Dr. Tashika Griffth of St. Petersburg College was selected for the Aspen Institute’s Rising Fellowship

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) announced today that Dr. Tashika Griffith, Provost of the Clearwater Campus at St. Petersburg College (SPC), is one of 40 leaders selected for the 2024-25 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship. Applying lessons from over a dozen years of researching exceptional community colleges, the Aspen fellowship aims to select and prepare the next generation of presidents who can lead institutions to higher and more equitable levels of student success.

Many sitting community college presidents plan to retire in the next decade, creating an opportunity for college trustees and system heads to select leaders with the skills and knowledge to achieve better student outcomes. Aspen Presidential Fellows represent the next generation of college leadership: this incoming class of Aspen Rising Presidents Fellows is 58% women, and 55% are people of color. The institutions they represent are also diverse, located in 20 states, from small rural colleges to large urban campuses. The fellows, selected through a competitive process, will work closely with highly accomplished community college presidents and thought leaders over 10 months to learn from field-leading research, examine demographic and labor market conditions in their communities, assess student outcomes at their colleges, and advance a clear vision for excellent and equitable outcomes for students while in college and after they graduate. 

“With so many community college presidents taking or nearing retirement, Aspen has a heightened sense of urgency to develop new leaders committed to systemic change,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the College Excellence Program. “Community colleges have a unique opportunity to advance the talent communities need and enable the economic mobility that draws many students to higher education. I am confident that these fellows can realize that promise — and in turn, advance the entire field — by taking the lessons from the highest performing colleges and preparing to bring those lessons to their first presidencies.” 

“All of us at SPC are extremely proud of Dr. Tashika Griffith on her selection to the Aspen Rising President Fellowship,” said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams. “Dr. Griffith has made bold and strategic moves to eliminate barriers to student success, build community partnerships, and meet workforce needs. It is no surprise that she is among the few selected. Her drive and ability to bring about transformative change is unparalleled. We are proud to support her as she continues to help others gain economic mobility through education.”

Rising Presidents Fellows aspire to enter a college presidency within five years of completing the fellowship. As fellows, they join a network of over 350 forward-thinking peers — 175 of whom are sitting college presidents — who are applying concrete, grounded, and innovative strategies to meet student success challenges in their colleges.

“I’m honored to join the 2024-25 Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellowship, working with other transformational leaders nationwide to increase student success at St. Petersburg College and campuses across the country,” said Dr. Griffith. “During the 10-month fellowship, we’ll learn from national leaders, build a network of forward-thinking peers, and apply grounded and innovative strategies to meet student success challenges. I look forward to learning with the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program.”

The Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship is made possible by the generous support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Burton Family Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the College Futures Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and JPMorgan Chase. 

For bios and photos of all 40 leaders, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org/meet-the-rising-presidents-fellows. 

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About St Petersburg College

Founded in 1927, St. Petersburg College (SPC) is Florida's first two-year college. Regionally accredited and nationally recognized, SPC became Florida’s first state college to offer bachelor’s degrees. The College now offers over 200 associate and bachelor’s degrees, certificates, and transfer programs, as well as many high-demand, high-skill, industry-recognized workforce certifications. The College’s career-focused curriculum is created with input from industry experts to provide students with real-world skills needed to meet the needs of today’s employers.

Aspen Institute College Excellence Program

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. We know it takes visionary college leaders to achieve this higher standard and we make it our 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 our website and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colo., as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.