Ferris State University President Bill Pink has been re-appointed to the American Council on Education’s board of directors in an opportunity for the university to help strengthen the impact of higher education on society.

Founded over a century ago, ACE serves as a post-secondary education association that advocates to form national partnerships between institutions while creating a diverse leadership pipeline to address modern challenges.

With a membership of nearly 1,600 institutions, ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States and represents two out of every three students enrolled in those defined institutions.

Pink offers years of experience to the ACE board of directors as a previous board member while serving as the Grand Rapids Community College president.

When the opportunity rose to rejoin the board earlier this summer, Pink recognized it was  critical to have Ferris State be part of the “gold standard” that advocates for magnifying higher education, more importantly at the federal level.

“Given the national climate around how higher education is viewed currently, this to me is one of the most important boards I can be a part of,” Pink said. “Having Ferris State at the table of this national advocacy board is imperative.”

Pink believes the university now has the opportunity to be directly involved in conversations had with not only public and private institutions nationwide, but congressional groups and even White House representatives.

In turn, this will help to understand what makes prospective students hesitant to pursue higher education, how to address any existing shortfalls that exist at institutions, and promote what Ferris State and other colleges and universities have to offer for students of any background.

Ferris State was designated as an Opportunity University by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and ACE in 2025. The moment served as another point of emphasis on the university’s dedication to better serve current and prospective students – even in a socioeconomic climate that is trending as less favorable for higher education.

“Knowing the value proposition that is in place at Ferris State, it’s extremely important to me that our brand exists on this board,” Pink said. “It gives us the opportunity to be in the same room as other successful institutions while building on our existing partnerships.”

Pink realizes that while ACE serves as major resource for Ferris State, the university now has its foot in the door to be impactful for the association and its members.

“It is definitely a reciprocal relationship. With what we do as a rural institution that is known for being a provider of very effective graduates in various workforce tracks, we can be a resource for the organization because of who we are and what we do,” Pink said.

“ACE won't invite you to the table if they don't feel like there's value that comes into them, and that should be a point of pride for our institution to have this invitation.”