Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing

The Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing (ELAN) program designed for aspiring deans and senior faculty in leadership roles. This new program provides participants with a focused assessment experience, a range of content and exercises related to successful executive leadership, and the opportunity to establish a peer network that fosters long-term partnerships and collegial support.

ELAN is a year-long fellowship and will kick off with an in-person week-long workshop. ELAN participants will take advantage of a leadership immersion, which includes peer coaching, team-building, and advanced simulations. After the on-site event, participants will have access to an online community, two 4-hour e-learning workshops, and peer group discussions. Additional services that will support the fellowship may be added to the experience, such as coaching and mentoring, at an additional cost.

Who Should Apply:

The purpose of ELAN is to enhance the executive leadership skills of individuals in administrative and leadership positions who aspire to lead the nursing academic unit.

The development of high-level leadership skills in faculty and administrators in schools of nursing is vital to the success of the baccalaureate and graduate nursing enterprise given the complex challenges being faced by these organizations. Individuals in leadership roles at schools of nursing are challenged by an array of complex issues including:

Financial constraints faced by higher education
The need to develop effective partnerships with the practice environment to assure the development of training opportunities and appropriately educated professional nurses
The need for strategies to recruit diverse student populations to the field
The need to partner with multiple players to meet these challenges
Competition for scarce resources at the university level

Moreover, there is growing awareness that the aging of the nursing professoriate is reflected in the demographics of those individuals who are administering academic nursing programs.

ELAN features an intensive 5 day in-residence leadership immersion, focused assessment activities, facilitation of a mentorship experience, opportunities for follow-up with seminar faculty, and the sharing of ideas and resources among fellows.

Program Structure

Pre-work: assessment battery, reading, and case studies
5-day in-residence leadership immersion experience
Post work: Virtual workshops
Peer coaching group conference calls
Private online community
Program fee: $4,000

Scheduled Meeting Dates

Session 1 | September 17-22, 2023 In-Person | Chicago, Illinois
Session 2 | January 26, 2024 Virtual
Session 3 | April 19, 2024 Virtual

The program focuses on key leadership competencies needed in nursing education and healthcare environments. ELAN is devoted to general executive leadership development. Note that fiscal and academic issues, while discussed and used as examples, are not the primary focus.

Seminar topics include the following:

Introduction of the Key Vision and Framework for a Strategic Intervention on Leadership:

Theories of leadership
Relating theory to strategic actions
Evidence for validation
Review and evaluation of the strategic assessment

From the Broad to the Specific:

Strategic assessment of the individual – possibilities for growth and change
Peer learning and feedback mechanisms
Case studies for change
Creating personal models for strategic growth and change

Targeted Cultural Change:

Linking the individual’s assessment to the organizational culture
Developing plans for intervention
Establishing long-term networks
Change and conflict
Evaluation and redesign

ELAN is competitive, resulting in a select group of leadership fellows. Applicants must be nurse educators employed at AACN member institutions, meet the eligibility criteria, and provide evidence of institutional support for this program. Specific eligibility requirements include:

Educational preparation and licensure in nursing
Faculty or administrative appointment in a school of nursing
Progressive experience in academic administrative roles and positions
Professional goals congruent with the aims of the fellowship program

Applicants selected to participate in ELAN will be expected to:

Complete all the self-assessment processes prior to the seminar (360 degree review, etc.)
Attend the entire 6-day seminar
Participate in group discussions during the fellowship year via AACN’s Online Community - AACN Connect
Commit to developing personal and professional skills to assume the role of chief academic administrator of a school or college of nursing

Priority is given to individuals seeking leadership development in order to transition into the role of dean/director, or who have the potential for long-term commitment to the role of a chief academic administrator of a nursing program. Additionally, in order to enhance the pipeline of academic leadership, those faculty in formal leadership positions are encouraged to apply. Selected fellows will be expected to attend the entire conference and participate in all educational and evaluation activities.

Apply by: March 15, 2023

Applications must be submitted via the online form. In preparation for your application, please review the application details in the call for applications.

Applicants will be notified on acceptance in April 2023. At that time, institutions will receive an invoice for the $4,000 program fee.

170 Nursing Faculty Leaders have now engaged in professional development activities, including an assessment of current leadership style and skills and work to accomplish identified goals. Representing a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills, the AACN Fellows have developed the necessary tools to be leaders in the academic nursing world.

Meet the three cohorts:

Cohort 1 - 2019-2020
Cohort 2 - 2020-2021
Cohort 3 - 2021-2022
Cohort 4 - 2022-2023

LANP Fellows
The Leadership for Academic Nursing Program (LANP) is the predecessor to ELAN

2018 Fellows		2009 Fellows
2017 Fellows		2008 Fellows
2016 Fellows		2007 Fellows
2015 Fellows		2006 Fellows
2014 Fellows		2005 Fellows
2013 Fellows		2004 Fellows
2012 Fellows		2003 Fellows
2011 Fellows		2002 Fellows
2010 Fellows

I attended LANP - should I attend this?

ELAN would repeat much of the content; we do not recommend applying for this program. Please see AACN LEADS for all leadership development opportunities offered by AACN.

How can I apply?

All applications must be received online by the specified deadline.

What if my school can’t pay?

At this time we want to accept applications that will be funded by their school. If your school is not able to fund your registration for this program ($4,000), and you would like to supplement the cost of this program please contact atehansky@aacnnursing.org.

Contact

For more information, contact AACN's Associate Director of Online Learning and Engagement Alexa Tehansky at 202-463-6930 ext. 265.

Apply Now

Online Application

Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Testimonials

This was a life changing experience. I expect our peer group to remain closely connected and do amazing things this year and beyond.

I am fortunate to have had this opportunity. I enjoyed it immensely and feel I have real resources and skills that I can now apply in my setting. I learned much about myself as a person and a leader that will be helpful to me (and others, hopefully) going forward. Thank you for an excellent program and experience.

This was a wonderful leadership intensive. I am still processing the information but have specific tactics to apply it. I am looking forward to the future mentoring and peer coaching throughout the year.

This was a great experience overall. Well organized. I appreciated the up-beat atmosphere and use of humor throughout the week. You don't always experience that at work on a day to day basis.

This was an extremely valuable experience that I was able to glean a lot of awareness, self-reflection, and forward thinking options. The facilitators were great and the opportunity to discuss simulated scenarios and real world situations with other national leaders/peers was great!