibility. Fellows may pursue both real problems and case studies during each rotation, as well as attending meetings with the administrator, including where relevant exposure to and participation in cabinet and specialized meetings specific to that placement. The executive assistant will work with each fellow to develop her/his goals, questions, and career interests, and facilitates the placement process with senior administrators.

In addition to the rotations, Fellows participate in a curriculum of small discussions with senior administrators throughout the year on major institutional issues, such as:

• enrollment management,
• space utilization and campus planning,
• faculty development,
• program and curriculum development;
• political/legislative context,
• student services and student life,
• crisis response,
• communications/branding,
• advancement,
• institutional diversity;
• external relations,
• fiscal affairs, and
• institutional research and accreditation.

The program hosts about six of these discussion meetings per semester, as well as several reflective conversations on more general issues in higher education.

Timing
Faculty serve as fellows through course releases (one each semester per faculty member), and must have worked at the college for at least five years in order to apply. Administrators (below the level of dean) serve as fellows with the consent of their immediate supervisor and with the understanding that there will be approximately 10 hours a week set aside to participate in the program.

Application Process
Individuals interested in applying should submit the completed application at Fellows Program Application (doc) by December 1, 2009 to:

Brenda Molife
Executive Assistant to the President
Boyden Hall

Candidates will be interviewed in February and notified by February 27th. Please address any questions to Brenda Molife at (508) 531-2454 or bmolife@bridgew.edu.

Last Modified: April 20, 2011