“One of the things that my hiring president said to me was that you have this accounting background, you can’t table it.” -Dr. Angela Sims
Our guest today is Dr. Angela Sims, the President of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. Dr. Sims is the first woman President of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, she’s the first President to lead the school at its new location, and she’s also the first black woman President to lead any Rochester area college.
Some of you might remember Dr. Rebecca Basinger from an earlier episode. As I was finishing up the conversation with Rebecca that day, I asked her for the names of a couple of people that she thought would make an interesting guest. Dr. Sims was at the top of her list.
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“It was individuals who were saying, ‘You can’t bifurcate yourself. God has provided you with all of these experiences. It’s up to you to understand the ways in which those experiences can be integrated and used in support of an institution’s mission and vision.’” -Dr. Angela Sims
Show Notes
[1:50] – We’re introduced to Dr. Angela Sims and learn about some of the early experiences in her career that shaped who she is today.
[4:50] – Dr. Angela gives us a thumbnail sketch of her academic career prior to her presidency.
[7:38] – We hear about how Dr. Angela’s early career path was possible because of the ways her colleagues had invested in her.
[9:42] – How does someone who enjoys the classroom make the move to administration?
[11:33] – This is how Dr. Angela made the decision that leadership at Crozer was right for her.
[12:52] – Dr. Angela provides commentary about the location of her institution.
[15:24] – Inheriting the location was also an opportunity. Dr. Angela explains how.
[16:07] – The way Dr. Angela has used social media allows her team to connect with the community beyond the geographical location.
[18:56] – What would the interview process look like for a senior position on Dr. Angela’s staff?
[20:55] – This is the most difficult part and the most exciting part about working for Dr. Sims, in her opinion.
[21:40] – We hear how Dr. Angela uses the board for fundraising.
[24:39] – Does Dr. Angela use her board in strategic planning?
[26:56] – Dr. Angela shares her thoughts about whether she believes the board talks enough about risk.
[29:30] – Dr. Angela reveals how she and her board evaluated her annual evaluation.
[32:10] – Does Dr. Sims bring her senior staff to board meetings for parts of the meeting?
[33:12] – Tommy brings the conversation to a close with his closing questions about do-overs and advice for the next generation of nonprofit leaders.
“My predecessor understood the importance of thinking about the ways in which allegiance to a particular location should not take precedence over understanding the significance of the institution’s mission.” -Dr. Angela Sims
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