Presidential Fellows work closely with the president and other senior leaders in an area of focus that advances university priorities. This extended learning experience enables Fellows to observe how senior administrators lead the institution and deal with change. As part of the learning experience and working with the president, Presidential Fellows will focus on one or more domains – an issue, topic, and/or project that will contribute to the university’s capacity building. Faculty may propose a range of areas of interest for work on behalf of the university. Faculty are encouraged to identify an area of interest that expands their current work or research and/or provides development opportunities to engage in innovative and new spaces. Areas with clear opportunities to advance Reach Higher 2025 commitments are encouraged. Some areas for possible consideration include digital planning and transformation; implementing strategic plans and measuring progress; innovation and the future of learning; inclusion and equity; curriculum innovation; faculty development; student success; communications, messaging and engagement, external relations; or other areas of interest as proposed by the applicant. In 2023-2025, five additional areas of the university are interested in appointing Presidential Fellows: Enrollment Development, Information Technology, Communications/Public Affairs, Inclusion and Equity, and the Provost's Office. Final assignments will be refined with the selected fellows and President Mantella.

1. PVA Assessment & Debrief: Each applicant will be allowed to participate in the Pondera Work Preference Assessment (PVA), a research-based tool providing insight into individual and team preferences about motivation, operating style, and modes of learning. Each participant will be offered an individual debriefing session with a trained facilitator to discuss the results. Results may be used during the interview process to help guide questions.
2. University 101/201: The fellows' cohort will participate in an intensive onboarding leadership training designed to provide specific knowledge related to leadership roles and operations of the university. A two-day program will be facilitated by members of the Senior Leadership Team and other university leaders during summer 2023. Additional sessions will be scheduled throughout the fellows’ tenure as important topics and trends arise.
3. Mentorship: Presidential Fellows are assigned one or more mentors from senior management or President’s Council. The mentorship components will be determined collaboratively by the mentor and fellow. Through direct experience and guidance from leaders, these components should seek to cultivate skills and systems-level thinking needed to be successful in higher education administration.
4. Shadowing: Presidential Fellows will work with vice presidents to schedule a day or more of shadowing to gain deeper insight into specific functional areas while also learning about the various aspects of leadership roles and decision-making processes. This can provide Fellows with additional professional development, exposure to leadership, and the chance to acquire a broader understanding of leadership and the university.
5. President’s Council: Presidential Fellows serve as members and play an important work in facilitating discussions during meetings.
6. Senior Leadership Team: Presidential Fellows are invited to relevant SLT meetings, which provide an inside look into discussions and decision-making. This can provide Fellows with additional opportunities to gain valuable insight into leadership at GVSU. Fellows are also invited to present on relevant topics to SLT.
7. Individual Professional Development: The program supports focused professional development and/or training for each fellow, determined in consultation with the president and senior leadership team. The experience intends to advance individual skills and knowledge or provide unique new experiences for the fellow.
8. Shared Professional Development: Each cohort of fellows will work with the president and chief of staff to determine a shared professional development experience that supports new and experienced higher education leaders to learn more about innovative strategies, trends, and best practices. For 2023, fellows will participate in the Leadership in Higher Education Conference on October 12-14.
9. Program Alumni Networking: Former Presidential Fellows are asked to coordinate twice-year convenings of fellows to engage in networking and information-sharing. Program alumni are invited to continue participating in various university initiatives and events to allow for ongoing personal development and contributions to the university.
10. Fellows Cohort: Regular cohort meetings with fellows to share insights, strategies, and challenges and receive support.

As part of the learning experience, Presidential Fellows will focus on one or more domains – an issue, topic, and/or project that will contribute to the university’s capacity building. Each applicant will provide up to three learning objectives and leadership traits they would like to explore/develop if selected as a Presidential Fellow. Objectives will be refined with the president and senior leadership team assignment.

Presidential Fellows work closely with the president and other senior leaders in an area of focus that advances university priorities. As part of this work, the fellow will work on a signature project to capture the fellow’s experience and learning while contributing to university activities. The project will be showcased in a Presidential Fellows Symposium in November/December of the program's second year.

The Presidential Fellows Program is intended to provide university experience to faculty interested in exploring higher education administration. Following the program, fellows may return to their department or explore administrative career opportunities at GVSU. Fellows will also be encouraged to work with the president and other senior leaders to determine opportunities for continued project-based work. It is expected that fellows will remain at GSVU for at least two years following the fellowship.

Only tenured faculty are eligible for these positions. Presidential Fellows also serve on the President’s Council. Applicants must have the support of their department chair and dean to participate (if applicable, funding will be provided to departments/colleges to backfill teaching loads).

New fellowships will begin Fall 2023, and are expected to continue through Winter 2025 with a review after the first year. Spring/Summer semester assignments are negotiable. Those able to engage in Spring/Summer 2023 will be able to do so.

The contribution of the Faculty Fellow will be approximately 10 hours per week. The faculty member will utilize significant focus and be supported through a stipend per semester or course release (determined by the college) during the fall and winter semesters. An additional stipend is available for Spring/Summer terms, which is optional. If departments/colleges provide a course release to fellows, adjunct pool funding will be provided to backfill.

All applicants will be invited to a brief meeting with President Mantella to discuss their submitted materials and interest. Applicants are encouraged to obtain and submit an acknowledgment of the application and consent from their unit head and dean along with their materials. At least two fellows will be selected and notified of acceptance by March 2023.

If you have questions or would like to discuss potential areas of interest, please contact Jesse M. Bernal at [email protected].