Leadership U Announces Fifth Cohort

Leadership U Announces Fifth Cohort

Associate Provost Jennifer Greer (far left) with Leadership U’s latest cohort, (left to right) front row: Melinda King, Dr. Roger Sidje, Dr. Carolyn Boxmeyer, Debbie Vaughn, Dr. Laura Hopson; second row: Monica Watts, Jessie Gardner, Sommer Coleman, and Alyson Jarnagin. Not pictured: Dr. Jonathon Halbesleben

Leadership U began in 2010 as a way to prepare faculty and staff in leadership positions to take on increasing levels of responsibility within their organizations. Now with its fifth cohort, the program continues to train forward-thinking campus leaders who anticipate future challenges and envision opportunities for success.

The program is offered by the Office for Academic Affairs and administered by Associate Provost Jennifer Greer. Leadership U serves all areas on campus, with this year’s participants coming from Academic Affairs, Advancement, Financial Affairs, Intercollegiate Athletics, Student Life and Strategic Communications. 

Cohort members

  • Dr. Caroline Boxmeyer, assistant dean for medical education in the College of Community Health Sciences
  • Sommer Coleman, senior project manager for Construction Administration
  • Jessie Gardner, assistant athletics director for Student-Athlete Enhancement
  • Jonathon Halbesleben, senior associate dean in the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration
  • Dr. Laura Hopson, director of the BSW program in the School of Social Work
  • Alyson Jarnagin, director of student services and registrar in the College of Communication and Information Sciences
  • Melinda King, executive director of the Career Center
  • Dr. Roger Sidje, associate dean for multicultural affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences
  • Debbie Vaughn, associate vice president for the Office of Development
  • Monica Watts, associate vice president for Communications

This year’s program began in September and will run through August 2018. The class recently participated in a two-day professional development workshop designed to assess their personal strengths as a leader and to help them hone interpersonal skills. They will meet with University leaders throughout the academic year to learn more about the University, its goals and mission and the leadership styles of UA’s top administration.

Faculty participants also are part of the Southeastern Conference’s Academic Development Leadership Program, and they will visit LSU and Auburn for three-day workshops this year.

Leadership U reflects the values of the Capstone Competencies. In the spirit of these values, the Leadership U curriculum seeks to do the following:

  • Broaden participants’ perspectives on how the vision and mission of the University is realized.
  • Enhance participants’ capacity for collaboration and relationship building.
  • Strengthen practical skills essential to effective leadership.
  • Sensitize participants to the influence of culture in the academic setting.
  • Encourage participants to think critically about higher education and UA in a dynamic environment.