Dr.Ford selected for Aspen Institute's Presidents Fellowship

“The Aspen Institute is a think tank for higher education, and it is an honor to represent Florence-Darlington Technical College in this inaugural Aspen Presidents Fellowship,” Dr. Ford said. “I promised our FDTC Board upon my hire two years ago that we would return to a national stage, grow enrollment, and increase the number of programs dedicated to high-wage opportunities. We have accomplished all three goals in under two years, which is a testament to the amazing team at FDTC dedicated to student success and workforce development. We still have a lot of work to do, however, as we continue to strive for post-graduate success and to provide our students every opportunity to gain access to a family-sustaining wage with little to no debt. “

This class of fellows represents the diversity of our nation’s community colleges. They lead institutions across 14 states that collectively educate over 280,000 students in incredibly varied settings, from a rural college of 700 students to an urban one with enrollment over 24,000. The incoming class of Presidents Fellows is 56 percent women and 44 percent people of color.

“We are proud to have President Ford selected to be part of the prestigious Aspen Institute College Excellence Program,” Florence-Darlington County Commission for Technical Education Chair Dr. Ershela Sims said. “This honor is a testament to his commitment to providing exceptional education and preparing our students for success in their lives and careers.”

Selected through a competitive process, the fellows will, over 12 months, work closely with a faculty of leading community college presidents and senior staff from the Aspen Institute. They will learn about and compare their practices to those of field-leading colleges; analyze  their students’ graduation and post-graduation outcomes, and advance their priority reforms aimed at delivering excellent and equitable student outcomes.

“Scaled improvements in student outcomes at our nation’s community colleges requires excellent leadership,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the College Excellence Program. “I am continually inspired and motivated by the dedication and expertise that our fellows bring to the work of advancing excellence and equity on their campuses, and I look forward to supporting them as they improve outcomes for their students.”

JPMorgan Chase’s philanthropic support for the Aspen Presidential Fellowship is part of the firm’s New Skills at Work initiative to prepare young people for the future of work and meet the growing demand for skilled workers, and the $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity and drive an inclusive economy.

For bios and photos of the extraordinary leaders, visit LINK