KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Four outstanding faculty members have been chosen to represent Western Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Academic Leadership Program (ALDP). Drs. Eric Archer, Carla Adkison-Johnson, Jennifer Harrison and Matthew Mingus are the University's 2021-22 ALDP fellows.
"I'm really excited about working with this year's cohort," says Dr. Ed Martini, associate provost of WMUx and dean of Merze Tate College. "They are already leaders on our campus and in their fields, so they're very well positioned to step into new leadership roles and help move the University into the future."
The program identifies faculty members with interest in administration and provides academic leadership training and mentorship. Fellows, working closely with Martini and WMUx, take part in University-level programming, participate in MAC workshops and create a portfolio documenting their experience. They also have the opportunity to meet with previous fellows and leaders from across campus.
"Fellows in the program get the chance to learn about a range of topics, from budgeting and strategic planning to managing conflict and inclusive leadership," Martini says. "They also have the opportunity to examine different leadership roles and network outside the institution with the other MAC fellows. It's a great way for them to explore new professional opportunities while also enhancing our own institutional leadership capacity."
Fellows were nominated by academic deans and the Executive Board of the Faculty Senate for their strong leadership capacities and outstanding records of achievement in current and past positions.
ABOUT THE FELLOWS
Dr. Eric Archer
Dr. Eric Archer is an associate professor of educational leadership in higher education and allied faculty in Western’s global and international studies program. In addition, he serves as chair of the International Education Council of Western’s Faculty Senate. His research interests center on issues of diversity and inclusion in postsecondary education with an emphasis on international education and the internationalization of higher education both in the U.S. and abroad. He is also active in research and consulting work in several countries and international organizations, including Canada, the Dominican Republic, the European Union, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and Switzerland. Archer has received a number of awards regarding his research and professional service including the New Professional Award from the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International Apartments Committee, the Nevitt Sanford Writing Award from College Student Educators-International (ACPA), and the Multicultural Advocate for Global Engagement Award from Western’s College of Education and Human Development.
Dr. Carla Adkison-Johnson
Dr. Carla Adkison-Johnson is a professor and interim chairperson for the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology. She is nationally known for her research on culturally competent counseling and African American child-rearing practices. Her current book, "African American Child Discipline: Culturally Responsive Policies," presents a qualitative study of the disciplinary practices of African American parents with school age children in the home. She is co-principal investigator on a project funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which is focused on a culturally competent behavioral health workforce. Dr. Adkison-Johnson is the current editor-in-chief of the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development. In 2017, she received the College of Education and Human Development’s Distinguished Scholar Award. She is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Council for Counseling and Educational Related Programs (CACREP), the national and international accrediting body for the counseling profession. In this capacity, she served as chair of CACREP’s training committee.
Dr. Jennifer Harrison
Dr. Jennifer Harrison is a social worker, chemical addictions counselor and associate professor and interim director for the School of Social Work. Her clinical work focuses on individuals with co-occurring needs. Harrison's research interests and publication record include international social justice, co-occurring needs and peer services in behavioral health. Her teaching focuses on field education, direct social work practice and study abroad course development and partnerships in Guatemala, India and Mexico. She is a lead reviewer for the Michigan Fidelity Assessment and Support Team (MiFAST), providing reviews, consultations and training sessions for organizations implementing evidence-based practices throughout the state and nation. Harrison is a co-principal investigator in two HRSA-funded projects to impact the interprofessional behavioral health workforce, I-PEER and MY-PROUD, and has developed a digital application for goal attainment scaling with interprofessional colleagues in occupational therapy, called Goal Scaling Solutions, Inc.
Dr. Matthew Mingus
Dr. Matthew Mingus is a professor of public affairs and administration, where he has been since 1998. He was a visiting professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in 2013-14; served as a senior governance advisor for the U.S. Department of State in Iraq in 2009-10; and was the inaugural Fulbright research chair at the University of Ottawa’s Centre on Governance in 2005-06. His research focuses heavily on cross-border issues and multilevel systems of governance, leading to his most recent publication, “Factors Motivating the Timing of COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place Orders by U.S. Governors” (Policy Design and Practice, 2020). Before entering academia, he had five years of nonprofit leadership experience focused on community-based substance abuse prevention and one year with the Department of Finance and Treasury Board Canada.
For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.