UMA is proud to announce that President Jenifer Cushman has been elected chair-elect of the Council of Fellows (COF) Board of the American Council on Education (ACE), marking the beginning of a three-year leadership trajectory culminating in service on the ACE Board itself.
ACE is the nation’s leading coordinating body for higher education, representing more than 1,700 colleges and universities. A nonprofit organization, ACE advocates for public policy and innovative practices that advance access, equal opportunity, and student success while also providing research, leadership development and resources for institutional leaders. Cushman’s election to the COF leadership track elevates her to a nationally visible role within this prominent organization, where she will help shape the future of higher education alongside a network of experienced and visionary peers.
This prestigious leadership role places Cushman in the “chair stream” for the COF, an influential body of alumni from ACE’s long-standing Fellows Program, which advances leadership excellence and fosters collaboration among senior leaders in higher education. Cushman’s election was finalized during the Council’s national gathering in February and reflects the confidence her peers have in her vision, leadership and deep commitment to the future of higher education.
As chair-elect for 2025–2026, Cushman will support the incoming chair and take on increasing leadership responsibility. She will assume the role of chair in 2026–2027 and serve as immediate past chair in 2027–2028, during which she will also represent the Council on the broader ACE Board of Directors.
“This is one of the greatest honors of my career,” said Cushman. “The ACE Fellows Program was transformative for me, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to a community that develops and uplifts leaders throughout higher education.”
Cushman brings more than 25 years of higher education leadership experience to this role. Before joining UMA in 2023, she served as chancellor of Penn State Beaver and as campus dean at Ohio University Zanesville. A 2010–2011 ACE Fellow, she has maintained a deep connection to ACE throughout her career. She also recently joined the Presidential Ambassadors Council of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), further underscoring her leadership on the national stage.
Known for her advocacy of global education and experiential learning, Cushman launched the EDGE program – an international virtual exchange initiative – while at Penn State. Earlier in her career, she served as dean of international education at Juniata College, where she helped embed global learning into the curriculum.
Her election to the ACE COF chair stream further reinforces UMA’s growing reputation as a catalyst for positive change in higher education, particularly in areas of leadership, access and innovation.