Events
2026 Donna M. Bourassa Mid-Level Management Institute
January 8, 2026 @ 5:00 pm - January 30, 2026 @ 3:30 pm CST
2026 Donna M. Bourassa Mid-Level Management Institute
VIRTUAL EVENT for those with 5+ years experience interested in deepening their leadership skills
8, 9, 16, 23 and 30 January 2026
For those desiring to grow their authentic leadership, strengthen their capacities and understand self and organizational dynamics in order to lead well.
Going into its 28th year, the Donna M. Bourassa Mid-Level Management Institute is an ACPA educational program for those who have been in the student affairs field for five or more years or are a departmental director. The Institute guides those desiring to grow their authentic leadership, strengthen their capacities and understand self and organizational dynamics in order to lead well.
The Institute, named for Donna Bourassa, Ed.D. former Associate Executive Director of ACPA, is a successful professional development resource to hundreds of colleagues in the student affairs profession.
VIRTUAL SESSIONS
MMI 2026 will be offered as 5 virtual sessions in January 2026:
- Thursday, 8 January 2026, 5:30-7:30 pm
- Friday, 9 January 2026, 1:30-3:30 pm
- Friday, 16 January 2026, 1:30-3:30 pm
- Friday, 23 January 2026, 1:30-3:30 pm
- Friday, 30 January 2026, 1:30-3:30 pm
INSTITUTE FEATURES
- Dynamic curriculum focused on identifying the complexities facing higher education and the student affairs profession and providing the resources to effect positive change.
- A highly interactive and engaging learning environment including individual and group activities, panels, presentations, case studies and small and large group discussions.
- A cohort model supports personal and professional transformation and connections with colleagues after the Institute.
- In depth discussions and reflections facilitated through mentor groups.
- Each year a reception is hosted at the ACPA Annual Convention for all past participants
INSTITUTE FACULTY
Monique C. Atherley
Intercultural Center Director
Marymount Manhattan College
Monique C. Atherley (she/they) is a dynamic, impactful, and vision-based leader who works to diligently offer underrepresented populations opportunities to succeed. She is a scholar-practitioner, servant leader, capacity builder, and trainer with over 15 years of experience across K through 12, Community Based Organizations, and Higher Education with specific focus on urban educational offerings and college access. Monique focuses her praxis and pedagogy on empowering, informing, exposing, and preparing folx in her care for the realities and opportunities that will help revolutionize their existence. She currently serves the Marymount Manhattan College (MMC) community as the Inaugural Director of their Intercultural Center.
A child of immigrants, she’s committed to the protection and joy of black and brown bodies; and positions herself in spaces that support them thriving, not just surviving. On her journey, Monique has built an Award-Winning Residential Student Leadership system, served as a Charter member for three honor society chapters as well as a Model United Nations Conference, and has also served as an Advisor for identity-based groups. Monique has served as the Chair of the Pan African Network of ACPA – an affinity space in Higher Education creating room and visibility for those from or in support of the African diaspora. She has served as a faculty member within the City University of New York at the bachelor’s level, focusing on areas of human relations (a humanistic view of human resources and personnel operations), organizational development, and generational engagement from the lens of aging and adulthood. She is former staff member/current volunteer for the New York Urban League and also served as the Inaugural Advisor for the CUNY School of Professional Studies Black Student Union (BSU) and Chartering Advisor of the Epsilon Omicron Chapter of Tri Alpha First Generational Student Honor Society.
Monique’s depth, insight, heart, strategy, and effort have promoted the connectedness needed in communities to support individual and organizational growth. She has received numerous awards in recognition of her advocacy including the 2021 Promising Practices in Social Justice at a Two-Year College from the ACPA Commission for Two-Year Colleges and 2021 Network Leadership Award from the ACPA Coalition for Multicultural Affairs. Her research interests include Equity and Racial Justice in Education, Sense of Belonging, The Multigenerational Workplace, Employee Engagement, and Support for Caregivers in the Workplace. She is currently focusing her dissertation research on how organizations can bridge the gap of talent at the table through belonging.
Joan Collier
Assistant Vice President for Equity & Inclusion
Rutgers University
Joan Collier, PhD (she/her) is the assistant vice president for equity and inclusion at Rutgers University and co-leads university-wide strategic planning and implementation supporting comprehensive cross-campus engagement efforts to realize the university’s commitment to fostering an inclusive learning and working environment. Dr. Collier leads university-wide diversity capacity-building efforts that aim to improve cultural competency, reduce bias, and promote understanding and engagement on issues related to diversity and bias prevention. She chairs the Diversity Education Network, which serves as a mechanism for amplifying, connecting, and expanding equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice capacity building across Rutgers University for students, staff, and faculty. Dr. Collier is an Affiliate member of the Ph.D. in Higher Education program faculty in the Graduate School of Education. She has more than ten years of experience within higher education as a practitioner and educator. She is a first-generation scholar and alumna of Georgia State University and the University of Georgia.
Craig Elliott
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Montana Technological University
Dr. Craig Elliott (he/him) has worked in student affairs for almost 30 years, and currently serves as the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Montana Tech University in Butte, MT. He helps lead the student engagement and success efforts at the University. Craig served as President of ACPA-College Student Educators International in 2019-2020 and led the organization in its efforts to boldly transform higher education. He previously served as President of the California College Personnel Association from 1999-2001, chaired the Inclusion Task Force for ACPA in 2002, served on the national convention planning teams (2002 and 2013), and served on the Foundation Board. He has also served in a variety of leadership capacities in NASPA, NCORE and WACUHO. Craig is also a Social Justice Training Institute alumnus, serves on the faculty with Student SJTI, is a Co-Lead Facilitator for the LeaderShape Institute, and is on the board of World Trust.
Craig is also a trainer, consultant, and speaker on diversity, leadership, and social justice with over fifteen years of experience. Craig’s research interests explore white caucus work, feminism and masculinity, the intersection of Transformative Learning and Social Justice work, inclusion and equity, institutional change, and dismantling white supremacy. Craig is part of the editorial collective for Rad Dad, a zine on feminist and social justice parenting, which has published three anthologies. He has also contributed chapters on feminism, fathering, co-authored an article on the transformative nature of medical missions, and an article on institutional barriers to inclusion and equity. Craig recently co-wrote a book with Robert Brown and Shruti Desai entitled Identity-Conscious Supervision in Student Affairs: Building Relationships and Transforming Systems. It is published by Routledge.
Elcin Haskollar
Associate Dean of Students for Diversity and Inclusion & Director of Center for Diversity and Inclusion
Ringling College of Art and Design
Elcin Haskollar, PhD (she/her) currently serves as the Associate Dean of Students for Diversity and Inclusion and the Director for the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Ringling College of Art and Design. In this role, she leads strategic planning initiatives designed to cultivate an inclusive learning environment across the college. With over a decade of experience in various leadership roles at institutions such as Florida State University and Arizona State University, Dr. Haskollar is skilled at providing strategic direction to student and academic affairs offices, programs, and services on the foundations of cross-cultural understanding. She has a M.S. and Ph.D. in Global Affairs specializing in genocide and human rights from Rutgers University. She has an M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from Arcadia University. She has a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies from Loyola University Chicago.
Dr. Haskollar is an active member of ACPA. Her roles include serving as the President of FCPA, Florida Chapter of ACPA (2024-2025), Faculty Member of the Donna M. Bourassa Mid-Level Management Institute (2025), and Board Member for the ACPA Senior-Level Community of Practice (2024-Present). She also serves as a Board Member for the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Programs.
Dr. Haskollar is a scholar-practitioner with scholarly contributions in multiple journals. Her recent article, “Do Demographics Matter? The Relationship between Student Characteristics and Intercultural Competence,” was featured in the Journal of Intercultural Communication Research. She has presented at professional workshops and conferences across the United States, Canada, Argentina, China, and Turkey.
Clint-Michael Reneau
Vice President for Student Affairs and Clinical Associate Professor
Northern Illinois University
Dr. Clint-Michael Reneau (he/him) is a nationally recognized higher education leader, equity strategist, scholar and educator with a deep commitment to creating spaces of belonging, access, and student success. He serves as Vice President for Student Affairs and Clinical Associate Professor at Northern Illinois University, where he supports a proudly diverse student body—56% of whom identify as first-generation.
A first-generation queer college student with a disability and a community college graduate, Dr. Reneau brings an equity-rooted, intersectional lens to his work. His leadership spans student success, disability services, Title IX, strategic planning, crisis response, and student conduct. With experience across R1, HSI, MSI, AANAPISI, and international institutions, he has helped close equity gaps and elevate student well-being through policy, practice, and organizational culture change.
Dr. Reneau holds a Ph.D. in Adult and Community Education, executive education credentials from Harvard and Stanford, and a master’s in counseling. His leadership and scholarship have been recognized with national awards from NASPA and ACPA. He serves as a faculty member and thought partner for numerous national institutes and foundations dedicated to inclusive excellence and transformative leadership in higher education.
Guided by the belief that leadership is about becoming whole—not perfect—Dr. Reneau champions the inherent dignity of all people. His work empowers individuals and institutions to create learning environments where students feel seen, supported, and inspired to thrive.
Esther Rosbrook
Director of Africana Latin Asian Native American (ALANA) Cultural Center
Colgate University
Esther Rosbrook, EdD, MSci, MA (she/her) is a scholar practitioner with about three decades of professional experience, holding a business degree from the University of Indonesia, a Master of Science in Education from the State University College at Buffalo, a Master of Psychology from Colgate University, and a Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from Northeastern University. Her diverse career includes significant roles in international and multinational corporations, where she specialized in international relations, finance, public relations, and communication.
In higher education, Rosbrook has been deeply committed to fostering inclusive environments that support student growth and equity. She has contributed to the Office of Residential Life and the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at Colgate University, where her work focused on creating spaces of belonging and amplifying student voices. As a trained intergroup dialogue facilitator, she is passionate about advancing social justice, delivering DEIBA (Diversity Equity Inclusion Belonging Anti-racism) workshops, and leading training sessions on multiculturalism, organizational leadership, and anti-racism initiatives. Rosbrook is an experienced instructional and curriculum designer, in inclusive pedagogy, and teaching methodologies, with a robust background in project management, strategic communication, conflict mediation and intergroup dialogue, organizational behavior and change management. Beyond her role in higher education, Rosbrook is the chairwoman of the Coalition of Women’s Identities in ACPA for 2023-2025, in the ACPA Ethics Task Force, and serves as an instructor in Champlain College’s MBA Program.
Registration Information
Registrants are encouraged, but not required, to register for both the Master’s Student Conference and the Grad Connections Program.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIY
he Mid-Level Community of Practice is offering a scholarship to attend the 2026 Donna M. Bourassa Mid-Level Management Institute. MLCOP will cover the registration cost for one ACPA member to attend this transformational professional development opportunity. We encourage you to read about MMI on the website and then consider applying for this scholarship opportunity by August 15th! Send any questions to mlcop@acpa.nche.edu.
Membership Rate Agreement
In order to qualify for member rates for the Donna M. Bourassa Mid-level Management Institute, membership with ACPA must be valid through 31 January 2026. You must have your own individual membership. ACPA Members who purchase a Donna M. Bourassa Mid-level Management Institute Registration understand their membership needs to be active through 31 January 2026. If it is not active prior to the start of the Donna M. Bourassa Mid-level Management Institute you will not be provided with your Donna M. Bourassa Mid-level Management Institute Event credential unless you renew your membership or pay the difference between the non-member and member registration cost.
Payment and Cancellation Policy
Registrations can be paid by check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express. All fees must be prepaid. Purchase orders are not accepted. Refunds will be given for cancellations received by 5 December 2025. Cancellations must be sent to info@acpa.nche.edu. After 5 December 2025, there are no refunds. ACPA reserves the right to charge a service fee of US $50 for returned checks. Registrations are non-transferable. The institute may be canceled or postponed due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. In these cases the fees will be fully refunded; however ACPA will not be responsible for other additional costs or expense, including cancelation/change charges assessed by airline and/or travel agencies.
