Dean of Community Life selected for national Christian multi-ethnic leadership program
Experience has shown him the broad world of higher education and the importance of serving diverse students.
Janel Shoun-Smith | 615.966.7078 |
In 2022, Dr. Prentice Ashford, Lipscomb’s dean of community life, was selected as one of 22 participants nationwide in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) Multi-Ethnic Leadership Development Institute (M-E LDI), a higher education professional development program that targets emerging leaders of color from all CCCU campuses nationwide.
The CCCU invites to the institute applicants from current faculty and staff of color who sense a giftedness and calling to consider or advance into leadership roles within their Christian campuses. The institute's facilitators are senior-level CCCU leaders who offer a program combining substantive leadership content as well as time for reflective soul-care that invites hearing God’s voice and direction.
The program has provided Ashford with exposure to how higher education works beyond his own role, connections with administrators in similar roles at other Christian universities and insight into the career ladder within higher education, he said.
“I’ve learned that any and every university is experiencing change and transition to some degree,” said Ashford, who completed a shadowing opportunity with Dr. Keith Hall, vice president for student belonging and chief diversity officer, at Azusa Pacific University, which has also had a recent presidential change.
Students have the same desires and concerns on any campus, but student-related challenges may be unique to each campus due to geography and demographics, Ashford said. Employees across the nation all “want to be heard and challenged, recognized and valued.” On top of that, faith-based universities have their unique set of challenges specific to their faith backgrounds.
The year-long leadership development program began with a five-day, intensive retreat in June focused on creating opportunities for conversation, supportive networking and equipping Christian leaders of color with the knowledge to discern their professional path in Christian higher education.
Session topics included what it means to be a cabinet-level leader, best leadership practices, and understanding and responding to competing campus interests in diversity discussions.
“Diversity, in a sense, has to be at the forefront of everything we do. By investing in minority faculty, staff and students, universities are taking steps toward empowering those same members of their community who haven’t traditionally had the same opportunities for intentional leadership engagement and development, to be valuable leaders at their institutions.” said Ashford.
The leadership development program also included professional networking with current and emerging leaders, discussion of cutting-edge leadership issues, a one-on-one meeting with a Resource Team member to outline a year-long Professional Development Plan and opportunities to access leadership lessons, case studies and best practices from within and beyond Christian higher education.
So far, due to his participation in the program, Ashford said he has been re-inspired to explore ways to serve the needs of Lipscomb’s commuter students better. In regard to his own future career, the program has shown him that you should never be afraid to say yes to any opportunity that may arise.