Washington—The American Council on Education announced that Cmdr. Michael J. Corl , Ph.D., chair of the Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering program at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, has been named an ACE Fellow for academic year 2016-17.
Established in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program is designed to strengthen institutions and leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing faculty and staff for senior positions in college and university administration. Thirty-three Fellows, nominated by the senior administration of their institutions, were selected this year following a rigorous application process.
Nearly 2,000 higher education leaders have participated in the ACE Fellows Program over the past five decades, with more than 80 percent of Fellows having served as senior leaders of colleges and universities.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to grow as an academic leader," said Corl. "I have the ability to step away from the Coast Guard Academy for a year and learn from some of the best leaders in higher education. At the end of the year, I will return to the Academy with new skills and experiences to draw from in facing whatever challenges await.”
During his 17 years at the Academy, Corl has held several academic leadership positions including Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering program chair, assistant dean of academics and vice president of the faculty senate. In addition, he has had an active role in assessment and continuous improvement initiatives including ABET and regional accreditation efforts. Corl has dedicated countless hours developing students through teaching, academic advising, career and leadership mentoring and as a class advisor.
The ACE Fellows Program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities, campus visits and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single semester or year. Each Fellow will focus on an issue of concern to their institution while spending the next academic year working with a college or university president and other senior officers at a host institution.
Throughout their placement, ACE Fellows will develop a network of higher education leaders from across the country and abroad through the program’s three retreats on higher education issues organized by ACE. Fellows will also read extensively in the field and engage in interactive learning opportunities to increase their understanding of higher education challenges and opportunities.
Inquiries should be directed to CGA Public Affairs at 860-444-8270 or cga-public-affairs@uscga.edu.