The Diversity Committee has developed the NACADA Emerging Leaders Program to encourage members from diverse groups to get involved in leadership opportunities within the organization, outfit participants with the skills and tools necessary to pursue elected and appointed leadership positions, increase the number of leaders from diverse groups, and encourage and assist members of underrepresented populations to attend State, Regional, or National Conferences. Emerging Leader Program goals include:

• To identify potential local, regional and national leaders from underrepresented groups who are interested in leadership development and leadership involvement in the association
• To identify mentors from among experienced NACADA leadership to guide emerging leaders through a two-year leadership development program as they grow in their leadership in the association
• To provide emerging leaders with a two-year leadership development program which will develop their leadership skills for the association
• To provide opportunities for emerging leaders to reach out to colleagues and peers from underrepresented groups and serve as mentors to future NACADA leaders
• To provide the support network needed and desired to foster a strong leadership development program for underrepresented populations in our association

Mentor Jayne Drake explains, “It’s about giving back and moving forward. NACADA, as THE premier organization in the world to support and promote quality academic advising, has given me so much over the years that I now have the opportunity to give back by serving as a mentor in the Emerging Leaders Program. In doing so, I am helping the Association move forward by cultivating the next generations of leaders from diverse and underrepresented groups. They are our future.”

After several years of preparation, the Diversity Committee and the Emerging Leaders Development Team are proud to announce the 2007-2009 NACADA mentoring partnerships. The Emerging Leaders and Mentor partners will develop goals pertaining to leadership in NACADA over the next six months.

Emerging Leader Todd Taylor and mentor Sandra Waters
Emerging Leader Erica Byrnes and mentor Elaine Borelli
Emerging Leader Tami Clavin and mentor Glenn Kepic
Emerging Leader Melva Harbin and mentor Jayne Drake
Emerging Leader Cornelius Gilbert and mentor Jennifer Bloom
Emerging Leader Jose Rodriguez and mentor Charlie Nutt
Emerging Leader Criselda Marquez and mentor Terry Musser
Emerging Leader Carol Pollard and mentor Jo Anne Huber
Emerging Leader Audrey Jackson and mentor Karen Sullivan-Vance

These nine mentors and nine emerging leaders met throughout the Annual Conference in Baltimore for development, conversation, and group building. The partnerships will continue for two years. A second class of emerging leaders and mentors will be selected by April 2008 and will begin training immediately in preparation for matching at the 2008 Annual Conference in Chicago.

Emerging Leader Todd Taylor says, “I first felt a sense of obligation to follow through and apply to the Emerging Leaders Program with my sole purpose of eventually increasing diversity in the NACADA leadership. What I did not expect, but was pleasantly surprised by, was the sense of energy and commitment from the other Emerging Leaders, my mentor and the ELP development team. I realized, in short order, that the Emerging Leaders Program is not only about professional development and increasing diversity in the leadership, but it is also a program that will allow all involved to grow personally and pay forward the opportunity and necessity for involvement from all of NACADA’s constituents.”