UofL to host ACE Fellow Rashmi Assudani

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Neeli Bendapudi, president of University of Louisville, announced today that Rashmi Assudani, professor of management and entrepreneurship at Xavier University and a 2019-20 American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow, will spend the full academic year at UofL.

“Selection as a host institution is a sign of the outstanding reputation and commitment to excellence at the university,” said Sherri Lind Hughes, director of ACE Leadership and a 2002-03 ACE Fellow. “An ACE Fellow chooses an institution not only for its rigorous academic environment and high-quality efforts to educate students but also its strong desire to invest in the future of higher education senior leadership as well.”

Established in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program is designed to strengthen institutional and leadership capacity in American higher education by identifying and preparing faculty and staff for senior positions in college and university administration. Thirty-eight Fellows, nominated by the senior administration of their institutions, will comprise the 2019-20 cohort at colleges and universities across the nation.

Over 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.

Assudani has earned graduate degrees in both the Netherlands and India, as well as her doctorate in strategy and organizations from McGill University in Montreal. She also was selected for a leadership program through the Harvard Kennedy School. In addition to her expansive education, she has published and presented on numerous topics related to her field.

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 academic year. The Fellows are included in the highest level of decision-making while participating in administrative activities at their host institutions. Time is also spent investigating a specified issue of benefit to their nominating institutions for implementation upon the Fellows’ return to campus at the conclusion of the Fellowship placement.

“Through the inclusion of Fellows and hosts from a variety of institution types, the program is helping to develop a climate of collaboration across sectors and regions. I am confident this diverse and talented group of higher education professionals will help build the leadership capacity necessary to solve complex problems and thrive in a changing landscape,” said Hughes.

During her time at UofL, Assudani will work alongside Bendapudi and Provost Beth Boehm on projects related to the strategic plan. In partnership with Gail DePuy, associate dean for academic and student affairs, she will offer expert opinions on the plan’s implementation in the coming months.

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EDITORS: Rashmi Assudani’s photo is attached.

 About ACE

Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation's higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents and related associations. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on Twitter @ACEducation.