Fran Elrod Elected Future Chair of the Governing Board for the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty The associate director of W&L’s Shepherd Program will serve a two-year term leading the consortium’s governing board and council beginning in September 2026.

By Brian Laubscher
August 22, 2025

Fran Elrod, associate director of the Shepherd Program and instructor of poverty studies at Washington and Lee University, was elected as the future chair of the governing board for the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP) at the annual conference held in Alexandria, Virginia, July 31-Aug. 2.

Elrod will serve as chair-elect starting on Sept. 1, 2025, and will serve a two-year term as chair beginning Sept. 1, 2026. She will also serve as outgoing chair for one year starting Sept. 1, 2028.

“I am delighted to serve the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty in this capacity,” said Elrod. “It’s an exciting time in the life cycle of SHECP, and there is a lot of energy and enthusiasm across the consortium to innovate poverty studies programming while continuing to offer incredible internship experiences for students who build deep relationships with effective anti-poverty organizations across the U.S. SHECP adds tremendous value to our students’ education, and I am glad to give back in this small way.”

Elrod’s responsibilities as chair will include fulfilling the governance responsibilities and serving as a key ambassador and advocate for the nonprofit organization. She will help promote public awareness about the achievements and success of the program and will collaborate with the executive director on the consortium’s strategic directions and new initiatives.

The chair leads both the governing board and the council, entities comprised largely of representatives from the various consortium member schools. The chair plays a vital role in developing a culture of collaboration and active engagement of all members.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have Fran Elrod as SHECP’s incoming chair,” said Jen Handy, interim executive director of the SHECP. “Fran combines a profound understanding of SHECP’s mission and history with the energy and vision needed to help guide our next chapter.”

Elrod joined the W&L staff in 2006 and has held various roles throughout her tenure, including coordinator of co-curricular education and associate director of the Shepherd Program. She received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from James Madison University. 

The SHECP is a consortium of colleges and universities committed to the study of poverty as a complex social problem by expanding and improving educational opportunities for college students in a wide range of disciplines and career trajectories. SHECP member schools support undergraduates as they move toward a lifetime of professional and civic efforts to diminish poverty and enhance human capability.

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