RSU Staff Selected for Leadership Academy, Mentoring Initiative

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Council on Student Affairs recently launched two programs that will aid in the professional growth of student affairs professionals on college and university campuses across the state.

The Leadership Academy is comprised of student affairs professionals who will receive enhanced professional development by attending formal skill-training workshops and seminars led by experienced student affairs leaders. Dr. Susan Bedwell, program director for the Education Opportunity Center, has been selected to serve in the Leadership Academy.

The mentoring initiative matches student affairs professionals with supportive, knowledgeable senior-level professionals who will serve as mentors. The mentoring component provides individuals with role models who can provide customized career advice, as well as professional and personal enrichment. It will also encourage junior personnel to manage their own learning as a way to maximize their professional potential, develop skills and improve job performance. Dr. Tobie Titsworth, vice president for student affairs, has been selected to serve as a mentor.

“The Leadership Academy provides advanced, cutting-edge leadership skill development opportunities for student affairs professionals at Oklahoma’s higher education institutions,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “The academy, along with the mentoring initiative, will help our institutions develop more knowledgeable, better-prepared professionals to serve our students.”

“These two programs provide exceptional personal and professional development opportunities for student affairs professionals in Oklahoma in a very cost-effective manner, which will enable them to better serve the students on their campuses,” said Dr. Roger Sorochty, chair of the COSA Leadership Academy and mentoring initiative committee and vice president for enrollment and student services at The University of Tulsa.

This year’s Leadership Academy is made up of 18 professionals from the state’s public and private higher education institutions. Members of the academy include Zeak Naifeh and Taylor Thompson, Cameron University; Rachel Lloyd, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College; Crystal Bowles, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology; Susan Bedwell, Rogers State University; Lance Newbold, Kent Lashley, Kirby Harzman and Julie Atkinson, Rose State College; Yashanda Scruggs, Seminole State College; Debra Fulenchek and Mishael Metheny, Southeastern Oklahoma State University; Kaye Ellis, Kelly David and Eunice Tarver, Tulsa Community College; Robert Howard and Caleb Cash, University of Central Oklahoma; and Kimberly Henderson, The University of Tulsa.

Sixteen professionals from Oklahoma public and private institutions will serve as mentors, including Jennifer Holland, Cameron; Jessica Rimmer, Mid-America Christian University; Amy Ishmael, NEO A&M; Brad Franz, Northwestern Oklahoma State University; Liz Donnelly and Rick Hall, Oklahoma City University; Lee Bird, Oklahoma State University; Tobie Titsworth, RSU; Jeanie Webb, RSC; Brad Walck, SSC; Sharon Robinson, Southeastern; Cindy Foust, Southwestern Oklahoma State University; Jan Clayton, TCC; Kathryn Gage, UCO; and Roger Sorochty, TU.

For more information or to learn how you can participate in future Leadership Academies and the mentoring initiative, visit www.okhighered.org/cosa.