Longwood University's Kathy Johnson Bowles an Ace Fellow at St. Mary's College of Maryland

ST. MARY'S CITY, MD (10/15/2012)(readMedia)-- This 2012-13 academic year, St. Mary's College of Maryland is hosting American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow Kathy Johnson Bowles. Johnson Bowles is associate vice president of strategic initiatives and assistant professor of art at Longwood University. As an ACE Fellow at St. Mary's College, Johnson Bowles will participate in administrative activities under the mentorship of President Joseph R. Urgo and other senior leadership at the college.

"We are honored that Kathy Johnson Bowles has selected St. Mary's College of Maryland for her ACE fellowship," said President Urgo. "I know that she will gain valuable experience at our public, honors liberal arts college that will be beneficial to her career endeavors in higher education. I am delighted to work with her this academic year."

The ACE Fellows Program, established in 1965, is designed to strengthen institutional capacity and build leadership in American higher education by identifying and preparing promising senior faculty and administrators for responsible positions in college and university administration. This competitive, national program condenses years of on-the-job experience and skills development into a single year. Of more than 1,800 fellows to date, over 300 have served as chief executive officers at more than 350 institutions. Johnson Bowles is one of 56 participants who was nominated by the president or chancellor of their institution and selected this year.

"Selection as a host institution is a mark of the prestige of the college," explained Sharon A. McDade, director of the ACE Fellows Program. "An ACE Fellow has selected this institution for its unique learning opportunities and the quality work that it is doing in educating students."

"I am pleased and proud to have the opportunity to join the St. Mary's College of Maryland community for the academic year," said Johnson Bowles. The institution's stellar academic reputation coupled with the values espoused by the 'St. Mary's Way' make the college a model for other liberal arts colleges. I know I will learn a great deal and be inspired in the process."

Before undertaking her position as associate vice president of strategic initiatives, Johnson Bowles served as the director of the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts, the art museum of Longwood University in Virginia. During her tenure, she played an integral role in leading the museum to accreditation by the American Association of Museums. Johnson Bowles attended the Management Development Program at the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education and the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University. She serves on the national advisory board of the Folk Art Society of America and, this year, was given its Award of Distinction.

###

St. Mary's College of Maryland, designated the Maryland state honors college in 1992, is ranked one of the best public liberal arts schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. More than 2,000 students attend the college, nestled on the St. Mary's River in Southern Maryland. www.smcm.edu