We are pleased to announce the names of the 30 individuals taking part in five prestigious programs for the 2025-26 academic year. The Lilly Teaching Fellows, the Walter and Pauline Adams Academy Fellows, the Academic Leadership Fellows (ALF), The Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program (ALP) Fellows, the Big Ten Academic Alliance Department Executive Officer (DEO) Fellows.
Adams Academy
This annual program brings together a cross-disciplinary group of faculty and academic staff for a year-long fellowship focused on advanced topics in teaching and learning. The Adams Academy is named in honor of former MSU President Walter Adams and his wife and MSU faculty member emerita, Pauline Adams, in recognition of their sustained commitments to promoting instructional excellence.
- Alena Aniskiewicz, Assistant Professor Fixed Term, College of Arts and Letters
- Jonathan Choti, Associate Professor Fixed Term, College of Arts and Letters
- Marcie Cowley, Assistant Professor Fixed Term, College of Social Science
- Karenanna Creps, Assistant Professor Fixed Term, College of Education
- Ho-Hsin Huang, Assistant Professor Fixed Term, College of Arts and Letters
- Michele Lanotte, Assistant Professor Fixed Term, College of Engineering
- Lucas Nunn, Instructor Fixed Term, College of Arts and Letters
- Michail Paparizos, Specialist Teacher Continuing, College of Natural Science
- Dola Pathak, Specialist Teacher Continuing, College of Natural Science
- Paul Schauert, Assistant Professor Fixed Term, College of Arts and Letters
- John Taylor, Assistant Professor Fixed Term, College of Osteopathic Medicine
Lilly Teaching Fellows
The program is intended to advance the University’s continuing efforts to support excellence in teaching and learning. The goal of the program is to develop academic leaders who will guide the University into the near future with regard to learning, teaching, educational programming, and change that supports educator and student success.
- Annick Anctil, Associate Professor Tenure System, College of Engineering
- Phillip Delekta, Assistant Professor Fixed Term, College of Natural Science
- Louise Mead, Specialist Teacher Continuing, College of Natural Science
- Christopher Scales, Professor Tenure System, College of Music
- Jason Smith, Specialist Teacher Fixed Term, College of Engineering
- Jessica Wicks, Assistant Dean of Instructional Design and Assessment, College of Osteopathic Medicine
Academic Leadership Fellows (ALF)
This experience promotes the exploration of diverse leadership roles to help Fellows reflect on their own characteristics and career goals to determine if they would like to pursue administrative or other types of leadership roles. Fellows are paired with a current MSU administrator to gain first-hand exposure to academic administration, learning about operations, expectations, opportunities, and challenges related to administrative positions, as well as more general aspects of leadership.
- LeConte Dill, Associate Chair, Director of Graduate Studies, College of Arts and Letters
Mentored by Judith Stoddart, Vice Provost for University Arts and Collections - Michelle Mazei-Robison, Professor, College of Natural Science
Mentored by Aron Sousa, Dean, College of Human Medicine and Nara Parameswaran, Senior Associate Dean for Research, College of Human Medicine - Jennifer (Jeno) Rivera, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Mentored by Mark Largent, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean for Undergraduate Studies
Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program (ALP)
The Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program (ALP) provides intensive leadership and managerial development, addressing the challenges of academic administration at major research universities, like tightening budgets, changing student populations, and increasing pressures from external sources. Many of the program’s nearly 1,000 fellows have gone on to serve as college presidents, provosts and deans.
- Lesley Comer, Associate Director, Institutional Space Planning and Management
- Jade Mitchell, Professor and Associate Department Chair, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and College of Engineering
- Annette O’Connor, Professor, Interim Associate Dean, and Chairperson, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Nelson Sepúlveda Alancastro, Professor and Interim Chairperson, College of Engineering
- Ryan Sweeder, Professor and Associate Dean, Lyman Briggs College
Big Ten Academic Alliance Department Executive Officer (DEO) Program
This development opportunity is specifically designed for department chairs, school directors, or associate deans with similar responsibilities. Participants focus on departmental leadership skills and problem-solving with a specific focus on case study analysis and peer mentoring.
- Catherine Donahue, Professor and Chairperson, College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Jason Huang, Professor and Director, College of Social Science
- Kevin McGraw, Professor and Chairperson, College of Natural Science
- Jennifer Schmidt, Professor and Chairperson, College of Education
- Andrea Wittenborn, Professor and Chairperson, College of Social Science
