UofL’s Douglas Craddock named fellow of the American Council on Education

The University of Louisville’s Vice President for Community Engagement and Interim Vice President for Opportunity and Access Douglas Craddock will join a group of 30 other university leaders in the 2026-2027 class of the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program. 

The program integrates leadership training with federal policy insight and skill development, equipping fellows to take on key roles in an evolving sector. Fellows take part in retreats, interactive learning opportunities, projects and a placement experience at another college or university. The program also provides the chance to build a valuable network of higher education leaders. The fellowship year offers opportunities for ACE Fellows to view leadership in action and emerge with both the practical skills and theoretical knowledge to implement effective changes for higher education. 

“Being named an ACE Fellow offers an opportunity to deepen my engagement in institutional decision-making, learn alongside a national cohort of peers and draw from proven best practices to strengthen leadership capacity and drive meaningful, mission‑centered impact,” Craddock said. 

Craddock joins an elite list of previous ACE Fellows from the University of Louisville. They are Richard Clover, 2001-2002, and Aristófanes Cedeño, 2006-2007. UofL also has hosted five fellows through the American Council on Education program.

The ACE Fellows Program is one of the longest-running leadership development programs in the United States with more than 2,500 alumni – many now presidents, provosts and senior executives.