MSI Aspiring Leaders
Supported by The Kresge Foundation and the ECMC Foundation, MSI Aspiring Leaders is a program developed by the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) that brings together prominent leaders from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to engage with mid-career aspiring leaders from the education, non-profit, and business sectors in an effort to prepare the next generation of MSI presidents.
MSI Aspiring Leaders includes both a leadership forum and mentorship program and has been designed to help promote diversity among higher education leadership, where nearly 60% of sitting university presidents are over the age of 60 and where many see a lack of opportunity for women and people of color.
By providing professional development workshops focused on 21st-century skills as well as 1.5 years of post-forum mentorship, MSI Aspiring Leaders hopes to cultivate future MSI presidents by strengthening pathways to leadership and building connections between peers with similar aspirations and abilities. The forum will include discussions and workshops on topics such as the managing board of trustee relationships, using data to make decisions, crisis management, strategic fundraising, work-life balance, and navigating media engagement.
After the forum, mentors and their mentees will participate in a one- on-one mentoring relationship through in-person meetings, conference calls, and email over 1.5 years. CMSI will facilitate these relationships and provide benchmarks to be completed at various points throughout the 1.5 years.
The MSI Aspiring Leaders Forum starts with a dinner at 6PM on April 9, 2025 and ends on April 11th, 2025 at 3:30 PM. All meals, lodging for 2 nights, and materials will be provided by CMSI. Participants must cover the cost of their personal travel. The overall program cost is $750 and is due upon selection and confirmation of program participation.
