GREENEVILLE – The dean of Tusculum University’s College of Science, Technology and Mathematics has further sharpened her professional skills as a member of the Senior Leadership Academy, which is offered by the Council of Independent Colleges and the American Academic Leadership Institute.
Dr. Heather Henson-Ramsey
Dr. Heather Henson-Ramsey recently completed her participation in the 2023-24 cohort along with about 40 other higher education administrators across the country. The experience has given her a chance to reflect and prepared her for continued growth as a leader.
“I am grateful to Tusculum for supporting me in this important endeavor and to the three organizations for providing the forum to extend my skill set,” Dr. Henson-Ramsey said. “The program reaffirmed for me what I value in myself and what is most important in a leader. Those are leading by example, leading with empathy and compassion, treating people fairly, open communication, genuine listening and being humble enough to accept feedback.”
Her road to becoming a cohort member began when she approached Dr. Tricia Hunsader, Tusculum’s provost and vice president of academic affairs. Dr. Henson-Ramsey wanted to learn more about upper-level positions generally and contemplate whether they might interest her in the future. She also sought to expand her knowledge about higher education leadership to benefit her in her current roles, which also consist of serving as interim dean of the College of Civic and Liberal Arts and coordinator of career services at Tusculum.
This process led her to apply for the academy. She shared her leadership style, professional opportunities she has had and her reasoning for joining the academy cohort. Dr. Hunsader wrote a support letter and agreed to be her mentor if she was selected.
The CIC says the academy is a yearlong program for higher education administrators who aspire to serve in cabinet-level positions in independent colleges or universities. Participants attain knowledge, skills and experience germane to the responsibilities and activities central to the work of a vice president or cabinet officer.
Dr. Henson-Ramsey developed a personal plan for what she wanted to achieve during her year in the academy. Hers focused on learning how the boards interact with their colleges, how a university can support the Office of Institutional Advancement in its work and how academics can collaborate with the Office of Student Affairs. Another goal was to gain additional insight into the implementation of strategic plans.
Dr. Heather Henson-Ramsey, second from the left in the bottom row, stands with other members of her cohort.
She attended a full meeting of Tusculum’s Board of Trustees and visited another university to learn how its cabinet addresses strategic priorities and spoke with the vice president of advancement and student affairs specialists at two colleges. She updated her plan every two or three months.
The cohort held two in-person sessions – one in Tampa, Florida, in November and the closing seminar in Washington in June. Among the subjects discussed at these sessions were determining priorities and qualities as a leader and finding joy in one’s work. She also participated in sessions about common issues in higher education, the importance of strategic communications and financial management.
“The best part, hands down, was meeting colleagues at other institutions and the opportunity to develop a cohort of friends to discuss ideas,” Dr. Henson-Ramsey said. “Role models are important, and I was able to connect with several through this process. The support of others is so very critical, and there are more similarities than differences across the small private school sector.”
Dr. Hunsader commended Dr. Henson-Ramsey for accepting this opportunity.
“We are proud of Dr. Henson-Ramsey for her excellent leadership and desire to take her abilities to the next level,” Dr. Hunsader said. “She has been a key driver in our success within the College of Science, Technology and Mathematics and was the perfect choice for additional responsibility as the interim dean of the College of Civic and Liberal Arts. Dr. Henson-Ramsey is on a trajectory to accomplish even more in higher education, and we look forward to watching that unfold.”
Dr. Henson-Ramsey has served as dean of the College of Science, Technology and Mathematics since 2019. She has fostered an environment in which undergraduate research is a fundamental part of the student experience at Tusculum. Among all of its programs, the college has pursued multiple research projects, the most prominent of which is exploring potential new medications to treat cancer.
Tusculum family members credit her with working toward acquiring additional funding to pay students for research, provide faculty members with the opportunity to reduce their course load to dedicate more time for this type of work and purchase larger pieces of needed equipment. She has also earned praise for helping bring startup companies to the Meen Center and supporting people while also ensuring they progress professionally. She has volunteered as a veterinarian, attended community events on Tusculum’s behalf and been a Girl Scout leader in the region.
Dr. Henson-Ramsey has served as interim dean of the College of Civic and Liberal Arts since June and as the coordinator of career services since 2020.
More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu. People can learn more about the academy at https://cic.edu/opportunity/senior-leadership-academy/.