Debora Johnson-Ross, Wartburg College’s vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty, is the recipient of the Council of Independent Colleges prestigious Chief Academic Officer Award, recognizing her contributions to academic leadership throughout her career.
This is the highest award for a chief academic officer from CIC’s more than 700 member institutions.
“I am extremely honored to receive this award from my peers in higher education,” Johnson-Ross said. “My career, both in and out of the classroom, has always centered around the care and success of students, and as all educators know, the work is not done in isolation. I am grateful for the exceptional team that surrounds me every day at Wartburg. This award belongs to all of them, too.”
A higher education professional with a passion for the liberal arts and a commitment to the development of global citizens, Johnson-Ross began her tenure at Wartburg in January 2021. At Wartburg, she has led a comprehensive review and revision of the college’s decades-old general education curriculum and has overseen the development and approval of two new graduate programs. Faculty are now progressing through a comprehensive curriculum review that has already led to the revision of several majors, minors and interdisciplinary programs.
“It is a privilege to work with and learn from Debbi every day,” said Rebecca Ehretsman, Wartburg College president. “Her ability to execute meaningful change within academic affairs while preserving both collaboration with and trust from our faculty colleagues is truly remarkable. Wartburg College is blessed to have her as a leader, and she is so deserving of this national honor.”
Johnson-Ross serves on the Allen College Board of Trustees, Bryant Educational Leadership Group Executive Advisory Board, Common Ground on the Hill Board of Directors, CIC Chief Academic Officers Task Force, Higher Education Resource Services Board of Directors and the SEED Coalition board.
Prior to Wartburg, Johnson-Ross was the director of the Mayor’s Scholars Program at Baltimore City Community College. She has also served as the senior vice president of academic innovation at BridgeEdU, a company that was founded by anti-poverty advocate and author Wes Moore to increase college access and retention for underserved students. At McDaniel College in Maryland, Johnson-Ross started as a visiting scholar in 2001 and left in 2016 after serving five years as associate dean for academic affairs.
The Council of Independent Colleges is an association of nonprofit independent colleges and universities, state-based councils and higher education affiliates that works to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence and enhance public understanding of independent higher education’s contributions to society. The award recognizes a chief academic officer for their contributions to independent higher education and honors their exemplary service and work.
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