For more than 25 years, leadership development has stood as a central pillar for the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. Founded in the late 1990s, the CCCU’s Leadership Development Institutes (LDIs) have brought together nearly 800 emerging leaders in Christian higher education for four-day sessions exploring the latest leadership literature and real-word scenarios, along with deep discussions, spiritual discernment and encouragement, and mentorship.

Over the years, several different types of institutes have taken shape. The LDIs include the general Leadership Development Institute (LDI), the Women’s Leadership Development Institute (WLDI), the Multi-Ethnic Leadership Development Institute (MELDI), and various “advanced” or otherwise themed institutes. Throughout their history, the LDIs have served more than 450 female leaders and nearly 200 people of color.

Each institute brings together approximately 15-30 participants with a small group of facilitators, also called “resource leaders”—generally high-level Christian college leaders, such as presidents or vice presidents, who facilitate sessions, share wisdom, and help forge connections between attendees.

1998-2024

Former LDI Participants Who Have…

Become Christian College Presidents: 22

Moved into Cabinet-Level Roles: 111

Since their inception, all the LDIs have been hosted at the Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center, located two miles from the Canadian border near Bellingham, Washington. Next year’s LDIs will shift to a new location—The Cove in Asheville, North Carolina, where attendees will continue to find a stunning retreat in a geographical area that is more central to many CCCU institutions.

In this conversation, the CCCU’s Vice President of Communications Amanda Staggenborg, a two-time LDI attendee, joins five Christian higher education leaders who have made significant contributions to the LDIs as resource leaders. Together, they delve into the history, goals, content, and enduring impact of these unique professional development programs.

Amanda Staggenborg: Can you briefly describe your own involvement in the Leadership Development Institutes? What role(s) have you played, and how long have you been involved?

Karen Longman: I served for 19 years (1980-99) as the CCCU’s vice president for professional development & research. In that capacity, I oversaw the formation of the Leadership Development Institutes. I have directed or coordinated the Women’s Leadership Institute (WLDI) and Women’s Advanced Leadership Institute (WALI) offerings from 1998 through 2021.

Amy Bragg Carey: I first became involved in the Women’s Leadership Development Institute almost 20 years ago as an attendee when I was the vice president for advancement at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul, and then I have served as a resource leader several times.

Wayne Lewis: I have had the opportunity to serve as a resource leader twice. I also hosted LDI participants for shadowing visits twice. Additionally, I try to have at least one leader from my institution apply to participate in LDI each year. I have now sent three participants to LDI over my four years at Houghton.

Deana Porterfield: My first experience with the Leadership Development Institutes was in 2008. At that time, I was completing 20 years in enrollment management at Azusa Pacific University and transitioning from vice president of enrollment management to chief of staff. That summer, the CCCU hosted a Women’s Advanced Leadership Institute for past participants, and I was invited to attend—despite never having participated in an LDI before.

The next year, I returned as a facilitator and speaker. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to both WLDIs and WALIs in 2009, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021.

Angulus Wilson: I’ve had the privilege of experiencing the Leadership Development Institute from both sides of the table—first as a participant, and later as a resource leader. As a resource leader, I’ve served as chaplain for both the institute faculty and the participants, ministering to their spiritual needs and walking with them through the process. My journey began back in 2011 as a MELDI participant, and over the last seven years, I’ve been blessed to pour back into the very program that helped shape me.

Staggenborg: Dr. Longman, what can you tell us about the original goals of the LDIs?

Longman: CCCU campus leaders were asked to identify individuals who were evidencing leadership potential or increased leadership roles and capacity. Alongside my research as part of my role as program director for APU’s Ph.D. in higher education, we have focused greater attention on gender issues in leadership aspirations and experiences. We also focused on the leader identity development process (how individuals begin to see themselves as leaders, and to be seen by others as leaders) with the goal of encouraging and supporting the development of emerging leaders.

Staggenborg: As a facilitator, how have you gone about shaping the curriculum and structure for the institutes? How did you keep content fresh and relevant?

Porterfield: Curriculum topics were always developed collaboratively with the leadership team and grounded in the issues facing higher education leaders at that time. Dr. Karen Longman, then teaching in the higher education doctoral program at Azusa Pacific University, often introduced the latest research on university administration and female leadership. We paired this with what we were experiencing firsthand and what we heard from emerging leaders, ensuring the sessions spoke directly to current needs.

Wilson: Serving as chaplain at Wheaton College has prepared me well for guiding LDI participants. Every leader comes from a unique institutional context, and my goal has been to tailor a life-changing spiritual formation experience around the topics they are engaging in the program. In each cohort, we walk through a leadership-focused book, exploring biblical characters and how they navigated real-life challenges. We then apply those lessons directly to our own work in Christian higher education—making sure the principles we uncover are not just theoretical, but lived out in our daily leadership.

Staggenborg: In what ways do the LDIs integrate Christian faith with professional leadership development?

Longman: Faith and spiritual renewal has been a central component of every leadership development institute. Each day starts with a thoughtful devotional, sometimes led by participants and sometimes by spiritual formation professionals from CCCU campuses. Sessions at each LDI have often focused on spiritual renewal and spiritual vitality in the midst of the pressure of senior-level leadership. Worship and singing at various points in the daily agenda are complemented by extended breaks that allow for time in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Each institute has concluded with a participant-led “Commissioning Service” that sends participants back for Spirit-led leadership on their own campuses.

Wilson: Faith is not an add-on to LDI—it’s the foundation. Through intentional morning and evening sessions of Scripture reading, worship, prayer, and reflection, every cohort is invited to hear God’s voice afresh. The entire retreat setting is designed for both professional sharpening and spiritual renewal. Leaders aren’t just gaining tools for their vocation; they are deepening their walk with Christ and discerning His calling for both their life and their institution.

Lewis: I believe the LDIs’ integration of Christian faith with professional leadership development is its most powerful contribution. Participants benefit from hearing from and engaging with outstanding, currently practicing Chrisitan college leaders in a program that is intentionally interwoven with prayer, worship, and the building of Christian community. I never experienced anything like it as a participant. As a resource leader, I get as much out of the experience as participants—both spiritually and professionally.

Staggenborg: During the time you’ve been involved with the LDIs, have the needs of emerging leaders within Christian higher education shifted? How did the LDIs keep up with those needs?

Lewis: For leaders, the environment and context is continually changing. From political, social, and legal changes specific to Christian colleges and universities related to religious liberty, to changes pertaining to financial aid and diversity policy that have broader impact on the entire independent college sector, leaders are responsible for understanding how those shifts impact their institutions and finding ways to adapt and navigate changing realities.

It has been my experience that LDI resource leaders provide content for participants that includes both timeless leadership principles and strategies for navigating the current challenges institutions are facing.

Longman: The complexities and pressures facing senior-level leaders have expanded exponentially over time. Generational shifts in the student body, combined with the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of artificial intelligence have resulted in the need for updating what effective leadership requires. Today, pressures from the U.S. federal government combined with threats to financial aid, national data collecting, and deep cuts within the Department of Education add to the challenges.  The LDIs work well because the resource leadership each year has involved gifted cabinet-level individuals who are facing these same complexities on their home campus and can share “best practices” and lived experiences from similar campuses that also value the distinctives of a Christian postsecondary institution.

Porterfield: The need for a strong leadership pipeline has remained constant, but the urgency has grown—particularly around developing women and multi-ethnic leaders. The LDIs have responded by intentionally creating safe spaces where emerging leaders can explore next steps, gain clarity on leadership expectations, and discern God’s calling.

Staggenborg: Are there specific moments or milestones in the history of the LDIs that you view as pivotal?

Longman: Beginning the WLDI work in 1998 was pivotal. Women across CCCU campuses who were gifted and doing a lot of the work in third- and fourth-level position were encouraged to think about the benefits that would come from moving into more senior leadership. Those individuals in cabinet-level leadership were encouraged to “spot potential” and nominate women who were offering a great deal but had not yet been encouraged to consider senior-level roles.

The same would be true for the Multi-Ethnic LDIs, which began in 2011.

The launch of the Advancing Women in Leadership annual conferences would be a third—well over 2,000 people have participated in this initiative, which grew out of WALI gatherings.

Finally, the preparation of Thriving in Leadership and Diversity Matters—two books published by Abilene Christian University Press that emerged directly from the WLDI and MELDI work.  

Porterfield: To me, two initiatives stand out:

1. The launch of the Multi-Cultural Leadership Development Institute (MELDI): This created intentional pathways for diverse leaders, offering community and connection in what has often been a lonely journey on many campuses.
2. The launch of the Women’s Advanced Leadership Development Institute (WALI): This program focused on developing future presidents and senior leaders, encouraging participants to step boldly into new opportunities.

Wilson: One of the most significant milestones was the decision to add a worship component and a dedicated chaplain to the retreat. This created a sacred space for leaders to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the biblical foundations of their calling. It was more than a program change—it was a realignment with our core mission to serve Christ and His Kingdom through Christian higher education.

Staggenborg: What kind of impact have the LDIs had on participants? On their institutions? What about shadow visits?

Bragg Carey: The WLDI experience was formative for me in my work as a vice president and the only female leader on our cabinet at that time. It provided a network of amazing individuals that I could reach out to, and together we could support one another. I’ve heard similar comments from many other people who have been a part of an LDI, that it’s hard to put into words it has been so transformative. The connections and people that you meet have an impact on future career opportunities. When you’re able to connect with people from all over the country and gain insight into their world and their institution, it’s very helpful learning, but it also provides a great network of people resources that last well beyond the days at Cedar Springs.

Porterfield: For me personally, shadowing Dr. Kim Phipps at Messiah was transformational. It was the first time I had seen a female president with a leadership style similar to mine—it was inspiring, motivating, and humbling.

As I’ve hosted shadow visits myself, I’ve seen participants return to their campuses with new ideas and fresh energy, while also leaving insights with the institutions they visited. Shadowing expands our vision of what is possible, often revealing opportunities we may not have recognized for ourselves.

Wilson: Shadow visits have been life-changing for many of us. Walking alongside a seasoned academic leader in their own context opens your eyes to new possibilities and deepens your understanding of leadership. You gain practical wisdom that can’t be learned in a classroom—wisdom you carry back to your own campus. The LDI keeps leaders rooted in the mission of Christian higher education, reminding us that our work is part of God’s Kingdom agenda. No other form of training can match the integration of faith and leadership development we receive here.

Staggenborg: How do the LDIs contribute to the vitality of leadership within Christian colleges and universities?

Porterfield: Leadership is sustained through relationships, and the LDIs foster lasting networks of encouragement, accountability, and mutual support. Cohorts often stay connected well beyond the institute, sometimes through social media or ongoing peer groups.

The impact is visible across the CCCU: many alumni of the LDIs have stepped into advanced leadership roles on their campuses and beyond, strengthening the vitality of our institutions.

Bragg Carey: I think you just need to look at the number of presidents and cabinet-level leaders who have come through an LDI, and in that process expanded their influence and their leadership to take on these important roles in Christian education. It’s not only been an important training ground, but an important way to inspire and empower people to consider the next level of leadership.

Lewis: The impact of the LDIs includes increased leadership capacity and expanded networks for participants. Subsequently, participants’ increased capacity and expanded networks have a direct and positive impact on the institutions they serve.

Staggenborg: What are your hopes for the future of the LDIs in the next 5–10 years?

Wilson: I long to see LDI become a priority for every Christian institution. The spiritual formation of emerging leaders should be essential training, not optional. If we want to make disciples through Christian education, then we must invest in transforming our leaders. This model deserves to be celebrated and championed across North America and beyond.

Lewis: The LDI is a critically important part of the leadership development pipeline for CCCU institutions. My hope is that program remains strong and continues for many years to come.

Porterfield: I hope the LDIs continue to cultivate emerging leaders while also intentionally identifying and preparing cabinet-level leadership for our institutions. While no program can guarantee a role, the combination of professional development and spiritual formation provides leaders with clarity and readiness as they discern God’s call.

Bragg Carey: There are so many headwinds coming at higher education and particularly Christian higher education today. We’re going to need leaders prepared to take on these challenges, leaders with great resilience and a strong sense of calling. I believe that the LDI has been a critical part of building up leaders and emerging leaders to take on these challenges, so I sincerely trust it will continue to be this very special resource for many people over the next five to 10 years.

Staggenborg: For you personally, what has been the most rewarding aspect of engaging with the LDIs?

Lewis: By far, the most rewarding aspect of engaging with the LDIs has been relationships. Professional relationships and friendships that will last a lifetime began at LDI. As leaders, we very seldom have the opportunity to spend days of uninterrupted time building and nurturing relationships with colleagues, especially with colleagues from other institutions. Having that time together is a gift. I treasure the relationships that have grown from the very special time we spent together at LDI.

Longman: I have had the great privilege of meeting and interacting with almost all of the 800 past participants of the CCCU’s Leadership Development Initiatives hosted at Cedar Springs. I have consistently been impressed at the incredible individuals who are serving across the member campuses. Each June I have observed warm-spirited followers of Christ who are deeply loyal to and invested in their home campuses. While it is easy to be fully absorbed in the demands of a singular campus, the days at Cedar Springs have afforded opportunities to develop a national and international network of friends and colleagues that can help to carry Christian higher education effectively into the future. Spotting potential and assisting individuals to live into their full giftedness through the offerings at Cedar Springs has been one of the greatest joys of my life.

Porterfield: I would not be serving as a university president today without the encouragement I received at an LDI. Shortly after completing my doctorate, I participated as a resource leader and shared my journey with others. At that time, I wasn’t sure what was next for me. But the women around that table encouraged me to step forward. Within a year, both a colleague and I—who had made a mutual commitment at that WALI to explore leadership together—were serving as presidents.

That pivotal moment, and the relationships formed through the LDI, forever changed my trajectory.

Wilson: For me, the greatest joy has been building lifelong friendships with leaders across the country who share the same mission—advancing the Kingdom of God through their profession. I’m still in touch with cohorts from the last seven years, celebrating their growth and impact. These relationships are a gift I will cherish forever.

Bragg Carey: We learn best by teaching and sharing with others, and the ability to connect with so many amazing people through the years of my involvement with LDI has been so worthwhile. I would come back to campus fueled by a renewing experience, with an arm full of books, many resources to share, and great ideas. I am so blessed to have a small part in this important work of the CCCU.

Staggenborg: How has the work of developing leaders in Christian higher ed shaped your own understanding of leadership?

Longman: I’ve witnessed how both introverts and extroverts can be highly effective leaders. Overall, respect for individuals and relational skills are key, as is the ability to cast a compelling vision for a better future. When led well, Christian higher education has the potential to model the way of Jesus—where leaders have the integrity, humility, and people skills to “wrap others into those enthusiasms” of shaping future generations of students to make a difference in a world that continues to be full of need.

Porterfield: I’ve learned that you never truly “arrive.” Serving as a resource leader has given me the gift of self-reflection and growth alongside others. Leadership is a continual journey of learning, being shaped, and aligning ourselves with what God desires to do in and through us.

Wilson: The LDI has expanded my vision of leadership in Christian higher education. We live in a rapidly changing culture, and the need for Christ-centered leaders has never been greater. Jesus is the answer for the world today, and Christian higher education is one of His chosen venues for making disciples of all nations. Thank you, CCCU, for boldly living out the Great Commission in this way.

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Dr. Amy Bragg Carey serves as the President of Friends University. Dr. Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. serves as the President of Houghton University. Dr. Karen Longman serves as Professor Emerita at Azusa Pacific University. Dr. Deanna Porterfield serves as President of Seattle Pacific University. Rev. Dr. Angulus Wilson serves as Chaplain at Wheaton College.