The American Council on Education (ACE) announced today that Associate Professor of Mathematics and Interim Dean of Ohio University Eastern Dr. Bob Klein has been named an ACE Fellow for the 2019-2020 academic year.

“Dr. Klein provides exemplary leadership through his commitment to improving our University community,” Ohio Univeristy Executive Dean for Regional Higher Education Dr. William “Bill” Willan said. “For more than 13 years, he has helped students achieve success, and this fellowship not only acknowledges his achievements but also affords him an experiential learning experience that will ultimately lead to innovative ideas for increased success.”

Established in 1965, the ACE Fellows Program is designed to strengthen institutions and leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing faculty and staff for senior positions in college and university administration through its distinctive and intensive nominator-driven, cohort-based mentorship model. More than 2,000 higher education leaders have participated in the ACE Fellows Program over the past five decades, with more than 80 percent of Fellows having gone on to serve as senior leaders of colleges and universities.

Following nominations by the senior administration of their institutions and a rigorous application process, 39 Fellows were selected this year.

“The ACE Fellows Program epitomizes ACE’s goal of enriching the capacity of leaders to innovate and adapt, and it fuels the expansion of a talented and diverse higher education leadership pipeline,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell. “Each year I am impressed by how many former Fellows are named to prominent leadership roles, which makes it even more exciting to meet each new cohort. I’m left wondering, ‘Where will these Fellows end up?’”

Klein, who is currently serving a one-year appointment at OHIO’s Eastern campus as interim Dean, has previously served as an associate professor and interim associate dean of Ohio University’s Lancaster Campus and Pickerington Center and was the undergraduate chair of mathematics at the Athens Campus, where he focused on mathematics education and technology. He earned his doctorate in mathematics teacher education from The Ohio State University.

“To receive the opportunity to participate as an ACE Fellow is incredibly humbling,” said Klein. “I’m grateful for the many years of support given to my growth at Ohio University, including senior leadership, the math department, Regional Higher Education, and the American Council on Education. The kinds of cross-unit collaborations I’ve been part of at OHIO were a big part of my decision to pursue this fellowship, knowing it will be an incredible opportunity to gain skills and insights that I can share with the University after the fellowship is over.”

The program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities, visits to campuses and other higher education-related organizations, and placement at another higher education institution to condense years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single year.

During the placement, Fellows observe and work with the president and other senior officers at their host institution, attend decision-making meetings, and focus on issues of interest. Fellows also conduct projects of pressing concern for their home institution and seek to implement their findings upon completion of the fellowship placement.

At the conclusion of the fellowship year, Fellows return to their home institution with new knowledge and skills that contribute to capacity-building efforts, along with a network of peers across the country and abroad.