"I really wanted to attend an institution that was somewhat of a community -- something small -- and to connect with professors and with the administration and have them know my name. And, because of MCLA's internship program, I was able to get my foot in the door at a very prominent company which jump-started my career."
Christina Barrett '03 Director of Marketing & Communications, Berkshire Chamber of Commerce
News & Press Releases
Oct. 10, 2008
NORTH ADAMS, MASS – Dr. Christopher J. Van Wyk, associate vice president of finance and director of institutional research at Drew University, has selected Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) as the host institution for his ACE Fellowship for the 2008-09 academic year.
The ACE Fellows Program, established in 1965, is designed to strengthen institutions and leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing promising senior faculty and administrators for responsible positions in college and university administration. Thirty-six Fellows, nominated by the presidents or chancellors of their institutions, were selected this year in a national competition.
“One of the great opportunities for an ACE Fellow is to understand how a different type of institution works. I could have gone to a big state university or a community college,” Van Wyk said.
After considering 12 institutions for his fellowship, Van Wyk narrowed his choices down to four.
“I visited several places, but MCLA just seemed like it would be a good fit,” he said. “I heard what President Grant has done since she arrived at the college and it struck me that she had a very highly functioning management team in place. They work well together and they’re getting things done. There’s a lot for me to learn by watching all of that.”
The fact that MCLA is a public liberal arts college and a member of COPLAC (Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges) made the College all the more appealing to Van Wyk.
“I believe in a liberal arts education,” he said.
Sharon A. McDade, Ed.D., director of the ACE Fellows Program, noted that most previous Fellows have advanced into major positions in academic administration. Of the more than 1,500 participants in the first 43 years of the program, more than 300 have become chief executive officers and more than 1,100 have become provosts, vice presidents, or deans.
“We’re extremely pleased with the incoming class,” McDade said. “The individuals selected have demonstrated strong leadership. The Fellows Program will sharpen and enhance their leadership skills and their network, and prepare them to address issues of concern to the higher education community.”
Van Wyk joined Drew University in 1990 as a member of the mathematics and computer science faculty. He holds two administrative appointments and is charged with overseeing the university’s budget, projecting revenues and expenditures, compiling and reporting institutional data, and benchmarking Drew’s performance in the educational sector.
Van Wyk will begin his fellowship on Oct. 25.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing another institution from the inside: how plans are made and turned into action,” said Van Wyk. “I’m also excited about working with the other Fellows, talented people who share my interest in higher education administration.”
Each ACE Fellow will focus on an issue of concern to the nominating institution while spending the part of next academic year working with a college or university president and other senior officers at a host institution. Drew University would like Van Wyk to focus on how to create and nurture a culture of assessment and planning at MCLA.
The ACE Fellows Program combines seminars, interactive learning opportunities, campus visits and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single semester or year. Fellows attend three week-long seminars on higher education issues organized by ACE, read extensively in the field and engage in other activities to enhance their knowledge about the challenges and opportunities confronting higher education today.
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 more than 200 related associations, nationwide. It seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and influence public policy through advocacy, research and program initiatives.
