Newhouse School to host Scripps Howard Leadership Academy this summer

The Newhouse School at Syracuse University, in partnership with the Scripps Howard Fund, will develop and host a selective and competitive leadership immersion program for deans, associate deans, faculty and experienced journalists this summer. The Scripps Howard Leadership Academy will take place July 16-20, in Syracuse.

The training program brings together professionals and scholars with seasoned administrators to give participants the opportunity to learn about the challenges and rewards of leading an academic institution. A cohort of 12-16 participants will be chosen for this year’s program, which will feature the themes of innovation, transformation and the work schools of journalism and mass communications must do to tackle the challenges facing the industry today.

“Challenges to democracy and freedoms of the press and an enhanced scrutiny on media credibility are just a few of the major issues affecting journalism and mass communications schools at the society level,” says Newhouse dean Mark J. Lodato. “Academic institutions are evolving rapidly as the shift in the ways we consume information places new expectations on universities. As a past Scripps Howard Leadership Academy participant, I am beyond ecstatic to host this group of new and emerging leaders as we seek to build an even stronger future for journalism and mass communications, and for our academic institutions.”

Previously hosted by Louisiana State University’s Manship School of Mass Communication, the Scripps Howard Leadership Academy has focused on a wide range of topics for emerging and new leaders, including professional and academic pathways to administration; budgeting and fundraising; stimulating faculty performance; and first-year lessons learned.

“This program gives the Scripps Howard Fund the ability to positively influence the future leaders of journalism education in a way that can be magnified significantly over time,” says Mike Canan, director of journalism strategies for the Scripps Howard Fund. “The trickle-down effects for students and the industry are ramifications of reviving a program that has trained a number of academic leaders over the last two decades.” 

Past participants have noted the benefits of the academy:

• “I learned that the learning curve for these positions is steep, and that I need to slow down and wait for wisdom. For journalists, it’s hard to be patient in these careers and the program helped me understand that.”
• “It opened my eyes to more of the complexities and nuances of administration—including how [journalism] schools fit into the larger higher ed environment and how challenging governance can be.”
• “Prior to the leadership program, I had been very leery about becoming a part of academic administration. During the conference, my views changed and I am now open to taking a leadership position.”

Applications and nominations for the 2023 program may be submitted online. Deadline is May 15; selected participants will be notified in early May.  

For more information, contact Brad Horn, associate dean for strategic initiatives at the Newhouse School, at bdhorn@syr.edu.