ECU Professors Chosen for 2012 BRIDGES Leadership Program

Eight East Carolina University women have been chosen to participate in the 2012 BRIDGES program sponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Those selected for the program include Rebecca Dumlao, associate professor in the School of Communication; Dr. Hsiao Ling Lai, assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics; Amy McMillan, associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy; Tendai Ndabvonga, assistant director of the College of Business; Laura Prividera, associate director of the School of Communication; Teresa Tripp, assistant director of Laupus Library; and from the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Alethia Cook, assistant professor of political science; and Dr. Marieke Van Willigen, associate professor of sociology.

BRIDGES Academic Leadership for Women is an intensive professional development program for women in higher education who seek to gain or strengthen their academic leadership capabilities. It is designed to help women identify, understand and move into leadership roles within higher education. This year’s program will be held from Sept. 7 through Nov. 10.

 “I am honored to have been accepted into the program and look forward to the exceptional learning experience it promises to be,” said Cook. “While I feel that I have received an excellent education, any knowledge of leadership concepts or practices I have, have been accumulated passively…This is the first opportunity I have had to learn more formally about different leadership styles and strategies. I hope to improve my leadership skills and team management and motivation skills.”

Cook, who also serves as director of the Security Studies Interdisciplinary Program in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, teaches courses in security studies, politics of terrorism, global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Her research interests focus on various aspects of security and the challenges they pose to governments, including terrorism, civil conflict, warfare, weapons of mass destruction, pandemic disease and emergency response to disasters. She received two Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science/international relations and French, and her Master of Arts degree in political science from The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, and her PhD degree in public policy from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. When not working, Cook enjoys reading, kayaking, taking trips to the beach and cooking with friends.

“I am excited about the opportunity to focus on building my leadership skills and further developing my professional goals in an intensive environment with other women of such talent and skill,” said Van Willigen. “I am particularly inspired by the BRIDGES program focus on ‘transformational leadership.’ I look forward to being challenged by the program and its participants from across the state to look outside the box for new ways of doing things.”

In addition to her current roles as interim chair of the Department of Sociology and director of the Women’s Studies Interdisciplinary Program in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Van Willigen teaches courses on statistics, gender, adolescence and physical/mental health. Her research interests focus on gender, race and individual well being among adolescents. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y., and her Master of Arts and PhD degrees in sociology from The Ohio State University. When not working, Van Willigen happily runs after her active daughter.

For additional information about Van Willigen, contact her at 252-328-6092 or vanwilligenm@ecu.edu. For additional information about Cook, contact her at 252-328-5869 or cooka@ecu.edu. More information on the BRIDGES program may be found online at http://fridaycenter.unc.edu/pdep/bridges.