Hello ASCEND Scholars:
Did you know that June is Great Outdoors Month? Here's a quote to inspire leadership and connection with the outdoors as we tackle great things this summer:
"It is impossible," said Pride.
"It is risky," said Experience.
"It is pointless," said Reason.
"Give it a try," whispered the Heart.
I'm still riding high from all the wisdom shared at our May 16th session regarding leadership and professional development. I appreciate it when our coaches present workshops because you witness them in their knowledge domain. ASCEND is constantly evolving because of the dynamic engagement of our scholars. We value your feedback and hear your suggestions and requests. While this program has deadlines and standards, the goal is to provide explicit knowledge and support that ushers you into ascension within the academy, which is our top priority. Continue to provide your feedback so we can make the program better. I'm grateful you gave this opportunity a try and continue to engage at such high levels. We are more than halfway through. The finish line is so close. Let's continue to soar!
ASCEND Assignments
- Draft 2 Goals, Strategies, & Tactics: Due June 9.
- Capstone Draft 1: Due July 29. It can be a Word document.
- Capstone Draft 2: Due September 23. This can be a Word document.
- Final presentations: Due October 3. Any presentation format is accepted.
Perfection isn't required. Utilize this simulation to build knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills, but don't stress about perfection. Leverage the resources, review Dr. Howard's Capstone Check-In, and lean on your coach and colleagues.
SEM Capstone Project
The ultimate goal is finalizing your capstone presentation.
Dan, Tony, Bethany, and Sarah, great news! Your presentation has been turned into a TED Talk. You will present on the final day of SEM in Boston during the Lightning Round at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Each scholar will have approximately 10 minutes to present SEM Capstone best practices. Once your presentation is finalized, I'll schedule a meeting in October.
We have room for one more scholar presenter. If interested, send me a message at ascend@aacrao.org. I need to finalize all presenters by June 30.
Upcoming Webinars
- June 6: Diversity in Higher Education with Cohort 1 Alum Jessika Harris and panelists. Provide questions on the Exchange discussion post.
- June 20: LinkEx with Jody Gordon.
View the full schedule on Exchange.
Cohort 5 Updates
We have our ten scholars confirmed! Hopefully, we will bring on new coaches as well. We are launching soon!
Let's make June a month of significant progress. You've got this!
Best regards,
Johnika Dreher
ASCEND Program Coordinator