A Year of Faculty Leadership Development With the ACC

Duke faculty members Denise Comer, Saskia Cornes, Shai Ginsburg, Candis Watts Smith and Norbert Wilson spent last year serving as fellows in the Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Leaders Network (ACC ALN).

“Being part of the ACC ALN was incredibly energizing and inspiring,” said Comer, who is professor of the practice and director of the Thompson Writing Program. “It connected me with a thoughtful community of peers and gave me practical tools and fresh perspectives that continue to shape how I lead and collaborate.”

Provosts from the ACC schools created the program to develop the leadership potential of participating faculty.

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All fellows participated in joint institutional activities throughout the year, beginning with a virtual kickoff and followed by on-site sessions at Clemson, the University of Louisville and NC State.

Here at Duke, fellows met with key leaders and administrators who oversee such areas as academic affairs, student life, budgeting and financial planning, research, admissions, development, public affairs and human resources. These activities were designed to orient them more fully to the administrative workings of their own institution.

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“My year as an ACC ALN Fellow gave me two powerful insights,” said Ginsburg, who is associate professor and chair of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies. “First, inside the engine room: Through candid conversations with university leaders, I gained a behind-the-scenes understanding of how this institution truly operates — how each leader interprets their role, navigates responsibilities and envisions the future. It was like getting a blueprint of the university’s inner workings.

“Second, the bigger picture: I saw the broader landscape of higher education across the ACC and beyond. Each university faces unique pressures — financial, political, structural — but their responses vary dramatically depending on their mission, funding models and government ties. It was a crash course in strategic adaptation across American academia.”

This leadership development opportunity is part of Duke Faculty Advancement’s portfolio of programs to support faculty and academic leaders. Deans were invited to nominate faculty members who hold administrative leadership positions.

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“This was a unique opportunity to connect with colleagues on our own campus and across the broad network of ACC universities, and to see the landscape of higher education through their eyes,” said Cornes, assistant professor of the practice at the Franklin Humanities Institute and program director of the Duke Campus Farm. “As we navigate new challenges across the academy, I’m especially grateful for the perspective I gained through the ALN fellowship.”

Current Cohort

Programming for the 2025 cohort of Duke ACC ALN fellows is underway, led by Assistant Vice Provost Shana Lassiter. Duke’s current fellows are Meagan Dunphy-Daly (Nicholas), Christina Gibson-Davis (Sanford), Tatiana Segura (Pratt), Eleanor Stevenson (Nursing) and Lee Zou (Medicine).

Main image: 2024 Duke ACC fellows Denise Comer, Norbert Wilson, Candis Watts Smith, Shai Ginsburg and Saskia Cornes at NC State