Engaging and Inspiring Diverse NACADA Leaders

In accord with the association's Diversity Statement, the NACADA Emerging Leaders Program was created to:

• encourage members from diverse groups to get involved in leadership opportunities within the organization,
• outfit participants with the skills and tools necessary to pursue elected and appointed leadership positions,
• increase the number of leaders from diverse groups, and
• encourage and assist members of populations who are under-represented in the association's leadership to attend state, regional, or annual conferences.

A 2013 NACADA Leadership Task Force report stated that a leader or leadership is characterized by positions held and roles undertaken that advance NACADA’s mission. They further defined a NACADA leader as "...any member who takes on a formal or informal role of influence to promote the field of advising in support of the strategic goals of the Association. Leadership includes elected and appointed positions, as well as informal roles including but not limited to (for example) influencing the field of writing for a NACADA publication, chairing a Region sub-committee, or serving as a faculty mentor at a NACADA institute."

Each year, 10 Emerging Leaders and 10 Mentors are selected for the two-year program in which the Leaders and Mentors work closely on connecting the Leaders to the areas of the association they are interested in and in developing a plan for continued involvement and growth in the association. Emerging Leaders receive a $2,000 stipend to assist them with travel to regional, national, and international NACADA conferences.

Self-Identified Underrepresented Populations. NACADA provides opportunties for leadership for our diverse membership across identity groups, geographic regions, and professional levels. This graphic shows areas of underrepresented diversity identified by our Emerging Leaders in their application materials.

Emerging Leaders Program Objectives

• To identify potential local, regional, national, and international leaders from member groups who are under-represented in the association's leadership who are interested in leadership development and leadership involvement in the association.
• To identify Mentors from among experienced NACADA leadership to guide Emerging Leaders through a two-year leadership development program as they grow in their leadership in the association.
• To provide Emerging Leaders with a two-year leadership development program which will develop their leadership skills for the association.
• To provide opportunities for Emerging Leaders to reach out to colleagues and peers from under-represented groups and serve as Mentors to future NACADA leaders.
• To provide the support network needed and desired to foster a strong leadership development program for underrepresented populations in our association.

Find more information on the program, such as application requirements and benefits to participants, by visiting additional program pages via the links in the left-hand navigation menu. If you have questions or need assistance, contact the NACADA Executive Office at nacada@ksu.edu.

Emerging Leaders Program Advisory Board