MGA's Jenia Bacote, J.D., executive director and Equal Opportunity/University Title IX coordinator, and Dr. Rod McRae, Ed.D., vice provost of Education Outreach, are amongst the 2024-2025 graduates of the University System of Georgia's Executive Leadership Institute.
The University System of Georgia (USG) has graduated its 2024-2025 Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) cohort, including 39 faculty and staff members from 23 USG institutions and the University System Office. This year’s cohort convened on Aug. 24, 2024 and is the 15th cohort to graduate from the program. Scholars graduated at the USG-ELI Celebration Luncheon held on April 22, 2025.
Since 2009, USG has hosted ELI for faculty and staff to develop new leaders within the university system and offer professional development opportunities to help them grow their careers in Georgia. University presidents nominate academic and staff leaders to participate. From the nominees, individuals are selected for the program and participate in a leadership development curriculum that includes content, personal reflection, job shadowing and cross-mentoring.
Job shadowing in the USG ELI program is a critical component of leadership development - with Jenia job shadowing Karin Elliott, Vice Chancellor for Human Resources at the USG and Rod job shadowing President Cathy Cox at GCSU.
"The USG ELI program stretched my impact as a leader and positioned me for a variety of opportunities in the future," said Jenia Bacote, J.D.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate as an ELI Scholar last year. Learning more about effective leadership and collaboration within the USG has helped me to serve MGA better," said Dr. Rod McRae.