Program Highlights
At the core of the Next Gen 2.0 program are the following components:
- personal assessment, reflection, and growth
- career planning and professional development
- enhanced knowledge and skills
- connection to local and national thought leaders
- peer mentorship and networking
- project development and management
- program assessment
The curriculum is designed by the director in consultation with the Next Gen Advisory Board, a body of faculty, staff, administrative leaders, and Next Gen alumni. Board members and program alumni are invited to participate in and/or lead program sessions and are available as resources for mentorship and consultation for participants. Faculty presenters are selected for their content expertise and for the example they provide through their leadership.
Formal presentations, small group work, facilitated discussions, case studies, and workshops are used to engage participants in the curriculum in a confidential environment supporting candid dialogue about contemporary issues in higher education. Standard topics include: self-assessment; diversity; conflict management; finances; organizational culture; and managing and strategizing change, among others. Advanced readings are provided for some sessions, and participants are also encouraged to create additional spaces for further discussions (e.g., Facebook groups; Canvas discussions). A key feature of the program is the opportunity for participants to develop an individual or group capstone project, enabling the application of acquired knowledge and skills to an initiative pertinent to their unit or which addresses the campus strategic goals.
At the conclusion of the program, Next Gen graduates are presented with a certificate as a formal and honorific recognition of their accomplishment of the following:
- acquired knowledge and skills to assume increased administrative or executive responsibilities
- developed strategies and pathways toward professional advancement
- experience interacting and collaborating with leaders across units and disciplines
- graduation into a growing and sustaining peer network of program alumni
- planned and/or completed a capstone project in consultation with their unit leaders
To assess their leadership competencies, participants complete a pre- and post-curriculum survey. Program evaluation is also conducted to ensure responsiveness to participant feedback and to enact program improvements as needed.