Illinois State University faculty members Diane Dean and Ani Yazedjian have been selected as participants in the 2015–2016 HERS (Higher Education Resource Services) Wellesley Institute for developing women leaders in higher education.

Yazedjian serves as chair for the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, while Dean is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations, where she teaches courses related to higher education administration and policy.

Ani Yazedjian and Diane Dean

Ani Yazedjian and Diane Dean

Through HERS, the duo will complete intensive leadership sessions from April–September 2016. Dean and Yazedijan will also utilize their development to further impact curriculum and instruction for Illinois State students and future leaders.

HERS is dedicated to creating and sustaining a community of women leaders in higher education, within the broader commitment of achieving equality and excellence in higher education. By incorporating education, mentoring, networking, and action learning, the program is designed to build and enhance leadership skills and competencies.

Alumni of HERS include chancellors, presidents, and senior campus executives in diverse college and university settings. Since 1976 nearly 5,000 women faculty and staff from 1,200 campuses in the United States and abroad have participated in the institute, which is affiliated with Wellesley College, Bryn Mawr College, and the Colorado Women’s College at the University of Denver.