Hector Iweka of NHTI Selected for Rising Presidents Fellowship
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) announced today that Hector Iweka, Vice President for Academic and Workforce Education at NHTI-Concord’s Community College is one of 40 leaders selected for the 2025-26 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship. Rigorously selected from over 120 applicants, fellows will explore more than a decade of Aspen research on how institutions can improve student success and apply those insights to their own work.
Many sitting community college presidents plan to retire in the next decade, creating an opportunity for college trustees and system heads to select leaders who have the skills and knowledge to achieve better outcomes for students. Aspen Presidential Fellows represent the next generation of college leaders. This year’s fellowship represents institutions located in 19 states, ranging from small rural to large urban colleges.
The fellows will work closely with highly accomplished community college presidents and thought leaders over ten months to learn from field-leading research, examine demographic and labor market conditions in their communities, assess student outcomes at their colleges, and advance a clear vision for excellent outcomes for all their students—both during college and after graduation.
“The Rising Presidents Fellowship is extraordinarily prestigious. Honoring Dr. Iweka’s successful career in higher education, the fellowship is an unparalleled opportunity to continue his professional growth,” said NHTI president, Patrick Tompkins. “Dr. Iweka is leading NHTI’s faculty through the challenges of change in higher education, and we’re very proud of this additional achievement.”
Josh Wyner, executive director of Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program said, “Our research on excellent colleges reveals that they have a few big things in common: They have presidents who focus on a few large-scale reforms that transcend enrollment and completion goals and centrally focus on whether graduates are set up to succeed in the next stage of their lives—either the world of work or at a university where they aim to earn a bachelor’s degree.” Wyner continued, “This cohort of fellows is clearly committed to advancing student success and has the talent to lead transformational reforms. We are really looking forward to our year with them in the fellowship and bringing their talents into our alumni network.”
Rising Presidents Fellows are chosen based on their commitment to student success, the extent to which they exhibit the characteristics of excellent presidents revealed in Aspen’s research, and interest in pursuing a college presidency within five years of completing the fellowship. As Aspen Presidential Fellows, they join a network of over 430 forward-thinking peers—197 of whom are sitting college presidents—who are applying concrete, grounded, and innovative strategies to meet student success challenges at their colleges.
The Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship is made possible by the generous support of the Burton Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, College Futures Foundation, and the Mellon Foundation.
For bios and photos of all 40 leaders, visit https://as.pn/RPF-C10
NHTI-Concord’s Community College is a dynamic public institution of higher learning that provides accessible, rigorous education for students, businesses, and the community. We create pathways for lifelong learning, career advancement, and civic engagement, offering 80+ academic programs to 4,600+ students annually. NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire and since 1969 has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, a nongovernmental, nationally recognized accrediting agency. Learn more at nhti.edu.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes—with the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole. For more information, visit highered.aspeninstitute.org.
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org.
