UNCERTAIN TIMES,

STEADY LEADERSHIP

Your Resource Hub for Navigating Higher Education’s Challenges

This is a Leadership Moment

Higher education is shifting rapidly, and the challenges are mounting. Legislative uncertainty, financial pressures, and cultural shifts are testing leaders at every level. No one has all the answers, and the future remains unclear—but this is precisely the time when leadership matters most.

How you lead today will shape your institution’s future.

At Academic Impressions, we recognize the weight of this moment. We know that leadership is not just about having the right title—it’s about how you respond, how you support others, and how you make decisions in complexity. That’s why we’ve created this hub: a central resource to provide you with the tools, insights, and support you need to navigate this moment with clarity, confidence, and resilience.

What You’ll Find Here

This resource hub offers timely, easily digestible, and actionable content designed to help you:

Respond with clarity in a fast-changing environment

Build trust and community amid uncertainty

Sustain your own resilience while leading others

Access expert insights and practical tools for leadership at all levels

Find opportunities to connect, learn, and engage with peers

We’ll be continuously adding new resources—including written guides, interactive sessions, leadership tools, and practical strategies—so check back often.

Want to make sure you don’t miss any updates?

Featured Resources

1. Letter from Our CEO: Leading Through Uncertainty

Amit shares his thoughts on the leadership moment we’re in, the importance of staying engaged, and how Academic Impressions is stepping up to support you.

We are all watching and experiencing the torrent of executive orders coming out of the White House that are directly impacting higher education. While the long-term impact of these measures remains uncertain—especially with legal challenges underway—the potential consequences for institutions are significant.

Expand to Read the Letter

Leading in the Moment

As additional proposals emerge, including possible cuts to federal higher education funding, it’s clear that leaders in our industry must navigate an increasingly complex and volatile environment.

There is a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety on our campuses right now. And it can be easy to feel defeated and angry. How we respond to these shifts will shape our leadership and our institutions—not just today, but for years to come.

Now is not the time to hunker down—we need to meet these challenges head on. We encourage you to be mindful to build community and trust during this time. Work together, share information widely, overcommunicate, and keep an eye towards possible future impacts too—anticipate what could be coming next.

Starting this week and for the foreseeable future, you’ll see a variety of resources from Academic Impressions that are designed to help you lead through uncertain times—resources to sustain your own resilience as well as resources to help you lead others.

I’ve had the privilege of working with many of you over the past 22+ years, and I continue to be impressed by the passion and dedication you bring to your leadership. This gives me the confidence to know that not only will we weather this storm, we’ll also find opportunities to strengthen higher education—and each other. The days are hard, and they may get harder. And when they do, please know we are here for you.

We want to be a resource to the higher education community—if there are specific ways we can support you, let us know and we’ll get to work.

Best,
Amit Mrig
CEO, Academic Impressions

2. Resilient Leadership: How to Navigate Stress and Chaos with Clarity and Purpose

Higher ed leaders are facing unprecedented challenges. This guide explores strategies for:

Embracing difficult realities while maintaining hope
Strengthening communication and fostering connection
Encouraging adaptability and innovation amid uncertainty

3. Leading in the Moment: Knowing Yourself as a Leader

Do you know how you react under stress? In these uncertain times, understanding your leadership style is crucial. All of these resources are free, and the Five Paths to Leadership® Self-Assessment is open to everyone for a limited time through the end of March.

Article: Knowing Yourself as a Leader – Explore how your leadership style shifts under stress and how to navigate challenges effectively. Read More ➞

Assessment: Five Paths to Leadership® Self-Assessment – Free to everyone through March 31. Gain insight into your leadership tendencies and how to adjust in high-pressure situations. Take the Assessment ➞

Free Live Webcast (March 13, 3:00-3:30 PM ET): Leading in the Moment – A 30-minute session on leveraging your leadership strengths to navigate uncertainty. Register for the Webcast ➞

Check Back Soon for Topics Such as:

Reconnecting to Your Purpose and Values – What anchors your leadership? Why do you keep showing up at work?

Decision-Making in Uncertain Times – Practical approaches for making sound choices with incomplete information.

Coaching & Leadership Development – Supporting others effectively through coaching conversations.

Effective Communication in Times of Crisis – Navigating complex conversations with clarity and confidence.

Scenario Planning & Agile Leadership – Strategies for navigating complexity and planning for multiple futures.

And more....

We’re Here to Support You

We know the days ahead may be challenging. But you are not in this alone.

We’ll continue adding new resources and opportunities to help you navigate these times with confidence and resilience. If there are specific ways we can support you, let us know—we’re here to help.