Dr. Heather Ashley Hayes, associate dean for graduate studies in the College of Communication & Information Sciences (C&IS), has been selected as one of The University of Alabama’s 2026–2027 fellows for the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program (SEC ALDP).
The program brings together faculty and administrators from across the SEC to strengthen their leadership skills, deepen their understanding of higher education administration and prepare them for continued leadership within their institutions. Each year, four UA faculty members are selected to participate in the program.
Hayes’s selection comes as she begins a new leadership role within C&IS. As associate dean for graduate studies, she works across the College to strengthen the graduate student experience and help shape the future of its graduate programs. At the same time, she remains an active scholar whose interdisciplinary research explores the intersections of communication, social change, accessibility and neuroscience.
That connection between scholarship and leadership has also earned recognition for other C&IS faculty. Earlier this year, Dr. Andrew Billings, associate dean for faculty and Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting, represented Alabama as the University’s recipient of the SEC Faculty Achievement Award. Selected by SEC provosts, the annual awards recognize faculty whose work advances knowledge, elevates their universities and reflects the highest standards of excellence across the conference.
Like Hayes, Billings serves in college leadership while maintaining an active research agenda. He serves as co-director of the Beyond Sports Initiative and editor-in-chief of Communication & Sport, with a body of scholarship focused on the intersection of sports media and identity.
Together, the recognitions reflect a model of faculty leadership within C&IS in which research and administration are not separate pursuits. As Hayes and Billings take on roles that help shape the College’s academic future, their scholarship continues to inform that work, further reinforcing research as a central pillar of the C&IS mission.
Through the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program, Hayes will build on that foundation by engaging with academic leaders from across the conference and bringing new perspectives back to C&IS.