A Journey in Leadership

We must put into motion the innovation that is required of us to build a positive future for our university.

• Nicole Hill’s 2023 University General Meeting Remarks

As Dr. Nicole Hill’s time as interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs ends, Ship is thankful for her dedication and innovative approach in working toward an even brighter future for the university. As she transitions back to her role as dean of the College of Education and Human Services, Hill will carry the experience with her as she continues to serve as a talented leader in the Division of Academic Affairs.

Upon completing her studies at Ohio University, Hill began her career in counselor education at Idaho State University. Over the course of 11 years, she advanced from assistant to adjunct professor, managing admissions and procedures for master’s and doctoral students. In 2014, Hill joined Syracuse University as chair of the Counseling Department, placing accreditation and inclusivity at the forefront of her work there.

Her impressive background in leadership led to her nomination for the position of dean of the College of Education and Human Services in 2017. Over the years, Hill has continued to positively impact the university, spanning well beyond the College of Education and Human Services.

In 2021, she stepped into the role of interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs following the retirement of Dr. Tom Ormond. Hill’s main goal as provost was to “create coherence and synergy” across various departments that would further enhance student success.

In this role, she took on leading efforts to increase student retention. She assisted with unifying the Continuing Academic Progress and Success (CAPS) program, which helps students achieve success through academic recovery services. During her time in the role Ship recorded a 7.5 percent increase in first-to-second-year student retention rates. This growth can be attributed to the initiatives that Hill championed across various divisions.

The Summer Bridge Program offers an extended orientation experience for high school graduates with GPAs below 2.5. Students take college-level courses and reside on campus, and those who meet preestablished academic standards have the opportunity to continue at Ship into the fall semester. Hill’s support led to the expansion of this program, and increased Summer Bridge student retention.

The First-Year Advising Program experienced a transformation with the support of Hill as well. She collaborated with her team and others to implement co-advising in all UNIV 101 sections and established the Just Ask Advising Center for drop-in services for students.

Dr. Tracy Schoolcraft, associate provost and interim dean for Exploratory Studies, worked closely with Hill on several of these initiatives.

“The positive energy, enthusiasm, and joy that she brings to her work also makes her leadership unique in higher education. During her time as interim provost, she provided a vision, direction, and goals.  Her support and guidance made it easy to meet those goals.  She made sure that we made progress,” said Schoolcraft.

Hill worked with Dr. John Kooti, dean of the John L. Grove College of Business, on several signature events and a few new and exciting opportunities.

“She actively participated in numerous college events, including the Beta Gamma Sigma induction ceremony and the Investment Management Program. Notably, she accompanied me in signing the dual degree agreement with Geneva Business School in Barcelona. I find her to be an authentic leader whose value-aligned and mission-driven decision-making has significantly helped the university meet its mission, particularly in student success and career readiness”.

Collaborative relationships, like those she shared with Kooti and Schoolcraft are what Hill prioritized as a leader, along with a commitment to shared governance.

“As Provost, you set the tone of expectation of shared governance. Working collectively, even with differences of opinion, to actualize positive outcomes for students and the campus has been incredibly rewarding,” said Hill.

Reflecting on her time as provost, Hill worked hard to look at everything through a strategic lens.

“Creating a coherent and aligned strategy has always been my focus. It’s about saying, ‘Here are our points of excellence, here’s our strategy’, and this is where we are headed”.

Transitioning Back to Dean

As Hill returns to the role of dean, she plans to utilize the insights and experiences she gained as provost.

“You’re forever changed by your experiences,” she noted. “My cognitive framework and empathy have expanded, and I think I’ll be more enterprising and strategic as a dean.”

One of the key lessons Hill learned as provost was the importance of challenging conventional boundaries. “I tried to model my own authentic way of being a provost, which helped me overcome the constraints of traditional roles. I plan to bring this same mindset to the deanship, being less tied to one way of operating and more open to innovative approaches,” she said.

Hill is excited about the potential for collaborative success at Shippensburg University. “I want to be a catalyst for initiatives that aren’t just tied to my role, but benefit the entire institution, “ she remarked. Hill is determined to bring an enterprising energy and collaborative spirit to everything she does at Ship.