Mayor Karl Dean, Sue Andrews help open Andrews Institute facilities

Lipscomb University’s Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership (ICL) officially opened its new offices and learning space June 2. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and local civic leader Sue Andrews joined Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry for a ribbon-cutting and celebration of the Andrews Institute’s new home on the third floor of the university’s Ezell Center.

 

“Nelson Andrews was the model of a successful civic leader, with Sue at his side as partner and friend,” said Lowry. “The Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership is dedicated to educating and inspiring others to follow their example of collaborative civic leadership. Nelson and Sue Andrews have had a sense of vision. That is the legacy we are continuing here with this institute.”

 

Dean told the crowd assembled to open the ICL facilities that Lipscomb is a fitting location for this program.

 

“This entire university has provided such strong positive leadership for our community and has played such a huge role in the success of the community over time and particularly in recent years,” said Dean. “Lipscomb University is a very engaged partner in the larger community and this is an appropriate place for the center.”

 

Sue Andrews, speaking for the Andrews family, said, “Nelson was fascinated by leadership. He knew it was indispensible and vital and was flummoxed by how rarely it was addressed in academic circles. Randy Lowry and Lipscomb enthusiastically responded to that challenge and today Nelson’s vision has achieved really magnificent traction. Thanks to all of you at Lipscomb for answering Nelson’s call.”

 

She urged the assembled leaders to take advantage of the Institute’s academic and community programs. “Tell all the leaders you know what a terrific opportunity this is for them to attend the institute, shape their dreams, and bring them to fruition.”

 

Founded in October 2010 to build on the legacy of Nashville leader Nelson Andrews, the Nelson and Sue Andrews Institute for Civic Leadership engages emerging and current leaders in programs to create thriving communities. The institute promotes and showcases government, business and not-for-profit leaders working together for the common good. Its programs provide for the study and practice of this collaborative civic leadership model and are based on the belief that civic leaders can be developed to intentionally create great communities.

 

Linda Peek Schacht, a former senior fellow at Harvard University’s Center for Public Leadership and Center for Business and Government, is executive director of the institute.

 

“Nashville was a model for collaborative leadership before the concept became popular among experts as necessary for success in business, government and community building,” said Schacht. “Our challenge and opportunity is to offer current and emerging leaders the support, place and time for reflection and dialogue to create a version of that model that reflects a changing and diverse world shaped by ever-evolving technology.”

 

“The Institute’s state-of-the-art COLLABoratory will allow current leaders and students to connect and learn from leadership scholars and leaders from across the globe while building community and developing local civic innovations.”

 

The Andrews Institute Leadership Council, chaired by Lowry, includes some of Nashville’s most influential leaders including Carter Andrews, chairman and co-founder, Not Alone; Frank Andrews, president, Andrews Capital, LLC; Sue Andrews, vice president, Brookside Properties; Charles Bone, chairman, Bone McAllester Norton, PLLC; Leilani Boulware, chief administrative officer, Correct Care Solutions, LLC; Agenia Clark, president and CEO, Girls Scouts of Middle Tennessee; Ron Corbin, field vice president Southern Region, The Allstate Corporation, retired; Nashville Mayor Karl Dean; Margaret Dolan, vice president community relations, Ingram Industries, Inc.; Governor Winfield Dunn, governor, State of Tennessee, 1971-75; J.D. Elliott, president & CEO, Memorial Foundation, Inc.; Mark Ezell, president & CEO, Purity Dairies, LLC; Irwin Fisher, vice president, Loews Hotels; Ellen Lehman, president, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee; Charles McGowan, president, Operation Andrew; Gregg Ramos, North, Pursell, Ramos & Jameson, PLC; Ken Roberts, president emeritus, The Frist Foundation; Ralph Schulz, president & CEO, Metro Area Nashville Chamber of Commerce; Tom Sherrard, Sherrard & Roe, PLC; Mike Shmerling, chairman & CEO, Choice Food Group; Harvey Sperling, educational consultant; Cal Turner, chairman, Cal Turner Family Foundation; Debbie Turner, president, News Channel 5; Jerry Williams, executive director, Leadership Nashville; and Bill Wilson, chairman, Cherokee Equity Corporation.

 

ICL recently announced the launch of a new master’s program designed to build on the legacy of collaborative leadership of Nashville civic leader Nelson Andrews and the leaders who worked with him to transform the city. The program has the distinction of being just one of two such master’s degrees in the nation.

 

“The Andrews Institute master’s program will offer students the skills and knowledge to practice collaborative leadership, to become civic entrepreneurs building thriving communities while thriving in their own professions,” said Schacht.

 

Beginning this fall, the new master’s degree program in civic leadership will prepare recent college graduates and mid-career professionals for leadership positions in both their communities and their profession. The program can be completed in either one year or 15 months, through evening, weekend and online classes. It is designed for business, non-profit and government professionals of any age seeking a leadership degree with a focus on social innovation and collaboration.

 

National and international scholars and experts in civic leadership will join Nashville civic leaders and Lipscomb faculty in teaching the courses which include cross-cultural and cross-sector leadership, leadership and technology and leading community change. Applications for the fall 2011 class are now being accepted. To encourage mentoring as well as collaborative learning, the class will be limited to 15 students.

 

Schacht brings to the program experience from many public affairs positions in government, education and business. She has served as a vice president at The Coca-Cola Company where she helped expand the corporate social responsibility movement, is a veteran of the Carter White House press office, the Urban League voter registration and RJR Nabisco Next Century Schools initiatives, and held the top communications positions for USA Today, the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate and the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.

A variety of career sectors are supported by this degree including all levels of government, public policy analysis, corporate public affairs, corporate government relations and lobbying, foundations and philanthropy, community development, urban planning and social innovation through existing nonprofits and the creation of public-private partnerships.