The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Leadership Institute offers a very prestigious fellowship program designed to develop the nation’s most promising individuals at academic dental institutions to become future leaders in dental and higher education. This opportunity for professional development is considered the flagship program for exceptional mid-career faculty and administrators who are preparing for positions such as department chairs, program directors or deans of dental schools. To be eligible for nomination to this program a candidate must:

• Demonstrate leadership at his or her institution, in the community or through research.
• Have a clear track record of increasing administrative responsibilities.
• Have experience with responsibilities such as chairing committees, advising student groups or mentoring students and faculty.
• Have experience with the development of local, regional or national faculty development workshops or community outreach programs.
• Have a record of scholarly contributions to dental education through teaching or research.
• Be an ADEA individual member.

Dr. Venugopalan’ s achievements thus far more than exceeded these eligibility criteria and therefore he became this years’ fellow nominee (Class of 2023) for the College of Dentistry of the University of Iowa. The fellowship program which includes 4 intense phases of training will prepare candidates for:

• Effective decision-making, priority setting and conflict resolution skills—and the knowledge needed to use them effectively.
• Expanding their administrative competencies.
• Understanding the inner workings of a dental education institution—and how it fits into a parent institution.
• Learning about policy issues affecting academic dentistry.
• Speaking as an advocate with national policymakers.
• Strengthening relationships within their institutions and nationwide.
• Emerging with a plan for their careers.

We are very proud of Dr. Venugopalan and wish him all the success during his fellowship training and have no doubt that this experience will widen his future in Academic Dentistry.