2008 NISOD International Leadership Award

Steve Kinslow
President/CEO
Austin Community College (TX)

Dr. Steve Kinslow was appointed President/CEO in June, 2005, and previously served ACC in the roles of Interim President; Executive Vice President of Academic, Student and Campus Affairs; Vice President of School Relations; Provost; Dean; and Associate Dean. He joined ACC in 1977. Dr. Kinslow has over 35 years experience in community college administration, in the areas of academic, student, and business affairs. He has also taught as an adjunct instructor of English and Human Development.

Prior to ACC, he worked for the Dallas County Community College District (El Centro College) and was a public school teacher in Big Spring, Texas.

He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master's Degree from Southern Methodist University, and a B.A. from the University of Texas at Arlington.

A tireless proponent of accessible, affordable higher education and training, Dr. Kinslow is proud of the diverse and unique role the community college plays in improving lives and communities.

Dr. Kinslow serves on the Board of Leadership Round Rock (having served as Chair three times), the Board of Directors of the Texas Association of Community Colleges, the ACC Center for Public Policy and Political Studies, the Board of the E3 Alliance, the Community Action Network Resource Council and as Vice Chair of the Texas Campus Compact. He previously was a Board Member of Skillpoint Alliance and Austin Partners in Education. Dr. Kinslow is a graduate of Leadership Austin and participates in a variety of community activities throughout Central Texas.

Vincent Tinto
Distinguished Professor
Syracuse University (NY)

Vincent Tinto received his Ph.D. in education and sociology from The University of Chicago. He has carried out research and has written extensively on higher education, particularly on student retention and the impact of learning communities on student growth and attainment. He has consulted widely with federal and state agencies, with independent research firms, foundations, and with two- and four-year institutions of higher education on a broad range of higher educational issues, not the least of which concern the retention and education of students in higher education. He serves on the editorial boards of several journals and with various organizations and professional associations concerned with higher education. He chaired the national panel responsible for awarding $5 million to establish the first national center for research on teaching and learning in higher education and served as Associate Director of the $6 million National Center on Postsecondary Teaching, Learning, and Assessment funded by the U.S. Office of Education. He works with the Council for Opportunity in Education, the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Education, the European Access Network, and the Dutch government to develop programs to promote access to higher education for disadvantaged youth in Europe. As a member of the Pathways to College Network, he is currently engaged in a national effort to increase access to college. His current research, funded by grants from the Lumina Foundation for Education and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation focuses on the impact of learning communities on the academic achievements of underprepared college students in urban two- and four-year colleges.