Keith Hall Selected as Inaugural CCCU Presidential Fellow

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) announced that Keith Hall, EdD, vice president for student belonging and chief diversity officer at Azusa Pacific University, was selected as one of the first annual Presidential Fellows, alongside Ted Song, PhD (John Brown University) and Sarah Visser PhD, MEd ’04 (Calvin University).

“A wise, honest, and servant-hearted leader has the power to inspire learning, build connections and transform communities,” said Shirley Hoogstra, president of the CCCU. “Keith, Ted, and Sarah are already prominent leaders in their respective communities, and the CCCU is honored by their ‘yes’ to this opportunity.”

The presidential fellow program is a new, year-long fellowship to prepare leaders to answer the call to Christian college presidency. Each year, the CCCU will select 1-3 individuals for the fellowship who currently serve or have previously served as CCCU commissioners and who demonstrate exceptional strength of character, competence, and leadership potential.

“I am thrilled with the selection of Dr. Keith Hall for the inaugural Presidential Fellows program with the CCCU,” said APU President Adam J. Morris, PhD. “Dr. Hall is a seasoned professional with a deep love for students and an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. He will thrive in this program and will continue to be used by God to advance the work of Christian higher education long into the future.”

Hall is a member of the President’s Cabinet and provides strategic leadership and oversight to the Athletics Department, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Student Affairs. He leads ongoing efforts to cultivate a university culture and climate that enables the diverse demography of faculty, staff, and students at APU to thrive and experience belonging. To accomplish this goal, Hall works collaboratively with administrative, curricular, cocurricular, and student leaders to employ strategic initiatives that enrich the holistic experience of all students across the university system.

Prior to moving to Southern California, Hall was a psychology instructor at Tennessee State University and director of multicultural affairs at Lipscomb University. He earned a BS in Psychology at Middle Tennessee State University, an MS in Counseling Psychology at Tennessee State University, and an EdD in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine University.

“I am humbled and honored to be invited to participate in the CCCU's Presidential Fellow Program with two individuals that I regard as colleagues and friends,” Hall said. “In a world that is ever changing and filled with brokenness, hopelessness, and a need for God-sized solutions, I am convinced that Christian higher education continues to be relevant in producing faith-informed scholars, scholarship, practitioners, and practices that address complex challenges with purpose and resolve.”

During the one-year fellowship program, Presidential Fellows will access numerous opportunities for professional development, leadership development and networking. Opportunities, including:

• attending board meetings of the CCCU Board of Directors
• serving on a board committee
• attending the CCCU Presidents Conference in Washington, D.C.

These leaders are experienced facilitators of the CCCU Leadership Development Institute and will continue to serve in that role. They are also able to shadow a college president as part of the year-long appointment. These opportunities provide the Presidential Fellows with unique access to executive-level decision-making, presidential networking and engagement with key issues affecting faith-based education at a national level.