Fort Lewis College to host ACE Fellow

Fort Lewis College President Tom Stritikus announced today that Eleanor Feingold, executive associate dean of the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, will spend the fall semester on campus as a visiting American Council on Education Fellow.

Established in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program is designed to strengthen institutional and leadership capacity in American higher education by identifying and preparing faculty and staff for senior positions in college and university administration. Fifty-two Fellows, nominated by the senior administration of their institutions, will comprise the 2021-22 cohort at colleges and universities across the nation. 

Feingold will be working in person with FLC administration and faculty on student engagement and retention initiatives as well as new academic programs in Health Sciences. Feingold’s academic expertise is in statistics, genetics, and public health. 

"During the last three years, FLC has been on a journey to transform our institution and truly put students at the center of everything we do,” says Stritikus. “Having an ACE Fellow to assist us on that path is an invaluable asset for us."

The ACE Fellows Program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities, visits to campuses and other higher education-related organizations, and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single semester or year. 

During the placement, ACE Fellows observe and work with the president and other senior officers at their host institution, attend decision-making meetings, and focus on issues of interest. As a placement institution, FLC will benefit from Feingold's leadership experience and fresh perspective on any emerging or ongoing institutional challenges.

“I’m excited by the fact that FLC is a teaching-focused institution dedicated to serving students, especially diverse students,” says Feingold. “I hope to learn a lot about how this kind of institution operates and what makes it successful.”

ACE Fellows also spend time investigating a specified issue of benefit to their nominating institutions for implementation upon the Fellows’ return to campus at the conclusion of the Fellowship placement. After her fellowship at FLC, Feingold will focus on developing and implementing an undergraduate degree program in public health at the University of Pittsburgh.

“Undergraduate public health was growing exponentially nationally before the pandemic,” she says. “I’m interested in blending analytic and human-centered strategies into the new program, and I’m hoping a semester here will help me advance these initiatives.”

When she isn't involved in strategic planning with the FLC leadership team or guest lecturing in classes, Feingold plans to enjoy southern Colorado's boundless hiking and snowshoeing opportunities.

About ACE and the ACE Fellows Program

Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents and related associations. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy.

Nearly 2,000 higher education leaders have participated in the ACE Fellows Program over the past five decades, with more than 80 percent of Fellows having served as senior leaders of colleges and universities. 

“Through the inclusion of Fellows and hosts from a variety of institution types, the program is helping to develop a climate of collaboration across sectors and regions,” says Sherri Lind Hughes, director of the ACE Fellows Program and a 2002-03 Fellow. “I am confident this diverse and talented group of higher education professionals will help build the leadership capacity necessary to solve complex problems and thrive in a changing landscape.”