Higher Education at a Crossroads: Leadership, Strategy, and Stewardship

 

Higher Education at a Crossroads: Leadership, Strategy, and Stewardship

Originally published by UPCEA on March 31, 2026

Leadership is rarely formed along a straight line. It develops through unexpected opportunities, difficult conversations, career pivots, and moments that ask us to step forward before we feel entirely ready.

This reflection grew from a fireside conversation with American University President Jon Alger, my placement mentor during the ACE Fellows Program. Our discussion explored leadership trajectories, governance, institutional strategy, civic life, and the challenge of stewarding higher education through an unusually consequential period.

Several ideas stayed with me. Governance depends as much on trust, communication, and relationships as it does on formal authority. Strategy matters only when it becomes visible in the experiences and outcomes of students. And at a time when higher education’s value can no longer be assumed, institutions must be prepared to design for that value, communicate it clearly, and deliver on it consistently.

The conversation also offered a powerful reminder that leadership is not simply about directing organizations through change. It is about bridging differences, cultivating coalitions around shared purpose, and remaining close to the people and communities institutions exist to serve.

At this crossroads for higher education, effective leadership may not require having every answer. It does require clarity of purpose, openness to learning, and the capacity to build alignment without losing sight of mission.

Read the full article on UPCEA →

Topics: Higher Education Leadership · Governance · Strategy · Institutional Stewardship

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