Credit: Curtis Chan / Penn State.
Hayes completes 2025 Excellence in Academic Leadership program
Apr 11, 2025
Editor's note: A version of this article originally appeared on Penn State News.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A group of 17 academic leaders from across Penn State, including Dan Hayes, head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Nanotherapeutics and Regenerative Medicine, recently completed the 2025 Excellence in Academic Leadership (EAL) program — an experience designed to strengthen leadership effectiveness and support ongoing professional growth.
The EAL program, coordinated by the Office of Faculty Affairs, offers a high-impact development experience for unit leaders, combining leadership theory, practical skill-building, and peer learning. Over several months, participants engaged in a series of interactive sessions that explored topics central to effective academic leadership in today’s higher education environment.
Key areas of focus in the program included personal and employee wellness, conflict competency, strategic planning, change management, understanding institutional finances, and working with development. Leaders examined the psychology of change, assessed their units’ positioning within the broader academic landscape, and participated in a University budget session that provided tools for aligning unit priorities with financial structures and institutional goals.
Working in coordination with Penn State Human Resources Talent Management, the program also emphasized self-awareness and growth through tools such as CliftonStrengths, and one-on-one coaching was received.
An essential component of the EAL experience was the Critical Friends structure, in which participants formed small peer groups to share strategic goals, provide feedback on leadership challenges, and offer accountability and encouragement. This model fostered candid dialogue, reflection and collaboration across disciplines and campuses.
“This cohort of leaders brought deep experience and insight to each session,” said Ann Clements, associate vice provost for Faculty Affairs. “Their commitment to learning from one another and elevating the academic experience for their units made this program especially impactful. We proudly support their continued growth and leadership at Penn State.”
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