A pair of standout educators at East Tennessee State University have earned a seat in the 2025-26 cohort of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), a prestigious national initiative designed to support the next generation of higher education leadership.
Dr. Carson Medley, director of Prestigious Awards, and Dr. Karla Leybold, director of the Quillen Honors Scholars Program, are among just 37 individuals selected nationwide. They are part of the largest cohort in the program’s 10-year history.
The program “is more than a leadership development opportunity. It’s an investment in the future of higher education,” said Kristin G. Esterberg, chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell and the executive sponsor. “We are proud to support our emerging leaders as they grow their skills, expand their networks and prepare to shape the future of student success and institutional excellence.”
Both honorees play a critical role in supporting ETSU students as they pursue ambitious goals.
Medley has helped ETSU students earn a record number of nationally competitive awards, including a historic nine recipients of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for spring 2025. ETSU has also celebrated back-to-back Truman Scholars under his mentorship, an extraordinary achievement that highlights the university’s growing national profile.
Leybold leads the Quillen Honors Scholars Program, a bold initiative that guarantees admission to the Quillen College of Medicine for five exceptional undergraduates each year. In addition to scholarship support, participants take part in immersive travel opportunities, both nationally and abroad, that allow them to see real-world applications of their classroom learning and build lasting connections with Quillen alumni.
Beyond the five guaranteed seats, other top students are admitted into the Quillen Honors Scholars Program each year, receiving the same benefits and a guaranteed interview with Quillen upon earning a 507 or higher on the MCAT.
Both Medley and Leybold are also assistant deans in the ETSU Honors College.
Through ELP, participants engage in intensive in-person and virtual learning experiences focused on communication, project management, change leadership, and leadership philosophy. The program begins this week with a kickoff session in Washington, D.C., and continues throughout the year with mentoring, campus-based projects and collaborative learning.
“These selections speak to the extraordinary caliber of leadership at ETSU and to our shared mission of preparing students for lives of purpose and impact,” said ETSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle. “We are proud of Dr. Medley and Dr. Leybold and look forward to seeing the outcomes of their work through this national platform.”
