Seven faculty and staff members from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) have been selected to join the 2025-26 cohort of the CU Excellence in Leadership Program. The participants will spend the academic year engaging in activities designed to develop leadership skills for working in higher education.
The 2025-26 UCCS cohort includes David Fehring, Director of Campus Recreation; Crista Hill, Director of Veteran and Military Affairs; Hillary Fouts, Dean of the Graduate School and Acting Associate Vice Provost for Research; Cindy Yee, Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Solveig Olsen, Teaching Professor in Visual and Performing Arts; Whitley Hadley, Director of the MOSAIC Resource Center; and Cliff Li, Assistant Professor of Finance.
Now entering its 25th year, the program gathers employees from all four CU campuses and the system office. Participants attend monthly workshops covering topics such as communications, fiscal management, and strategic thinking. In addition to these sessions with colleagues across campuses, UCCS members meet monthly with university cabinet members and are expected to propose a new project for UCCS during their time in the program.
Over its history, many UCCS employees have participated in this leadership initiative. The alumni list includes past directors, professors, deans, associate vice provosts, resource center leaders, and others who continue to serve or have served at various levels within the university.
