November 2004

Helen E. Williams

ACE Fellow Turns to UMUC to Learn About the Future of Education

By Celeste Ryan
Special to FYI Online

Helen E. Williams is quite certain about her future. One day she plans to serve as a college or university president. That’s why, at the encouragement of a mentor and the nomination of the president at the University of Delaware—where she serves as senior assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences—she applied for and was named an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow for the 2004–2005 school year.

“It’s not just a goal,” said Williams, whose fellowship has allowed her to spend the school year shadowing UMUC President Gerald Heeger. “Becoming a college president is the goal.”

Since 1965, ACE has been preparing academic administrators like Williams for leadership roles in higher education. Most of the 1,450 educators who have participated in the organization’s fellowship program over the years have become deans, presidents, provosts, vice presidents, and CEOs.

“This program sharpens and enhances leadership skills and prepares administrators to address issues of concern to the higher education community,” explained Marlene Ross, director of the program at ACE’s Washington, D.C., headquarters.

Almost 100 people applied for the fellowship, and this year’s class of 34 includes a diverse group from the United States, Kenya, and South Africa.

“We’re extremely pleased with this class of fellows,” said Ross. “They have demonstrated strong leadership ability.”

Williams, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech and language pathology from Jersey City State College and Towson State University, respectively, earned her doctorate in education leadership from the University of Delaware. After her acceptance into the ACE program and placement interviews with several colleges, Williams was invited to spend her time at UMUC. Following a week-long, intensive seminar, the first of three, she arrived at the University on September 8, 2004, with one objective—to learn as much as possible about leading an institution of higher education.

“I am blessed to be here with one of the most forward-thinking executive teams in higher education,” said Williams. “Reviewing UMUC will give me a major advantage in learning to lead. UMUC has a strong business focus; it’s the forerunner in distance education; it has well over 85,000 students and is growing rapidly; it’s international, with sites in 29 countries around the world; and it collaborates with community colleges, the military, soldiers, and their families.”

Williams especially appreciates the focus on technology and how it enables UMUC to meet the needs of nontraditional students. While many schools offer evening classes for adults returning to school, Williams says UMUC also addresses the needs of younger students, graduate-level students, and even retirees seeking higher education.

“The future is technology,” she said. “Computers have impacted every area of our world and if people come back to higher education for retooling, we need to be able to offer them the technology information that will prepare them for their future. UMUC equips its students for not just surviving, but thriving in the future.”

Because of the ACE program, UMUC is also helping equip Williams for her future. With an office near Heeger’s, she is getting a bird’s-eye view of the inner workings of academic administration. Working as his “shadow,” she meets with his executive council and cabinet, where fundraising and development, budget and finances, policy and procedure, human resources, facilities management, and other issues are discussed. Her role, she said, is to “observe, listen, and reflect,” and later ask questions and discuss what she’s observed with the president. Always an avid learner, Williams has also taken on a couple of projects that will further develop her skills and give her experience in managing organizational change, which she deems critical for the success of any higher education administrator in the 21st century.

“I’ve already learned so much and gained so much experience,” Williams said of her time at UMUC. “It has been worth every moment.”