ASU faculty member selected for American Council on Education Fellows Program

The American Council on Education (ACE) recently announced the college and university leaders who were selected to participate in this year's ACE Fellows Program, the longest-running leadership development program in the U.S.

Among the fellows is David Sailor, a professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and the director of the Urban Climate Research Center. 

Sailor, who has been with Arizona State University since 2016, was nominated for the program by ASU Provost and Executive Vice President Nancy Gonzales. He is the eighth ASU faculty member to participate in the program.

“I'm honored to have been nominated by Provost Gonzales and selected by ACE for this fellowship,” Sailor said. “For me, this represents an exciting opportunity to grow professionally and develop new leadership skills. I look forward to the year ahead, and to returning to ASU, ready to contribute in new ways.”

This year’s 46 program participants represent a diverse range of backgrounds and hail from both national and international institutions. Through the program, fellows will attend retreats, participate in interactive and virtual learning opportunities and visit college campuses and other higher education-related organizations. 

Each fellow will also be placed at another academic institution, where they will observe and work with senior officers, attend decision-making meetings and focus on issues of interest that will benefit their host and nominating institutions. At the conclusion of the fellowship year, fellows will return to their home institution with new knowledge, skills and a network of peers from across the country and abroad.

“As a former ACE Fellow, I know how beneficial this program can be,” said Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, director of the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. “Through this impactful program, leaders from all types of institutions of higher education learn the skills needed to bring positive change to higher education leadership. We are tremendously proud of Professor Sailor and look forward to seeing how this opportunity allows him to grow as a leader in the coming months."

Since its inception in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program has prepared about 2,500 faculty, staff and administrators for senior positions in college and university leadership through its cohort-based mentorship model. Of the fellows who have participated, more than 80% of them have gone on to serve as chief executive officers, chief academic officers, deans and other leadership positions.