School of Education and Urban Studies
 Professional Development
The Professional Development Seminar: Connecting for Success
The Professional Development Seminar is a course designed to be the "connecting and sustaining link" of the Cohort. It is taught each year and embodies the core idea behind the Cohort model: providing learners with a support base for completing their coursework and dissertation. The objective of the course is to provide the necessary support for the student to achieve his/her goals. The Professional Development Seminar focuses on the whole student by assisting students with clarification of long-term career goals and enhancement of interpersonal skills, and serves as guided supervision for completion of the dissertation. Other aspects of the professional development experience includes job shadowing, participating in professional conferences, developing curriculum vitae and portfolios based in team projects, and assessing future career aspirations. We believe that this course will assist in offsetting the number of doctoral students who complete all required coursework and never complete their dissertation.
The Annual Leadership Institute: Learning to Succeed
The Leadership Institute prepares the student to function effectively in the cohort and provides direction for completing the requirements of the program of study. In addition, faculty members and visiting scholars share information on research initiatives, contemporary issues, and general aspects of leadership in community colleges. The Institute is usually a two-day session held in the fall and prior to launching the program of study for the year. Through participation in the Leadership Institute, Cohort members synthesize the requirements of the program of study, get acquainted with each other, and discover how their interconnectedness forms the basis of the Cohort experience. Under the leadership of the Program Coordinator, students plan, coordinate and conduct the Annual Leadership Institute. First year students view the institute as a means for them to gain insights about the CCLDP. The second year students see the Leadership Institute as a way to reassess their status in the program, as well as an opportunity for meaningful interaction, exchange and connection among participants as they engage in leadership development and research activities.
The Annual Leadership Institute focuses on the following objectives:
- provide opportunities for students to broaden their leadership skills,
- build a sense of community among new and continuing students,
- provide a forum for networking with local and national leaders from community colleges and associations
- provide an opportunity for new students to begin the development plan, and
- identify topic areas for their research study.
The Clinical Internship and Practicum
The CCLDP is designed to provide several opportunities for students to relate theory to practice. Each curriculum is designed to have the students work in the field at the end of the second year of study. The practicum is a six credit course that provides an opportunity for the graduate student to move from the theoretical to the practical in a community college academic setting. The student will be engaged in a specific instructional focus or an analysis of an academic challenge. The internship experience provides an opportunity for the intern to link theory to practice in a segment of the community college or a national association. The intern should be engaged in a specific focus such as the analysis of problems and/or organizational issue or special project within the selected college.
Community College Leadership Fellows Program
The CCLDP under the auspices of the Institute for the Development of Multi-Cultural Faculty and Administrators (Title III) offers a statewide leadership preparation initiative. This program is commonly referred to as the Community College Leadership Fellows program. It is offered in collaboration with the Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC). Dr. Stephen Pannill, President, Cecil Community College serves as MACC’s liaison to Morgan State University. Morgan State University (MSU) and Maryland Association of Community Colleges (MACC) believe that not all leadership development training can be or should be focused on professionals pursuing the doctorate.
The Fellows Program in Community College Leadership was designed to provide a professional development opportunity focused specifically on contemporary challenges facing community college leaders. The program targets talented emerging leaders and provides practical insights and application of effective community college leadership practices. This leadership development opportunity is open to those who already possess the doctorate or have no interest in committing to the requirements of a doctoral program.
Program participants will engage in an intensive leadership preparation/development program that is based on the Cohort Learning Model which supports team problem solving and community networking. A strategic set of leadership development activities and projects has been designed for participants. Activities include seminars focusing on community college issues, policies, and research initiatives. The Fellows Program provides participants the opportunity to engage in ‘hands-on’ structured experiences, as well as encourage participants to network with other local, regional, and national community college professionals. The Fellows Program embraces a philosophy of providing learning experiences consistent with diverse learning styles and utilizes leadership assessment tools to assist participants to gain insight into their own leadership style and the styles of others in their organization.
Graduate Credit
- The Fellows Program graduates will be eligible to petition to articulate up to six semester hours of doctoral credit with the MSU Community College Leadership Program.
- Professional Development Seminar – 3 credits
- Contemporary Issues in Community Colleges – 3 credits
Program Organizational Structure
The program structure will include the following:
- Six, 8-hour seminars held throughout the academic year
- Selected seminars in collaboration with statewide affinity groups, i.e. Instructional Deans, Academic Division Chairs, and others.
- Seminars rotate and are hosted by community colleges throughout the state.
- Seminars include presentations by nationally recognized experts.
- Online portfolio development sessions
- Mentoring Program
- Research or Internship Project
Program Outcomes:
- Customized leadership program plans are developed for each program participant.
- Participants receive a comprehensive assessment of leadership skills through Bolman and Deal’s Leadership Orientation, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Leadership Effectiveness Inventory, and others.
- Presentation techniques and skills will be mastered by each participant.
- Participants will be guided to develop a professional portfolio based on professional accomplishments and scholarly contributions.
- Participants will engage in discussions/projects that focus on selected topics identified by MACC as critical issues to the state.
- Participants will present findings of their project work and will serve as a resource to explore emerging state and national issues.
- Participants will be more aware and effective in addressing the contemporary challenges that are facing today’s leadership teams.
Admission Requirements
The Fellows Program is open to emerging community college leaders who have been identified by the community college president to have high potential for leadership and/or may have recently entered a leadership position. Participants may include coordinators, directors, department chairs, executive directors, associate deans, deans, or vice presidents or individuals who have recently assumed a leadership role. Program participants must meet the following requirements:
- Nominated by the community college presidents/ chancellor.
- Submit an application and a brief essay describing their interest in the Fellows Program for Community College Leadership.
- Committed to a career in community college leadership
- Commit to a year long program of activities
- Available for the intensive training program
- Willing to learn through a cohort model
Selection Process
The selection process consists of an applicant and document review by an advisory committee comprised of MSU Community College Leadership Doctoral Program faculty and staff. The committee will make recommendations to the Statewide Coordinator.
Cost of the program will be supported by a small grant at MSU and a nominal fee per participant from the sponsoring community college.
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