45 Higher Education Professionals to Participate in 2026 Emerging Leaders Program
Contact:
Kellee Edmonds
(202) 478-4662
edmondsk@aascu.org
WASHINGTON, June 23, 2026—The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) has announced the newest cohort of its Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), welcoming 45 rising academic and administrative professionals.
For more than a decade, ELP has supported the development of mid-senior career higher education professionals by equipping them with the skills and perspective needed to take on expanded leadership responsibilities. Participants explore key topics, including strategic communication, project management, organizational change, and the development of a personal leadership approach.
“This program reflects a strong commitment to developing the next generation of higher education leadership,” said Kristin G. Esterberg, chancellor, University of Washington Bothell, and ELP executive sponsor. “We’re excited to support these professionals as they strengthen their capabilities, broaden their networks, and contribute to the future of their institutions and the students they serve.”
Each cohort member undertakes a campus-based project or initiative, working closely with a mentor and receiving guidance from an adviser. Through both structured and informal opportunities to learn from one another, the group will build relationships with mentors, faculty, and members of the broader AASCU network.
The program begins today with an in-person seminar in Washington, D.C., followed by a series of interactive virtual sessions held throughout the year.
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The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association that represents the sector of over 500 regional public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to serving today’s students, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. These are institutions delivering America’s promise.
