From the Executive Office

Medeva Ghee, PhD, Acting Executive Director of the Leadership Alliance

As the newly appointed acting executive director, I am honored to have the opportunity to build upon a solid foundation that has enabled the Leadership Alliance to begin fulfilling its promise of leadership by cultivating and mentoring the next generation of leaders and scholars.

The mission of the Leadership Alliance, established nearly twenty years ago, to produce leaders and role models in academia, public and private sectors, is as relevant today as it was at the consortium’s inception.  The steadfast commitment of the Alliance’s dedicated institutional leaders, representatives and faculty members have contributed to this shared vision by identifying, nurturing and training talented undergraduates through comprehensive, multi-disciplinary research experiences. These time-tested interventions have resulted in the production of nearly 200 Leadership Alliance alumni who have successfully progressed along the academic pathway to obtain their PhD or MD/PhD. The sheer numbers do not reflect the success of our work. It is in the realization of the potential of each student who, through a myriad of training and mentoring opportunities offered by the combined efforts of the Leadership Alliance network, obtains the confidence and support to successfully complete advanced graduate training programs and go on to be key contributors in his/her respective disciplines.

My passion for this mission is deeply rooted in the capacity for the Leadership Alliance experience to open doors to new possibilities and realities that may not have seemed attainable.  Speaking from experience, I started my journey with the Leadership Alliance well before my tenure in the executive office. I have fond memories of participating in the inaugural Leadership Alliance National Symposium. As a graduate student, I distinctly recall a sense of empowerment fueled by a supportive community of like-minded scholars who encouraged and challenged me to persist and succeed. I truly believe that this level of support significantly contributed to my professional development that enabled me to progress with confidence and purpose along my career trajectory. 

These same ideals and goals that shaped my pathway are infused in the strategic plan that outlines the next steps for the Leadership Alliance. We have come a long way and have achieved important milestones, but there is still much more that needs to be done.  With innovative thinking, we will collectively strive to prepare our students to be competitive in a global environment, expand opportunities for the cadre of new scholars that will foster networking and highlight their achievements, sustain institutional commitment to diversity by sharing best practices and engaging our administrative leaders, strengthen our partnerships for more effective collaborations that maintain the vitality of the consortium, and contribute to policy setting discussions to advance the visibility and reputation of the Leadership Alliance.

With vigor and purpose, I am energized by the opportunities to continue working collaboratively with each of you to advance the mission of the Leadership Alliance by preparing tomorrow’s leaders.