When the call for proposals to host the 2025 IELOL became available, it was just as UW-Whitewater was starting to collaborate with our Universities of Wisconsin Office of Online and Professional Learning Resources (OPLR) to provide high-quality instructional design for a new dual enrollment program we’re developing.  It felt like the perfect time to work with OLC to host the institute in Wisconsin to showcase UW-Whitewater’s 25th anniversary in online education along with the amazing media and instructional design work of OPLR.  Our regional comprehensive experience on OPLR’s experience with over 25 Wisconsin collaborative programs uniting our 13 campuses would provide district and complementary perspectives to an institute on online learning.  When OLC formally offered the opportunity host the 2025 IELOL in Madison, WI (the headquarter city for OPLR and only 45 minutes from Whitewater), we were all thrilled!

I was so excited to be heading to IELOL 2020 hosted by the University of Central Florida when the world turned upside down that spring.  The experience shifted to a remote format, and while that gave me pause, if any organization should be able to deliver a high quality fully online experience, it would be OLC.  I wasn’t wrong as IELOL delivered a powerful experience, even as I didn’t leave my home office.  

I served as an interim associate dean for three years and had participated in many leadership trainings through the years, but this experience added depth and new perspectives to my existing knowledge base.  The “emerging leader” part of IELOL definitely includes those seeking their first formal leadership role, whether in online and blended learning or even more generally, but it also includes those who are in leadership roles but find themselves emerging into new responsibilities and new possibilities on the digital frontier.

IELOL came at just the right point in my professional journey as I moved into an interim director of learning technology role while continuing as an interim associate dean.  The wider lens of considering leadership, my personal brand, and making a business case for new initiatives served me well, even though I had previous training and experience in these areas.  

One session early in the IELOL experience helped me realize that IELOL was beneficial no matter where you on your leadership journey.  When I first started the session on “personal brand,” I did internally (or at least off-camera) roll my eyes just a little.  Would I really benefit from a discussion on selling myself?  I found myself challenged to rethink that assumption as it helped me to realize we are constantly “branding” ourselves in how we choose to interact with colleagues and senior leaders, what topics we are publicly passionate about, and all of the non-verbal messages we send.  Far from just being a surface-level chat on presenting yourself professionally and being present to be noticed, I was able to engage in some good reflection on how I had chosen to present myself as someone who could get projects done, engage in collaboration while not allowing it to eternally stall change, and be competent without being bureaucratic with the policies and procedures.

Beyond the formal curriculum and sessions, the informal leadership network that you gain by attending IELOL can really be an important support outside of your normal networks at your university or other place of employment.  Without a doubt, the team I worked with for planning our technology implementation proposal project was the heart of my experience.  I’ve stayed in contact with most of them for the four years since the experience.  Garvey Pyke, who has co-directed the two IELOL cohorts at UNC-Charlotte, provided invaluable insights not only in the course, but after the course as I navigated choices between remaining in learning technology or applying to become the Dean of Graduate Students and Continuing Education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.  I did end up successfully becoming the dean.

I’m looking forward to engaging with a new group of digital learning leaders this coming August during the lovely summer months between Lakes Mendota and Monona!  We’re excited to share some of our story, while learning as much from the excellent 2025 faculty and 2025 participants as we hope to share.  This field is exciting because it is so collaborative and always evolving!

Learn more OLC’s IELOL program and apply today.