Press Release

AAC&U and Credo Partner to Support Women Leaders in Higher Education

Washington, DC—The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and Credo are thrilled to announce the expansion of the long-running Credo Women in Leadership Initiative (CWLI) to leaders across the AAC&U network. In November 2023, AAC&U and Credo will host in-person programs for cabinet leaders and for college and university presidents. Centered on the theme “Leading with Longevity: Sustaining Self & Profession,” participants will engage in learning, reflection, and community building through a series of connected sessions, panels, and facilitated conversations.

It is with a shared passion for building and supporting an increasingly diverse leadership pipeline across higher education that AAC&U and Credo enter into this collaboration.

“As president of AAC&U, I have the honor of partnering with leaders and educators around the world to champion the kind of higher education that frees the mind, promotes a sense of purpose, and celebrates diversity of thought and perspectives,” said Lynn Pasquerella. “In these challenging times, it is essential that we support the diverse leaders across higher education who work to ensure equitable, excellent, and innovative liberal education is available to all students.”

Since 2015, Credo has welcomed women presidents to an annual CWLI Presidents Institute with varied topical foci, such as “The Research & Practice of Women in Leadership”; “Managing Your Board”; and “Institutional Sustainability & Presidential Resilience.” Credo began a second series of topical engagements with cabinet leaders virtually in 2020 and 2021 and welcomed the first cohort of cabinet leaders in person in the fall of 2022. The collaboration with AAC&U will expand this strong leadership development opportunity to a broader network of leaders in higher education.

“One of Credo’s values is about the limitless potential of people: how we thrive when we can bring our whole selves into the places where we work and live,” said Credo Executive Vice President / Owner Emma Jones. “Through our women in leadership initiative, we are honored to create spaces for authenticity, intersectionality, and deep connection that support the well-being of women leaders, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome AAC&U as a partner in this important work. Together, we hope we can significantly impact the degree to which women are empowered to reach their full professional potential.”

Details for the 2023 AAC&U and Credo Women in Leadership Institutes will be released in the weeks ahead and shared across both networks.

Credo is a higher education consulting firm focused on strategy and student success, with a goal to impact the lives of more than a million students by 2030 through radically transforming student outcomes on campuses around the country. Credo seeks to create this impact in partnership with client campuses through the lenses of people, leadership, and culture; iterative projects oriented toward action and measurable results; and a constant eye to the evolving landscape of higher education.

AAC&U is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Through programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy, and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students. In addition to accredited public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities and state higher education systems and agencies throughout the United States, AAC&U membership includes degree-granting higher education institutions in more than twenty-five countries as well as other organizations and individuals.

With any questions, please contact Emma Jones, Executive Vice President / Owner at Credo; or Kathryn Enke, Senior Advisor for Leadership, Strategy, and Governance at AAC&U.

About AAC&U

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Through our programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy, and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students. In addition to accredited public and private, two-year, and four-year colleges and universities and state higher education systems and agencies throughout the United States, our membership includes degree-granting higher education institutions in more than twenty-five countries as well as other organizations and individuals. To learn more, visit www.aacu.org