Lester Earns Fulbright Award, Selected for National Leadership Academy

Mon, 07/28/2025 - 12:15am | By: Dr. David Tisdale

Dr. Kelly Lester, associate provost for faculty success at The University of Southern Mississippi, has been selected for two prestigious national honors: a Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Award and a spot in the 2025 Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA), co-sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI).

The Fulbright IEA Award is a two-week, fully funded seminar for U.S. higher education administrators to explore the host country鈥檚 higher education system, exchange best practices, and build global partnerships. Participants gain a cross-cultural perspective, increase their institution鈥檚 international visibility, and open doors to collaboration with colleagues and students around the world.

As part of the Fulbright program, Lester will visit Reims, Troyes and Paris to meet with institutional leaders, explore opportunities for partnerships with French institutions, and examine how the arts are integrated into academic curricula.

She is joined by Southern Miss Senior Associate Provost for Institutional Success Dr. Douglas Masterson, who also received a Fulbright IEA Award. Masterson will spend two weeks in Germany engaging in similar programming focused on that country鈥檚 higher education system.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful way for me to deepen my understanding of France鈥檚 higher education system and explore how research and experiential education are intertwined in the curriculum in French institutions,鈥� said Lester.

Lester is one of just 30 higher education leaders nationwide selected for BAPA, a year-long leadership development program for aspiring chief academic officers that provides training in areas of critical concern to provosts and emphasizes peer-to-peer networking and mentorship.

Since 2016, 135 BAPA participants have advanced to provost positions at AASCU member institutions, and 36 have become presidents or chancellors.

鈥淭hrough the various roles I have served in at Southern Miss, I keep the student experience front of mind,鈥� said Lester. 鈥淗ow can the work that faculty and staff contribute lead our students on a path to success and toward their personal goals? The opportunities afforded by the Fulbright Award and BAPA will allow me to explore approaches that can ignite ideas for our collective work at 网曝吃瓜.鈥�

A nationally recognized expert in faculty development and student success, Lester joined 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 School of Performing and Visual Arts faculty in 2008. In 2018, she was named the inaugural director of the Center for Faculty Development. She became associate vice provost for teaching and learning in 2022 and assumed her current role in 2024.

Her contributions to higher education have earned multiple accolades, including being named a Fellow of AASCU鈥檚 Emerging Leaders Program in 2022. That same year, she received the Southern Miss Distinguished Friend of Student Affairs Award. In 2020, she earned the College of Arts and Letters Dean's Award for Exemplary Leadership and Service, and in 2024, the SUNY Brockport Alumni Association recognized her with an Outstanding Service Award.

鈥淲e are honored to see Dr. Lester named a Fulbright Scholar for International Education Administrators and selected for BAPA,鈥� said Dr. Lance Nail, Southern Miss provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. 鈥淜elly carries with her a portfolio of great achievements and positive outcomes as our associate provost, and we know she will return from both of these prestigious opportunities with fresh and innovative approaches to improving teaching, learning and scholarship at Southern Miss.鈥�