SHERMAN, Texas—Dr. Dawn Remmers, Austin College executive director of institutional research and college registrar, is one of 28 administrators in higher education across the country selected by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) to participate in a year-long Senior Leadership Academy. The academy is designed to prepare prospective mid-level leaders to assume positions as the chief officers in any division—academic affairs, student affairs, finance, enrollment management, and advancement—in independent higher education.
As part of the program, Remmers will participate in a seminar in Baltimore, Maryland, November 6–8, 2015, and another in Washington, D.C., June 23–25, 2016. She also will take part in a mentoring program, work with experts, participate in webinars, and engage in a series of readings and case studies during the 2015–2016 academic year.
Remmers joined the Austin College staff in February 2014, having served in several roles at the University of Texas at Arlington since 2000, notably as director of advising, student success, and testing and as executive director of University College.
A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, Remmers earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Nebraska Wesleyan University. She earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in experimental psychology and behavioral neuroscience at Kansas State University. Remmers has made numerous presentations regarding her academic research interests and been involved in many training programs for students and staff. She is active in several professional organizations and national honorary societies. She lives in Sherman with her son, Andrew, who attends Texoma Christian School.
“The need to prepare future leaders of colleges and universities has never been greater because the generation of people now in senior leadership positions on campus is rapidly approaching retirement,” said CIC President Richard Ekman. “Competition for the available places in the program was intense, and the review committee found the nomination materials to be most impressive. They (and I) believe that Dawn Remmers has the potential for highly effective leadership in a position of senior responsibility on campus.”
Since the program began in the 2010–2011 academic year, 48 percent of participants who have completed the program have experienced upward mobility. “These indicators suggest that CIC is helping to meet the leadership needs of higher education by offering highly effective leadership development programs for modest fees to member institutions,” Ekman said.
The academy is co-sponsored by CIC and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI). Tom Kepple, president of AALI and president emeritus of Juniata College in Pennsylvania, is the program director.
For more information about the Senior Leadership Academy, please visit www.cic.edu/SeniorLeadershipAcademy.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.