Call for Nominations – 2026-2027 Senior Leadership Seminar

Date: February 23, 2026

From:

Elizabeth Smith, Institutional Representative to the ACE Virginia Network from ODU

Tancy Vandecar-Burdin, Virginia Network Executive Board member from ODU

Subject: Leadership Opportunity: 2026-2027 Senior Leadership Seminar

Old Dominion University's representatives to the Virginia Network are pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2026-2027 Senior Leadership Seminar (SLS), sponsored by the Virginia Network of the American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Network. Since 1987, this transformative program has empowered emerging women leaders across the Commonwealth.

About the ACE Virginia Network Senior Leadership Seminar

The SLS is designed for women in higher education who are ready to advance to their next level of leadership. The program offers a unique opportunity for:

  • Deep Discussion: Engaging in shared problem-solving with peers from diverse public, private, two-year, and four-year institutions.

  • Professional Growth: Focusing on personal development and critical trends in higher education through insights from established leaders.

  • Lasting Networks: Building a robust professional network of women leaders across Virginia

Program Overview At a Glance

SLS is a year-long cohort experience that includes three in-person seminars, complemented by monthly virtual lunch & learns and peer learning circles designed to sustain learning, reflection, and connection between sessions. 

The program fee is $999 (travel and lodging not included), and will be due by July 15, 2026. The program fee and travel expenses are the responsibility of the participant. Scholarships are available. Participation is limited to a maximum of two nominees per institution, and cohorts are intentionally composed to reflect diversity across roles, institutions, and regions of the Commonwealth. More information will be updated here: https://www.virginianetwork.org/seminar-nominations

2026–2027 Program Dates & Locations

  • October 6–7, 2026: Radford University, Radford, VA

  • January 20–21, 2027: Richmond, VA

  • Tentative May 26–27, 2027: Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA

Who Should Be Nominated?

We encourage the nomination of women leaders who:

  • Hold mid- to senior-level leadership roles (typically Director level or above).

  • Demonstrate significant leadership capacity and are on a trajectory for further growth, such as rising into executive-level aspirations.

  • Represent the diverse identities and roles within our academic and administrative functional areas.

  • Are prepared to reflect deeply and apply new leadership tools to their work at ODU.

ODU Internal Selection Process

While the SLS allows for self-nominations and nominations by others via their online portal, each institution may endorse only two candidates for final consideration.

To ensure a fair and rigorous selection, ODU has established an internal committee to review all local nominees. This committee is comprised of:

  1. The ODU Institutional Representative to the Virginia Network.

  2. The Virginia Network Executive Board Member from ODU.

  3. A past ODU participant of the Senior Leadership Seminar.

This committee will select two endorsed candidates to be submitted to the statewide SLS Selection Committee by the April 1 deadline. Please note that endorsement by the ODU committee does not guarantee acceptance, as the final cohort is determined by the Virginia Network SLS Committee. 

Important Deadlines

  • March 10: Deadline for all Nominee submissions via the Nomination Form.

  • April 16-20: Notification of Selected Leaders.

  • July 15: Program fee of $999 due for participants.

How to Apply: Interested individuals or nominators should complete the official Nomination Form no later than March 10, 2026. When prompted, please list Elizabeth Smith as the Institutional Representative (IR) for ODU to ensure our internal committee receives your information automatically.

For questions regarding the seminar or the internal process, please contact Elizabeth Smith (exsmith@odu.edu) or Tancy Vandecar-Burdin (tvandeca@odu.edu).