Ashby named to Thrivent Fellows Program

Dr. Lisa Ashby, associate provost at Concordia, was recently named to the Thrivent Fellows Program, a 12-month executive fellowship that aims to identify, encourage, develop and equip participants for leadership roles in Lutheran agencies and institutions. Candidates are selected based on their dedication to the mission and distinctiveness of Lutheran colleges, seminaries and universities, a strong record of service to these institutions, a clear potential for top-level leadership and their vocational call to lead these important institutions.

Dr. Ashby, who joined the faculty at Concordia in 1994, holds a doctorate and a master's from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a bachelor's in education from Concordia. She has served as the chair of the Department of English, Communication and Theatre.  In June 2009 she assumed the role of interim associate provost and then became associate provost in January. 

"As a person who is relatively new to my position as associate provost, I wanted to learn more about all aspects of university leadership, particularly academics," explained Ashby.  "The Thrivent Fellows program is well-known for its support of best practices in Lutheran higher education, and I want to be able to apply this to my role at Concordia.  I look forward to time with colleagues, new ideas, challenges to typical ways of thinking and a better understanding of Christian higher education."