MSU faculty members conclude SEC Academic Leadership Development Program as fellows

Contact: Carl Smith

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State is honoring four administrators and faculty members who wrapped up their tenures as 2024-2025 Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program fellows this summer—a prestigious designation recognizing emerging leaders in higher education.

Established in 2008, the ALDP identifies, prepares and promotes academic leaders within the SEC and beyond. Fellows holding leadership positions and academic specialties are selected through a competitive process, and they participate in individual university development programs and attend two conferencewide workshops per year.

MSU’s 2024-2025 SEC ALDP class includes:

—Bimal Balakrishnan, associate dean and professor in the College of Architecture, Art and Design

—Daniel Gadke, associate dean of the College of Education, professor and head of the Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations

—Laura Marler, professor and head of the Department of Management and Information Systems within the College of Business

—David Nolen, associate dean and professor, University Libraries

“The 2024-2025 cohort of SEC ADLP Fellows is an exceptionally engaging group of individuals, and it was a distinct privilege to have worked with them this past year. They have bright futures should they wish to pursue senior administrative positions in the academy,” said Executive Vice Provost Peter Ryan. “MSU is fortunate to have such talented, young administrators that can lead the university forward into an exciting second quarter of this century.”

Balakrishnan leads the Simulation and Interactive Visualization Applications Lab at MSU and has research and teaching interests focusing on the intersection of design, 3D visualization and human-computer interaction.

Gadke is a licensed psychologist, nationally certified school psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst who cofounded and codirects the university’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic, the largest comprehensive pediatric psychological, behavioral and academic training service clinic in the state. He also helped establish the Behavior Analysis Association of Mississippi, the state’s first guild organization for the field.

Marler, MSU’s Jim and Pat Coggin Endowed Professor of Management, cofounded and edits The Family Business Bulletin, providing research-based insights for family owned enterprises. She leads department-level initiatives that offer real-world learning opportunities for students and serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Small Business Management.

Nolen has held numerous positions within MSU Libraries, including co-coordinator of the Reference Department, Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library editor and reference librarian and liaison between Archives and Special Collections and library administration.

For more about the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program, visit www.thesecu.com/programs/sec-academic-leadership-development-program.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.