University Vice President Named American Council on Education Fellow

TRENTON, N.J. — Dr. Dennis W. Devery, of Mt. Laurel, N.J., vice president for Institutional Planning and Research 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.

Devery will serve as a member of the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program for 2017-2018. Established in 1965, this unique program aims to identify and prepare promising senior faculty and administrators for responsible positions in college and university administration. Devery is one of the 46 Fellows, nominated by the president or chancellor of their institution, selected this year in a national competition.

“Fulfilling higher education’s 21st century mission depends upon a visionary, bold and diverse global community of institutional leaders, and the ACE Fellows Program plays a key role in cultivating these leaders,” said ACE President Molly Corbett Broad. “The diverse and talented 2017-18 Fellows class demonstrates why the program has made such a vital contribution for more than a half-century to expanding the leadership pipeline for our colleges and universities.”

Nearly 1,900 higher education leaders have participated in the ACE Fellows Program over the past five decades, with more than 80 percent of Fellows having gone on to serve as senior leaders of colleges and universities. The 2017-18 class will kick off its work this fall as ACE prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2018.

“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,” Devery said.

Devery is a member of the Board of Directors of the Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Camden County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties. He is also a member of the Moorestown Rotary Club and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Delran Chapter.

“Dr. Devery’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 Dr. Devery for the program and are proud that he was selected as a Fellow. The ACE Fellows Program is one of 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 program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities, visits to campuses and other higher education-related organizations, and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single year. During the placement, Fellows observe and work with the president and other senior officers at their host institution, attend decision-making meetings and focus on issues of interest. At the conclusion of the fellowship year, Fellows return to their home institution with new knowledge and skills that contribute to capacity-building efforts, along with a network of peers across the country and abroad.