Report on Professional Development Achievements and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

This report details the recent national honors conferred upon Dr. Kelly Lester, Associate Provost for Faculty Success at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM). The analysis focuses on two key achievements: a Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Award and selection for the Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA). The significance of these honors is examined through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting the university’s contribution to global development frameworks.

National Recognitions Awarded

Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Award

Dr. Lester was selected for the Fulbright IEA Award, a prestigious, fully funded seminar designed to promote international educational collaboration. This initiative directly supports several key SDGs.

• Program Objective: To facilitate an exchange of best practices and build global partnerships by allowing U.S. administrators to study a host country’s higher education system.
• Itinerary: The two-week program in France includes visits to Reims, Troyes, and Paris to meet with institutional leaders.
• Focus Area: A key goal is to examine the integration of arts into academic curricula and explore partnership opportunities with French institutions.
• Institutional Involvement: USM Senior Associate Provost Dr. Douglas Masterson also received a Fulbright IEA Award for a similar program in Germany, indicating a strategic institutional commitment to global engagement.

Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA) Selection

Dr. Lester was one of only 30 higher education leaders selected for the 2025 BAPA cohort, a program that develops leadership capacity in alignment with SDG 4 and SDG 5.

• Program Structure: A year-long leadership development program co-sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI).
• Primary Goal: To provide comprehensive training and mentorship for aspiring chief academic officers (provosts), focusing on critical areas of university administration.
• Impact: The program has a proven track record of advancing participants into senior leadership roles, thereby strengthening the quality of higher education management.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Dr. Lester’s achievements and the programs themselves are intrinsically linked to advancing the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

SDG 4: Quality Education

Both honors directly contribute to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.

1. Enhancing Educational Leadership: The BAPA program develops skilled academic leaders capable of improving institutional effectiveness, curriculum quality, and student success pathways (Target 4.3).
2. Promoting Global Citizenship: The Fulbright IEA Award fosters cross-cultural understanding and global perspectives in education, equipping leaders to prepare students for a globalized world (Target 4.7).
3. Improving Student Outcomes: Dr. Lester’s stated focus on the student experience and success aligns with efforts to increase the number of youths and adults with relevant skills for employment and decent jobs (Target 4.4).

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The initiatives exemplify the collaborative approach required to achieve sustainable development.

• International Cooperation: The Fulbright Program is a premier example of international partnership, designed specifically to build collaborative networks between institutions and nations to strengthen education systems (Target 17.6).
• Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships: The BAPA program is a partnership between two major academic organizations (AASCU and AALI), demonstrating an effective civil society partnership to build capacity within a sector (Target 17.17).

SDG 5: Gender Equality

Dr. Lester’s advancement into a high-level leadership development program highlights progress toward achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

• Women in Leadership: Her selection for the BAPA cohort is a clear example of ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in public life, specifically within higher education administration (Target 5.5).

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

By strengthening higher education, these efforts contribute to building a skilled workforce, which is foundational for sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.

• Skilled Workforce Development: Dr. Lester’s work in faculty development and student success directly supports the university’s role in preparing graduates for productive employment, thereby reducing the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training (Target 8.6).

Conclusion and Institutional Impact

The recognition of Dr. Kelly Lester through the Fulbright IEA Award and BAPA selection represents a significant achievement for both her and The University of Southern Mississippi. The impact extends beyond individual professional development, reinforcing the university’s commitment to core principles of the Sustainable Development Goals. The expected outcomes include an enhanced institutional profile, strengthened academic leadership, and, most importantly, the application of innovative and globally informed approaches to improve the quality of education and student success at USM.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • The article is centered on higher education, focusing on improving its quality through faculty development, leadership training, and international collaboration. Dr. Lester’s work is explicitly aimed at enhancing the “student experience” and finding “approaches to improving teaching, learning and scholarship at Southern Miss.” The Fulbright award’s purpose is to “explore the host country’s higher education system” and “exchange best practices,” directly contributing to educational quality.

2. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • The article highlights the achievements and leadership progression of a woman, Dr. Kelly Lester, in the academic sector. Her selection for the “Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA),” a “leadership development program for aspiring chief academic officers,” and her appointment to roles like “associate provost” and “inaugural director” exemplify the promotion of women into high-level decision-making positions, which is a core component of SDG 5.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The article emphasizes the importance of partnerships. The Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Award is designed to “build global partnerships” and foster “collaboration with colleagues and students around the world.” Similarly, the BAPA program is “co-sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI),” representing a multi-stakeholder partnership to develop leadership in higher education.

Identified SDG Targets

1. Target 4.3: Equal access to affordable and quality tertiary education

   • The entire article focuses on improving the quality of university education. Dr. Lester’s work to keep the “student experience front of mind” and lead students “on a path to success” directly relates to ensuring quality tertiary education.

2. Target 4.7: Education for sustainable development and global citizenship

   • The Fulbright IEA Award facilitates this by providing a “cross-cultural perspective” and increasing “international visibility.” Dr. Lester’s visit to France and Dr. Masterson’s to Germany are practical applications of promoting global citizenship and appreciating cultural diversity within education systems.

3. Target 4.b: Expand scholarships for higher education

   • The Fulbright IEA Award is described as a “two-week, fully funded seminar.” This represents a form of scholarship or financial assistance that enables international educational exchange for higher education administrators, contributing to the spirit of this target.

4. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full participation and equal opportunities for leadership

   • Dr. Lester’s career trajectory and her selection for the BAPA leadership program, which has a track record of participants advancing to “provost positions” and becoming “presidents or chancellors,” directly addresses the goal of ensuring women have equal opportunities for leadership in public life (in this case, public higher education).

5. Target 17.6: Enhance international cooperation and knowledge sharing

   • The Fulbright program is a direct mechanism for this target, as its stated goals are to “exchange best practices,” “deepen my understanding of France’s higher education system,” and foster international collaboration.

6. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective partnerships

   • The article provides examples of such partnerships: the Fulbright program, which fosters international public partnerships, and the BAPA program, a partnership between two academic organizations (AASCU and AALI) to achieve a common goal.

Implied Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Indicator related to Target 4.3: Participation in quality tertiary education

   • The article implies progress by highlighting programs (BAPA, Fulbright) and roles (Associate Provost for Faculty Success) designed to improve the quality of the university experience, which can lead to higher retention and success rates for students. Dr. Lester’s focus is on leading “our students on a path to success.”

2. Indicator related to Target 4.b: Number of scholarships or funded opportunities

   • The article explicitly mentions two individuals, Dr. Lester and Dr. Masterson, receiving the “Fulbright IEA Award,” which is a “fully funded seminar.” This serves as a direct count of such opportunities being utilized.

3. Indicator related to Target 5.5: Proportion of women in managerial positions

   • The article provides a qualitative indicator by profiling Dr. Lester’s senior leadership roles (“associate provost,” “inaugural director”). It also gives a quantitative hint through the BAPA program’s success, stating that “135 BAPA participants have advanced to provost positions,” implying a mechanism to track the number of women advancing to such roles.

4. Indicator related to Target 17.6: Number of international cooperation programs

   • The article mentions the Fulbright IEA Award as a specific program facilitating cooperation between the U.S. and other countries (France and Germany). The existence and participation in this program are a direct indicator of international cooperation in education.

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: usm.edu