Led by President Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D., Stetson University served as a Presidential Sponsor for the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Women’s Network of Florida. The event was held April 27 at the University of Central Florida.

The ACE Women’s Network operates in each state with a state chair who works with public and private colleges and universities to identify, develop and support the advancement of women into leadership positions in higher education.

In December, the Florida network asked Libby to become a Presidential Sponsor, helping to “bring recognition to and encourage participation” in the group. Libby also was asked to appoint one senior administrator to the Florida network’s Executive Board, and she selected Lua Hancock, Ph.D., Stetson vice president of Campus Life and Student Success.

“I see it as the responsibility and duty of women in current leadership positions in higher education to support the advancement of the ACE Women’s Network of Florida,” Libby said. “It is through our collaboration across public and private institutions that we can have the most impact on behalf of the educators and administrators who are ready to move into senior positions.”

In addition, Stetson’s participation involves a new Stetson group that began meeting in April to share information and leadership-development opportunities. The group is directed by Hancock and Rosalie Richards, Ph.D., Stetson’s associate provost for Faculty Development.

The ACE Women’s Network of Florida includes six Presidential Sponsors. Aside from Stetson, they are UCF, Florida State College at Jacksonville, University of South Florida, Florida International University and Florida Institute of Technology. The state chair is Lisa Guion Jones, Ph.D., UCF’s associate provost for Strategy and Special Assistant to the President, and a professor of Higher Education.

Following the April 27 event, Jones thanked Libby for her role.

“We were all encouraged to see your dedication to hiring and developing women leaders displayed by the outstanding women representing Stetson who were in the room,” Jones noted in an email to Libby.

-Cory Lancaster