Ram Leadership Collaborative
Charging Forward
The Ram Leadership Collaborative is a professional development program designed to identify and cultivate emerging leaders within our Colorado State University community.
Administered and led by Dr. Kimberly Miloch, Chief of Staff and Associate Vice Provost for Organizational Leadership and Academic Strategy in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President, and in collaboration with Talent Development, the Ram Leadership Collaborative will introduce faculty and staff to the joys and complexities of leadership, identify emerging leaders within our CSU community, and cultivate a collaborative community of practice among leaders across the university. It builds a pipeline of visionary leaders who understand and embody the pillars of our land-grant mission of education, service, extension, and research.
The Collaborative is specifically intended to identify and develop faculty and staff who aspire to serve in leadership roles at the manager, director, and department head/chair roles (or higher) across CSU. Cohort membership is for one-year, with the option for a second year which engages participants in a hands-on project with a mentor.
Apply for the Collaborative
Deadline: Monday, May 12, 2025
To apply, email [email protected] with the following materials:
- Membership Application Form, and
- One letter of support from your unit head or department chair (one page max).
Benefits of Participation
- Customized professional leadership development training
- Comprehensive knowledge of CSU operations and the state of higher education in Colorado
- Career mapping, networking, values assessment, and goal-setting
- Identification of leadership style, strengths, and opportunities for growth
- Completion of the Five Paths of Leadership Assessment and Clifton Strengths
- Group Coaching
- Mentorship
Mission and Roadmap 2035
Administered by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President in collaboration with Talent Development, the Ram Leadership Collaborative serves multiple essential purposes.
Core Mission Advancement
To develop leaders across the university who deeply understand and can advance our land-grant mission of teaching, research, service, and extension/outreach throughout all communities in Colorado.
Leadership Development
To provide structured development and mentorship that prepares participants for higher leadership at the manager, director, department chair/head level or above and build collaborative leadership skills necessary for addressing complex institutional and community challenges.
Institutional Transformation
To create a community of practice that fosters innovation in addressing the university’s strategic priorities while enhancing institutional resilience through succession planning and leadership continuity.
Community Connection
To prepare leaders who can strengthen relationships between our land-grant mission and Colorado’s rural, urban, and mountain communities.
Through this Collaborative, we aim to ensure that our land grant university continues to serve as a catalyst for progress, excellence, innovation, and positive change throughout Colorado, while preparing the next generation of institutional leaders who understand our distinctive mission and place in the state’s educational landscape.
What to Expect
Year 1
Guided by Talent Development’s Four Themes of self-discovery, people-centric skills, team effectiveness, and systems thinking, participants will engage in personal leadership development through a variety of assessments; learn strategies for forming and leading strong teams; gain a deeply comprehensive understanding of CSU operations; and engage in robust discussions on what it means to lead at a land-grant research university.
The program includes one orientation, attendance at a CSU Board of Governors meeting, and eight sessions beginning in September 2025 and ending in April 2026. All sessions will be conducted on Fridays, and with exception for emergency situations, participants are expected to be in attendance for all sessions noted below.
Ram Leadership Collaborative 2025-26 Session Dates
Spring 2025
June 2
2-3 p.m.
Orientation | Teams
Fall 2025
September 5
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lunch provided
September 26
1-5 p.m.
October 9-10*
CSU System Board of Governors
Fort Collins
October 24
1-5 p.m.
November 14
1-5 p.m.
*BOG meeting in Fort Collins; Participants may attend any morning or afternoon session over the course of the two days.
Spring 2026
January 23
1-5 p.m.
February 13
1-5 p.m.
March 27
1-5 p.m.
April 24
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lunch provided
Year 2
In Spring 2026, participants may elect to continue in the Collaborative for a second year. The second year will also require completion of an administrative leadership project.