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President Miller Speaks to Aspiring College Presidents' Executive Leadership Academy
Address on presidential transitions helps experienced provosts, vice presidents prepare for leadership roles
News Release | July 12, 2016
Virginia Wesleyan College President Scott D. Miller spoke on management transitions and lessons to aspiring college presidents at the Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) in Washington, D.C., this week. His address was "Presidential Transitions: Preparing, Implementing, and Living."
The ELA is a selective, year-long program co-sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI) to prepare experienced provosts and vice presidents to become successful presidents. It consists of two national seminars, readings, a year-long Experiential Plan, group work, executive coaching, and a mentoring experience.
A highly-sought presenter, mentor and author on higher educational topics such as financial sustainability and presidential performance, Dr. Miller was one of 22 presidents interviewed and profiled in a book on presidential leadership and transitions. His comments at ELA are an expansion of his thoughts included in Jerold Panas’ book, "The First 120 Days: What a New College President Must Do to Succeed." Dr. Miller has been featured in several books in recent years, including ”The Entrepreneurial College President”; “The Small College Guide to Financial Health”; “Born, Not Made: The Entrepreneurial Personality” and "#Follow the Leader: Lessons in Social Media Success from #HigherEd CEOs." For 15 years Dr. Miller chaired the Council of Independent Colleges New Presidents Program.
He is a regular columnist for The Virginian-Pilot, College Planning and Management, Enrollment Manager, and The Huffington Post. For the last 10 years, he and Dr. Marylouise Fennell, senior counsel for the Council of Independent Colleges, have served as co-executive editors of Presidential Perspectives, an online presidential thought series that has resulted in 11 books.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AALI and its predecessor organizations have been instrumental in the advancement of higher education for over 30 years. Dr. Miller is vice chair of the AALI Board of Directors and Chair of the Board of Academic Search, Inc., a subsidiary of AALI.
Dr. Miller is in his second year as President of Virginia Wesleyan College. He is a former President of Bethany College (2007-15), Wesley College (1997-2007), and Lincoln Memorial University (1991-97).