Shenandoah University Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Suzanne O’Driscoll, D.Prof., has been named an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow for the 2024-25 academic year. Dr. O’Driscoll is one of 26 ACE Fellows who were selected this year following nomination by the senior administration of their institutions and a thorough application process.
Since its inception in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program has strengthened institutions in American higher education by identifying and preparing over 2,500 faculty, staff, and administrators for senior positions in college and university leadership through its distinctive and intensive cohort-based mentorship model. More than 80 percent of the fellows who have participated have gone on after their fellowship to serve as chief executive officers, chief academic officers, other cabinet-level positions, and deans.
“The ACE Fellows Program, known for its history of success, cultivates skilled and promising leaders, driving the growth of a diverse and talented higher education leadership pipeline,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “Through immersive learning experiences, ACE Fellows acquire fresh perspectives and develop distinctive skills to apply upon their return to their home campuses. I am excited to witness the accomplishments of this class.”
Since arriving at SU in 2011, O’Driscoll has overseen various departments in student affairs, including residence life, student conduct, diversity and inclusion, campus recreation, Title IX, accessibility and support, the counseling center and wellness center. She also oversees all aspects of the university’s CARE Team.
O’Driscoll holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Marist College, a Master of Arts with Honors in Organizational Communications from Iona College, and a Doctorate of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership from Shenandoah University. She also is an adjunct professor of communication studies in Shenandoah’s College of Arts and Sciences.
I am deeply honored and grateful to President Tracy Fitzsimmons and Vice President for Student Affairs Yolanda Gibson, Shenandoah’s leadership, and ACE to have this one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn from other university leaders about trends, challenges, structures, models of decision-making and innovation in the higher education enterprise,” O’Driscoll said. “I am excited to bring this information back to Shenandoah and make an impact in our future work.”
Suzanne O’Driscoll, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Shenandoah University
The ACE Fellows program incorporates signature features such as retreats, interactive and virtual learning opportunities, visits to campuses and other higher education-related organizations, and placement at another higher education institution. All these experiences are condensed into a single year, providing the fellows with years of on-the-job experience and skills development.
During the placement, fellows observe and work with senior officers at their host institutions, attend decision-making meetings, and focus on issues of interest that will benefit their host and nominating institutions. The year ahead will offer many opportunities for ACE Fellows to view leadership in action. Placement institutions will benefit from having an experienced leader who can lend a fresh perspective to emerging or ongoing institutional challenges.
At the conclusion of the fellowship year, fellows return to their home institutions with new knowledge and skills along with a network of peers across the country and abroad.
The full list of 2024-25 ACE Fellows and more information about the program is available at acenet.edu.
About ACE
ACE is a membership organization that mobilizes the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice. As the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions, ACE represents more than 1,600 college and university presidents and related associations. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on X (formerly known as Twitter) @ACEducation.
