Collaborative launched as partnership of the College System of Tennessee (TBR) and Vanderbilt University
JACKSON, TN – Dr. Anna Esquivel, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Jackson State Community College (JSCC), has been named as a member of the inaugural Academic Leadership Collaborative – developed in partnership with Vanderbilt University to support academic deans and leaders in community colleges across Tennessee.
The collaborative is the newest of four programs offered through the Maxine Smith Leadership Series, the Tennessee Board of Regents’ broad initiative to strengthen leadership capacity across the state’s community and technical college system.
Developed in partnership with Vanderbilt University’s Office of Faculty Affairs, the collaborative brings together academic leaders for a professional development experience focused on reflection, problem-solving, and peer learning. Throughout the collaborative Dr. Esquivel will learn and collaborate with deans from all 13 community colleges that were selected by their presidents and senior leadership teams based on their leadership roles and commitment to professional growth and collaboration.
After the first in-person session in September, participants will engage in a monthly series of structured virtual sessions through the academic year, using a collaborative inquiry process to examine real-world leadership challenges and gain practical insights from colleagues facing similar issues. The sessions will be facilitated by Eve Rifkin, associate provost in the Office of Faculty Affairs, and Jermaine Soto, senior director of faculty development, both at Vanderbilt University.
All TBR sessions will be facilitated by partners from Vanderbilt University, who bring extensive experience in leading this collaborative leadership model. Vanderbilt has successfully implemented this program internally with its own leaders over the past several years.
“Strong institutions depend on strong academic leadership,” said Vanderbilt Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver. “At Vanderbilt, we are deeply committed to preparing leaders who can guide colleges and universities through a period of profound transformation in higher education. This collaboration reflects our belief that investing in academic leadership is essential to expanding opportunity, advancing innovation, and strengthening student success across Tennessee and beyond.”
TBR leaders expressed gratitude to Vanderbilt for the university’s partnership and stressed the importance of supporting academic leaders.
“High-quality academic leadership is essential for our colleges to succeed in their mission of educating students,” said Dr. Flora W. Tydings, chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents system. “We’re grateful to Vanderbilt University for sharing its innovative, effective, and collaborative leadership development model, as well as the Vanderbilt faculty leaders who will share their expertise as they facilitate the sessions.”
Dr. Russ Deaton, TBR executive vice chancellor for policy and strategy, said the Academic Leadership Collaborative is the newest initiative in the Maxine Smith Leadership Series’ array of leadership development programs. “This valuable new addition underscores the importance that we place on supporting faculty, staff and administrators across our system, and we thank Vanderbilt for its invaluable support of our system.”
(PHOTO: Dr. Anna Esquivel, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Jackson State Community College)
