Day participating in AASCU Department Chair Leadership Institute

Dr. Rachel Day, a first-year chair of Northwest Missouri State University’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts, is among 32 higher education professionals selected to participate in a leadership program designed to help them cultivate critical skills and succeed in administrative roles.

Dr. Rachel Day

In January, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) brought together the department chairs from throughout the nation for two days of training and skill-building in Washington, D.C., as part of its third Department Chair Leadership Institute (DCLI).

The cohort heard from seasoned college and university presidents and provosts as well as national thought leaders who shared their expertise on topics that included centering the academic mission, supporting student success and advancing excellence through effective leadership communication.

As the institute continues with virtual sessions throughout the spring semester, Day said she looks forward to further conversations related to focusing on actions that align with the University’s mission, vision and values. The daughter of a reference librarian, Day calls herself “a collector of information” and loves learning.  

“I really do like to draw threads together and connect – like ‘OK, I don’t have that answer, but let me get you in touch with this person,’” Day said. “I hope that’s going to serve me well as department chair.”

Day, an assistant professor of music who specializes in voice, joined the Northwest faculty in 2022 after more than a decade of teaching at Grand Canyon University. She earned her doctoral degree in vocal performance with a pedagogy emphasis and master’s degrees in vocal performance and vocal pedagogy from Arizona State University; she has a bachelor’s degree in music from Smith College in Massachusetts.

“The fine arts department just really accepted who I am and what I do as a pedagogue – really trying to stay at the front of pedagogy and neuroscience and learning and sharing that with students, and supporting students where they are,” Day said.

Day’s participation in DCLI follows that of Dr. Jessica Gracey, chair of Northwest’s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dr. Robin Gallaher, the chair of Northwest’s Department of Language, Literature and Writing, who were members of the first cohort last year.

“We know the department chair position is one of the most challenging positions on campus, and through DCLI, AASCU is responding to the professional development needs of these critical administrators,” Charles L. Welch, AASCU’s president and chief executive officer, said. “With each new DCLI cohort, we are providing these frontline campus leaders with peer support, networking and strategic insights to strengthen their leadership acumen and help them succeed.”

AASCU is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association that represents more than 500 regional public colleges, universities and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underrepresented student populations, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development.