Dr. Joseph Youngblood, associate vice provost and dean of the John S. Watson School of Public Service and Continuing Studies, was named to 2011-12 ACE Fellows Program.
Dr. Joseph Youngblood II, vice provost and dean of the John S. Watson School of Public Service and Continuing Studies at Thomas Edison State University, has been selected to participate in a prestigious, nationally recognized training program designed to strengthen capacity and build leadership in American higher education.
Youngblood will serve as a member of the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program for 2011-2012. Established in 1965, this unique program aims to identify and prepare promising senior faculty and administrators for responsible positions in college and university administration. Youngblood is one of the 50 Fellows nominated by the presidents or chancellors of their institutions that was selected this year in a national competition.
“I am honored to have this unique and exciting opportunity for personal and professional development while also making valuable contributions and building institutional capacity at Thomas Edison State University and my host institution, The University of New Jersey,” Youngblood said.
Noted as the only national, individualized, long-term professional development program in higher education, the ACE Fellows Program condenses years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single semester or year. Of the more than 1,700 participants in the first 46 years of the program, more than 300 have become chief executive officers while an additional 1,100 have attained senior leadership positions.
An educator and administrator with a background in law, public policy, research and developmental psychology, Youngblood will be mentored by a team of experienced senior administrators at The University of New Jersey during the year-long program. This extended learning experience enables Fellows to observe firsthand how another institution and its senior leadership manages the institution and handles challenges and change.
“Joe’s acceptance into the program reflects highly on his potential as an educational leader,” said Dr. George A. Pruitt, president of Thomas Edison State University. “We nominated Joe for the program and are proud that he was selected as a Fellow. The ACE Fellows Program is the most effective, comprehensive leadership development program in American higher education today and it is an honor to have one of our senior professionals selected to participate.”
The ACE Fellows Program enables participants to immerse themselves in the culture, policies and decision-making processes of another institution. Fellows also attend three retreats on higher education issues organized by ACE, read extensively in the field and engage in other activities to advance their knowledge about the challenges and opportunities confronting higher education today.
Youngblood joined Thomas Edison State University in 2003. He holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania; a JD and MA from the University of Iowa’s College of Law in Iowa City, Iowa; and a BS with high honors from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fla.
Youngblood is a member of the Board of Directors of The Foundation for Child Development in New York; St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton; the 100 Black Men of New Jersey, Inc.; and the National Bar Association. He is the author of several articles and reports and has made scholarly presentations in the United States and internationally
Toni M. Terry, BA