January 17, 2025
K-State welcomes distinguished ACE Fellow Christopher DePerno
Submitted by Office of the President
Kansas State University welcomes Christopher DePerno, an American Council on Education, or ACE, Fellow, for the spring 2025 semester. Currently serving as a professor, wildlife extension specialist and coordinator of the Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology program at North Carolina State University, DePerno brings extensive experience in higher education and natural resource management.
With degrees from Central Michigan University, Purdue University and South Dakota State University, DePerno's career includes significant contributions both in academia and public service. Before joining NC State, he was a senior research scientist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources from 1999 to 2004.
His distinguished career includes two NC State Provost Fellowships, where he focused on developing a universitywide research data system and advancing the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accreditation processes. His achievements have earned him several prestigious recognitions, including The Wildlife Society Fellows Award, the Governor's Conservation Achievement Natural Resources Scientist of the Year Award and distinction as a Distinguished Alumnus of South Dakota State University.
DePerno has joined the prestigious fellowship program that has been developing higher education leadership since 1965. The program's success is evident in its legacy: more than 2,000 higher education leaders have participated over the past five decades, with more than 80% going on to serve as senior leaders of colleges and universities.
DePerno will be immersed in high-level administrative activities and decision-making processes during his fellowship at K-State. He will focus on the development and implementation of university strategic planning, mainly through the lens of the Next-Gen K-State initiative, which aims to create the next-generation land-grant university. His work will emphasize understanding the vital roles of internal and external stakeholders in this process.
The 2024-2025 ACE Fellows cohort represents higher education leaders spanning various institution types, disciplines and geographical regions. The program combines retreats, interactive learning opportunities and campus placements to compress years of leadership development into a single academic year. Fellows like DePerno engage in transformative learning experiences that prepare them to address future challenges in higher education leadership.