Dr. Jamal Cooks, President, Chabot College, participated in the League's Aspiring CEO Program in 2022. He shared his advice to future California Community College CEOs, encouraging them to apply.

The Community College League of California has opened applications for this year’s cohort of Aspiring CEOs. This program has helped grow emergent leaders in the California Community Colleges system and Chabot President Jamal Cooks is no exception. While President Cooks is finishing his first year as a college president, celebrating many achievements with students and organizations, he made time to reflect on the value of his experience in the Aspiring CEO Program.

The Aspiring CEO Program is designed to identify and prepare future California Community Colleges CEOs through the process of self-assessment and skill development. Cooks began the program as a college administrator, wanting to learn more and determine if he was ready for the next step in his career. After completing the first few modules, he was confident enough in his abilities to begin applying for a president position. “The self-assessment model gave me the confidence for the application,” said Cooks.

Cooks continues to use the resources provided in the program and the connections he made to influence his leadership style and decision making. He intends to bring more of the knowledge from the Aspiring CEO program into strategies for his next year of presidency.

Cooks offers advice to those considering applying to the Aspiring CEO Program, “There is no perfect time to apply for this program,” he explained. "Joining this program is a commitment and you will get out of it what you put into it. This program gives you the opportunity to slow down, be reflective, and think about the future of your career. It provides an opportunity to create your network and build resources to make an informed decision on where you are headed.”

The Aspiring CEO Program is accepting applications for the 2024 cohort through June 17.  Those in vice president or vice chancellor roles exploring the possibility of transitioning into a CEO position at a California community college should seek their manager’s endorsement, provide brief statements about their leadership aspirations, and include their resume in their application.