Interview with University of Maryland Global Campus President, President Fowler

Today we are talking with University of Maryland Global Campus President Gregory Fowler.  With deep experience working with various online learning institutions throughout the years, President Fowler has a lot of personal experience with online learning, while many others are just learning the ins and outs of it.  With many students in hybrid environments, UMGC has had to develop and implement various protocols.

President Fowler believes we need to go back to the fundamental basics of who you are and what you do well.  He says reacting too quickly will not serve you.  He reminds us that activity and progress are not the same thing.  Too many people get wrapped up in feeling busy, but they lack a sense of direction and the steps needed to get them where they need to go.  A clearly defined path can make all the difference when it comes to achieving your objectives.  President Fowler says to make sure all your hard work isn’t in vain. 

When asked what advice he has been given that’s served him well, President Fowler gives credit to his former boss as SNHU.  President Fowler was told that if you are not measuring, then you're just practicing.  He stresses the importance of putting KPI’s in place that will truly hold them accountable for what they’re trying to accomplish.  You have to understand the metric that will tell you if you’re meeting your goal.  It’s so important to understand the various ways that all the pieces of higher ed come together. 

When President Fowler was asked for his best advice, he says he often passes along some insight he got from his mother.  He reminds people that God gave you two ears, two eyes, and one mouth for a reason.  He says leaders need the ability to truly listen and to speak only when they need to.  President Fowler says it’s imperative to be comfortable with both your superpower and your kryptonite.  You can’t be good at everything, and it’s critical to build a team that supports you in your areas of weakness.  Beyond that, you have to empower that team and let them do what they’re good at.