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BRECKENRIDGE, Colo.Five new presidents from CCCU schools joined together with five mentor presidents for the New Presidents Institute July 10-13, 2010, in Breckenridge, Colo.

The New Presidents Institute was designed for presidents within their first four years of tenure to come together to learn best practices, how to solve problems, and work with an experienced president in a mentoring relationship throughout the year following the Institute.

We obviously have a new group of presidents who are wanting to be all that God would expect them to be as leaders of Christ-centered campuses, says Loren Gresham, president of Southern Nazarene University (OK). My hope is that the mentor/mentee relationship will help make the first few years of my mentee's responsibilities more manageable and enjoyable. It's a great opportunity to serve in such a position, and to have someone with more experience come alongside the newcomer should be a blessing. I pray it will be so for my new friend and partner.

Newer president Hal Hoxie of Central Christian College (KS) says, The NPI was the perfect event at the perfect time for me to readjust my presidential sight picture. I feel invigorated to go and serve the Lord and my College.

Facilitators for the event were CCCU President Paul Corts and CCCU Government Relations and Executive Programs Director Shapri LoMaglio.

Sessions included:
-The Breadth and Scope of Your Role as President
-Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing- The Presidents Role of Spiritual Leadership for the Institution
-Major Issues Facing Christian Higher Education
-The President- Helping the Board Develop
-Caring for the President
-Survival Skills for Presidential Couples
-Transformational Leadership
-Visioning and Strategic Planning
-Resource Allocation: Budget Drives Vision & Plan
-The CFI and Institutional Financial Help
-Fund Raising Effectiveness
-Incarnate Leadership: Building a Healthy Academic Community
-How Presidents Succeed and Why They Fail

Several sessions were also devoted to the ongoing mentor/mentee relationship that began at the institute.

The New Presidents Institute is a great opportunity for those new to the role of president to learn from the experiences of those who have served in the job, says Lanny Hall, president of Hardin-Simmons University (TX). Presidential mentors and mentees have opportunities to learn from each other. Mentees are provided opportunities to use their mentors as sounding boards for ideas, dreams and aspirations for their institutions. As a veteran of two decades as a president, I only wish I could have had this experience in the first months of my first presidency. There are many common experiences in the presidency. For a mentee to learn from one who has already walked down that road is priceless.

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is a higher education association of 184 intentionally Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are now 109 member campuses in North America and all are fully-accredited, comprehensive colleges and universities with curricula rooted in the arts and sciences. In addition, 75 affiliate campuses from 24 countries are part of the CCCU. The Councils mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.