Chair of psychology among 20 nationwide selected for CCCU leadership institute

Chair of psychology among 20 nationwide selected for CCCU leadership institute

CCCU's Multi-Ethnic Leadership Development Institute is a one-year mentorship that targets emerging leaders of color.

By Janel Shoun-Smith | 615-966-7078 | 01/16/2025

In 2024, Douglas Ribeiro, Lipscomb's chair of psychology, counseling and family science, was selected as one of 20 participants nationwide in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) Multi-Ethnic Leadership Development Institute (M-E LDI), a one-year mentorship and professional development program that targets emerging leaders of color from all CCCU campuses nationwide.

The CCCU invites to the institute applicants from current faculty and staff of color who sense a giftedness and calling to consider or advance into leadership roles within their Christian campuses. The institute's facilitators are senior-level CCCU leaders who offer a program combining substantive leadership content as well as time for reflective soul-care that invites hearing God's voice and direction.

M-E LDI includes a five-day, intensive retreat, an individually tailored "shadowing" experience with a senior-level leader on another CCCU campus, professional networking with current and emerging leaders, discussion of cutting-edge leadership issues; guidance to outline a year-long professional development plan and opportunities to interact about best practices within and beyond Christian higher education.

Ribeiro traveled to Seattle this past summer for the retreat focused on creating opportunities for conversation, supportive networking and equipping Christian leaders of color with the knowledge to discern their professional path in Christian higher education.

Session topics included what it means to be a cabinet-level leader, best leadership practices, and understanding and responding to competing campus interests in diversity discussions.

"One of the powerful things about the retreat was discussing how to be a leader even when you might not see people like you in positions of leadership," said Ribeiro. "I am an immigrant myself, and I have been blessed and given so many opportunities to grow professionally, but the retreat really opened my eyes to not only being blessed but to also blessing, and leading, in a place that has welcomed me."

This month Ribeiro shadowed his M-E LDI mentor, Doug Daugherty, the dean of Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University in Los Angeles, California, continuing their communication about what Christ-centered leadership looks like.

"This experience is an invaluable step in my professional development, and I'm looking forward to gaining insights that will help me grow as a leader in higher education," Ribeiro said of his shadowing experience.

Ribeiro said he is excited to be advancing his leadership skills from a Christian perspective and hopes to eventually become a dean. Reflecting on how he has been mentored by high education leaders to rise to the level of department chair, he is interested in learning effective ways to pass on that mentorship to students and other academics, he said.

Ribeiro joined Lipscomb in 2012 as an assistant professor. He became chair of the department of psychology, counseling and family science in 2022 and achieved full professor rank in 2024.