USG’s Executive Leadership Institute proves valuable for one of GCSU’s own

Director of Student Health Services Dr. Angie Childre, MSN, APRN, ’95, ’21, recently completed the University System of Georgia’s Executive Leadership Institute.

ELI strengthens core leadership skills in strategy, engagement, collaboration and execution. The program requires an investment of approximately 120 hours of the leader’s time over an eight-month period. 

ELI enhances leadership competencies of those in leadership positions in the USG system with the following tactics.

Monthly meetings are held where each scholar performs an intensive self-reflection.

“Through this reflection, I learned there can be a gap in different levels of leadership and different personality styles,” Childre said. “Our challenge, as scholars, was to determine how to bridge that gap to become a next level leader and to determine how to overcome the obstacles that can often get in our way of that journey.”

Cross-mentoring groups are paired with scholars from the USG institutes to have deeper discussions and to push each other to explore new steps in leadership.

“I valued the structured conversations for feedback and the accountability that came from these very personal sessions,” Childre said.



Each scholar had the opportunity to job shadow an executive leader at a host institution for 40 hours. Childre shadowed Dr. Kathy Schwaig, president of Kennesaw State University, who taught her to “stand in your authority;” something she won’t forget.

“Through close observation of Dr. Schwaig, I was able to see all that I had learned and inspired to be in real time,” Childre said. “This experience was truly transformational to me.”

She looks forward to incorporating these and many other concepts learned from the program in her role daily.

“The program has given me a fresh look to be open to the perspectives of others,” Childre said.  

“I also learned that you must prioritize growth for it to happen, even if that means leaning into challenges,” she said.

“I’m very grateful and honored I had this opportunity,” Childre said. “It is rare for anyone to have this kind of time dedicated to such intentional training on leadership. It’s also important for others in the USG system to participate in these type programs because it is designed to ‘develop the talent within.’”