New Mexico State University’s Aggie Leadership Training Academy honored its fifth cohort with a graduation ceremony Dec. 14 at Corbett Center Student Union. The program teaches a select group of faculty and staff the knowledge and skills needed to develop and enhance their critical leadership competencies.
“This cohort was our first after COVID, and they are exceptionally resilient,” said Stephanie Miller, Training Central administrator and senior training specialist. “The effects of the pandemic are still being felt in their units and departments. But even in these difficult times, our participants saw the benefits of cultivating themselves as leaders and are now able to use their new knowledge and skills to find creative and effective solutions to many of the challenges they are currently facing.”
The Aggie Leadership Training Academy is a program offered by NMSU’s Center for Learning and Professional Development and establishes trained employees who may be eligible to acquire leadership roles at NMSU in the future. The training runs from February to November.
This year’s graduating cohort consists of Greg G. Armfield, professor and department head of Communication Studies; Nathan Cheesman, associate director of Orientation and Visit Experience for Admissions and Orientation; Terese DeSimio, library director for Doña Ana Community College; Kevin Keller, golf course manager; Teresa G. León, associate director for the Nursing undergraduate program; Gabrielle Martinez, graduation and curriculum data specialist; and Lara Prihodko, interim associate director of the Agricultural Experiment Station.
“It is always an amazing feeling as participants complete the program requirements and receive their certificate,” Miller said. “It is incredible to see how much growth each of them experienced in the program, and I am extremely excited to see how they use it in their current and future leadership positions.”
The 2023 cohort will be the largest to date at 20 participants. CLPD is restructuring the program to make the program more flexible and accessible to everyone considering their work environments while keeping the same rigor and quality of the program. Program adaptations are based on feedback from previous years’ employees.
-30-
CUTLINE: The New Mexico State University Aggie Leadership Training Academy recently graduated the 2022 cohort, and members included (from left) Nathan Cheesman, Gabrielle Martinez, Lara Prihodko, Terese DeSimio and Greg Armfield. ALTA provides NMSU staff the ability to discover personal leadership abilities to support the university's strategic and diversity goals. (Courtesy photo)