CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 09/02/21

UGA works with APLU to support diverse STEM leadership

By Leslie Matos
Group of fellows have a roundtable conversation as part of the IAspire Leadership Academy.
A group of fellows have a roundtable conversation as part of the IAspire Leadership Academy.

The Aspire Alliance’s Institutional Change Initiative (IChange) has selected 27 college and university faculty and administrators for the third cohort of fellows for the IAspire Leadership Academy. The program aims to create not only individual, but institutional change by supporting these individuals and giving them a support network.

This program, led by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the University of Georgia, aims to support STEM faculty from underrepresented backgrounds to leadership roles at colleges and universities. The academy provides professional development for academic leaders to succeed in leadership roles by equipping them with executive leadership skills and strategies for influencing institutional transformation.

When asked what the program hopes to achieve, IAspire Leadership Academy director Rochelle Sapp said, “for us it’s about moving individuals that are in these underrepresented groups into these leadership positions.” Sapp, a leadership development specialist in UGA’s Office of Learning and Organizational Development (OLOD), also explained that this program helps people grow their competencies in communications, conflict management and more.

Postdoctoral researcher Karen Argabright, another director of the program, said that “the application of these tools help increase confidence and reduce stress” among participants when they do take on these leadership positions. “Many participants from cohort one and two feel like they have a playbook now and anecdotal evidence shows that this helps with their competency at work."

Sapp goes on to say that a lot of these participants are the first and/or only person with a diverse background in their department. This program creates a counter space, which Sapp defined as “a space or community where you can talk about things you wouldn’t be able to talk about in regular spaces.” Both Sapp and Argabright spoke on the support that the groups offer each other. They describe it as a space where you can ask questions about your career, goals or even yourself with no judgement. “It gives them clarity on what to do,” said Argabright.

IAspire Cohort 1 fellows participating in activities in Chaska, Minnesota.
The first cohort of IAspire fellows participates in activities in Chaska, Minnesota.

“Our team is looking for individuals that want to grow, learn and show great potential to step into both formal and informal leadership positions within STEM,” said Sapp. “We want fellows that are going to be open-minded, willing to try new things and will take what they learn back to their own institutions to lead others.” 

To qualify for the program, applicants must be from an underrepresented group within their STEM field and must hold a formal or informal leadership position in their institution, as well as “detailed professional goals for the next 10 years and a strong desire to learn and utilize their training and experience in the program to achieve their goals,” according to the program application website.  

As a part of the selection process, prospective participants complete a lengthy application composed of several essay-based questions focusing on their successes, their view of themselves as leaders and how they have grown or coached others. Additionally, they must include a support letter from an administrator on their campus — usually a dean, associate provost or provost, Sapp said.

“We are looking for great individuals, but we are also looking for an overall great group — the diversity within the group is important,” Sapp added.

UGA is the lead institution on the program, which is coordinated by Sapp, Argabright and other OLOD staff. 

While no UGA faculty members have participated in the IAspire Leadership Academy in the past, Sapp said the application process is open to UGA faculty.

A list of the 27 participating faculty and administrators selected for the third cohort of the IAspire Leadership Academy can be found on the APLU News website.

Learn more about the IAspire Leadership Academy on the Aspire Alliance IAspire Leadership Academy site.

Leslie Matos is a UGA public relations major and student writer for the CAES Office of Marketing and Communications.

Authors:
Leslie Matos
Experts/Sources:
Rochelle Sapp
southgeorgiafarmfield (1) CAES News
CAES releases 20 years of farm gate trends 08/19/24 Jordan Powers
For more than two decades, the Georgia Farm Gate Value Report has offered a comprehensive analysis of the county-level production value for commodities in Georgia’s No. 1 industry, agriculture. The reports provide essential data to farmers in the state’s 159 counties. Now the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is providing Georgia’s producers with a new tool, the Georgia Farm Gate Value 20-Year Trends.
web Capitol Day Group Photo on Oglethorpe Stairs CAES News
4-H’ers see leadership in action during Georgia 4-H Day at the Capitol 02/28/24 Josie Smith
The gold dome of the Georgia Capitol was complemented with shades of green on Feb. 14 as 4-H youth and adult leaders joined elected officials for the largest Georgia 4-H Day at the Capitol on record. With nearly 700 in attendance, outstanding 4-H’ers from counties across the state gathered to engage with legislators, observe leadership in action and learn about the civic process.
GaCapitol CAES News
Across the Southern border: The future of the H-2A visa program in Georgia 01/17/24 Emily Cabrera
As an essential part of the U.S. agricultural industry, the H-2A program offers a lifeline for farmers facing seasonal labor shortages. The program enables them to hire migrant workers on a temporary basis when attempts to hire domestic workers are unsuccessful. Yet, as the agricultural sector navigates the delicate balance between productivity and financial viability, the high costs associated with the H-2A program present a very real and present challenge for farmers striving to sustain their operations.
service pnp fsa 8d29000 8d29100 8d29114v CAES News
Across the Southern border: How U.S. immigration policies affect agriculture 01/04/24 Emily Cabrera
For decades, economists have studied the impact of immigration on domestic labor markets. As a shortage of domestic farm labor has led to increased participation in the H-2A visa program, a brief look back at past immigration policies helps frame why migrants from Central and South America have largely been associated with filling necessary agricultural jobs in the U.S.
Men harvesting leafy greens from field during cool weather. CAES News
Across the Southern border: Migrant labor on Georgia farms 11/30/23 Emily Cabrera
Georgia is consistently one of the top five states to use the H-2A visa program, employing workers for 60% of agricultural jobs. Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor passed legislation to raise the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), which establishes the minimum wage for H-2A workers, by a sharp 14% for several states including Georgia. For University of Georgia Professor Cesar Escalante, this poses the question: How do you balance supporting the interests of farm businesses while fairly compensating the people doing the hard work in the field?
UGA agribusiness and community development economist Sharon Kane unveils improved and updated hospitality and tourism data at the 2023 HOST Hospitality and Tourism Summit at UGA in  May. CAES News
UGA captures economic impact of Georgia agriculture 10/05/23 Maria M. Lameiras
If you’ve ever driven down a rural road lined with fields of cotton plants festooned with fluffy bolls and wondered how much cotton is grown in your county, forget Google — the University of Georgia’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development has what you need. Each year experts in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences perform the Sisyphean task of compiling agricultural production data for every commodity produced in the state.