Dr. Felder Selected for the Aspen Institute’s New Presidents Fellowship

One of 26 in the nation selected for prestigious program for community college leaders.

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) announced that Dr. Theresa B. Felder, President of Harford Community College, is one of 26 leaders selected for the 2022-23 class of the Aspen New Presidents Fellowship. This program, made possible with support from JPMorgan Chase, supports community college presidents in the early years of their tenure as they work to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success.

This class of fellows represent the diversity of our nation’s community colleges, collectively serving over 250,000 students at colleges across the nation, in urban, suburban, and rural areas. The incoming class of New Presidents Fellows is 46 percent female and 65 percent are people of color. Located in 19 states, their institutions are also diverse, from a tribal college with fewer than 300 students to an urban college that educates more than 35,000 each year.

The fellows, selected through a competitive process, will work closely with other transformational community college presidents and Aspen leaders over nine months to learn from field-leading research, analyze their colleges’ student outcomes, and clarify their visions for excellent and equitable outcomes for students while in college and after they graduate.

“I am truly honored to be selected as a member of the 2022-23 Aspen New Presidents Fellowship class,” Dr. Felder said. “I look forward to working with the Aspen Institute and my fellow presidents to identify best practices that will support equitable outcomes for all students at Harford Community College. Being a part of this fellowship will help advance our mission and, ultimately, positively impact our community.”

Harford Community College Board Chair Dr. Richard Streett III said, “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I congratulate Dr. Felder for being selected into this year’s Aspen New Presidents Fellowship class. The goals of the fellowship program—to help presidents advance the lives of students and communities—align well with the College’s mission, vision, and values. The Board looks forward to seeing how this program can help improve student outcomes and equity at Harford Community College.”

“The quality of our nation’s community colleges depends on the quality of our college presidents,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of Aspen’s College Excellence Program. “I am continually inspired and motivated by the dedication and expertise that our fellows bring to the work of advancing excellence and equity on their campuses, and I look forward to seeing the changes they make in real time to improve outcomes for their students.”

JPMorgan Chase’s philanthropic support for the Aspen Presidential Fellowship is part of the firm’s “New Skills at Work” initiative to prepare young people for the future of work and meet the growing demand for skilled workers, and the $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity and drive an inclusive economy. For bios and photos of all 26 leaders, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org/meet-the-new-presidents-fellows.

About Harford Community College

Harford Community College offers more than 90 affordable degree and certificate programs of study as well as a variety of noncredit community education and workforce development courses. Located on 352 acres near Bel Air, the College has been helping Harford Countians achieve their goals since 1957. For more information, visit harford.edu.

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. Because it takes visionary college leaders to achieve this higher standard, they make it their mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes. For more information, visit their website and follow them on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, CO, and an international network of partners. Learn more at www.aspeninstitute.org.

About JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $3.7 trillion and operations worldwide in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of customers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.