Medical-Campus Provost: ‘I Put My Face Mask on First’ to Lead

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What I Wish - Nicole Reaves NOVA Medical Campus

“Burnout can happen quickly,” says Nicole Reaves of Northern Virginia Community College. As provost of its Medical Education Campus, she finds it crucial for leaders to “unplug” sometimes because they must take care of themselves if they are to work effectively with others.

The college, with six campuses, is the largest public institution in Virginia and the second-largest community college, by enrollment, in the United States. Reaves unplugs by engaging with students. “Many times, as administrators,” she says, “we get so caught up in the day-to-day minutiae that we lose focus. And the students remind us of why we do what we do.”

Carmen Mendoza is a senior web producer. A video journalist, she tells stories about influential leaders in academe. Follow her on Twitter @cmendoza, or email her at carmen.mendoza@chronicle.com.

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