Leadership News
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
GREETINGS FROM LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY!
I appreciate you taking the time to learn more about our program and see some of the great work that our students, faculty, and alumni have done over the past year. In the following pages, you’ll read about some of the success stories of our current students doing transformational servicelearning all around the country, as well as alumni continuing their impact beyond the university. In addition, we’re very excited to share information about the university attaining the inaugural Carnegie Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose, which was predicated on all the important leadership development work taking place at FHSU. While we continue to evolve and change, our core mission of leadership education remains relevant and vital to our students and their communities. As always, your support in carrying forward this mission means so much to us, and we thank you. Please follow us on social media or visit www.fhsu.edu/leadership to learn more about our programs and ways that you may support students through giving. Thank you so much for your continued support of leadership education at FHSU.
Dr. Brett Whitaker
THE BRIDGING THE GAP INITIATIVE: ONLINE LDRS 310 STUDENT WORKS TO CLOSE GENERATIONAL GAPS
FACULTY AND STAFF HIGHLIGHTS
Nathan and Laotian elders participate in an event that incorporates a Laos traditional blessing tree.
LDRS 310: Field Work in Leadership Studies allows students completing their Leadership Studies Certificates to participate in a service-learning project This course is offered both on campus and online Students completing this project on campus are paired with a team of 3-5 other students and collaborate with a community partner designated by the instructor Online students identify community partners within their respective communities to collaborate with throughout the course.
Nathan Thammavongsa was an exemplary online student from the 2023-2024 school year. His project was titled “Bridging the Gap Initiative” and partnered with the Lao Buddhist Association of Kansas The social issue his project encountered was the perception of the cultural decline in the Laotian community Awareness of culture, traditions, and language was declining because of the generational gaps between grandparents, parents, and Generation Z Through his project, Nathan sought to implement a communication plan to educate Laotian youth about their history and traditions Throughout the duration of his project, Nathan and his community partners led informational seminars, created pamphlets for high school students, and hosted a Thanksgiving dinner.
“This program develops our leadership traits and behaviors in our journey, which create an intrinsic reward by the motivation and inspiration of change.”
- Nathan Thammavongsa
Dr. Lori Kniffin’s dissertation research "Collective leadership in the civic arena" was published in the Journal of Leadership Education Additionally, she is learning how to lope a horse!
-June 2024
Tamas Kowalik completed his prospectus meeting and made significant progress towards his Ph D research -May 2024
Dr. Justin Greenleaf presented his roundtable discussion "Towards Authentic Learning: Rethinking Student Assessment and Evaluation in Leadership Education Through Ungrading" at the Association of Leadership Educators conference in Minneapolis, MN
-June 2024
Drs. Brett and Whitney Whitaker published the article "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes: Using Gamification of Cognitive Overload to Teach Leadership and Psychology Concepts" in the Journal of Leadership Education.
-September 2024
Dr. Donnette Noble and FHSU Graduate Jesse New (B S ’21 and M P S ’23) were interviewed by Drs Dan Jenkins and Lauren Bullock as part of the Leadership Educator Podcast about their paper published in the Journal of Leadership Education (2024), “Fostering Civility and Constructive Debate in a Polarized Society: How Leadership Educators Can Leverage Diverse Perspectives.”
-November 2024
Diana Angarita participated in the second annual Werth Entrepreneurship Challenge at the University of Connecticut Diana and her team spent three months preparing for this challenge. They presented their proposal on November 2, 2024, and were honored to secure 1st place, making it an extraordinary experience for growth, learning, and networking. This achievement was made possible by the dedication of organizers like Peter Werth and the planning team, who created an unforgettable event for all participants.
-November 2024
Emily Redding completed her minor in Leadership Studies She plans to graduate in May 2025 with her B S in Biology!
-December 2024
Talk About Student Success
-HIGHLIGHTING LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS EFFORTS TO ENHANCE STUDENT SUCCESS-
OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT
OERs
Our program has converted nearly all of our curriculum to using open educational resources, which are free to students. While we maintain a priority of ensuring quality in our curriculum, this change has saved students studying in our courses hundreds of dollars per year in book expenses
SCHOLARSHIPS
Leadership is about effectiveness in working with people, and many of our students complete a minor or certificate in order to gain value added leadership training alongside a major in some other field. To better support these students, we have introduced microscholarships for students pursuing the minor or certificate in Leadership Studies Financial limitations are one of the main barriers our students face, and this program gives them a little support while they are engaged in studying leadership
As a program, we have placed a high priority on ensuring the quality and effectiveness of our curriculum. As part of this, over the past five years, we have been engaged in comprehensive, end-to-end program learning outcomes assessment which allows us to gauge how courses and experiences are working and what changes need to take place. This past January, we were recognized with the university’s Closing the Loop Assessment Award in recognition for our accomplishments in this area.
LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Freshman year is a critical time for student success. One strategy that has been shown to improve student outcomes is Living/Learning Communities, where students are placed together in residential halls, and take some of their coursework together These programs improve student outcomes both academically and socially Our program has offered the LDRS 200: Discovering Leadership course to five different learning communities over the past several years This course has been specifically designed to provide a supportive and welcoming introduction to leadership, while also meeting a general education requirement for students
FACULTY-STUDENT MENTORING
Building strong relationships with students is a cornerstone of our program As part of a larger university change into a professional advising structure, we have implemented a formal faculty mentoring programs for all students majoring in Organizational Leadership This initiative provides students with resources to connect with a mentor based on interests and needs, guidance on how to maximize the impact of their program while in school, and mentorship related to graduate school and careers post-graduation.
AN INTERVIEW WITH LEADERSHIP ALUMNI, TRE’ GILES
Name: Tre’ Giles
Degree: B.S. in Organizational Leadership- FHSU
Year of Graduation: 2015
Occupations: Pastor of Justice and Mercy at Bridgetown Church, Portland, OR, and National Director of Campus Engagement at Alpha USA
CAN YOU SHARE YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP MAJOR? WHAT DREW YOU TO THE PROGRAM?
I entered FHSU as a first-generation college student with no clear direction At the start, I didn’t even know what a credit hour was It was the people who drew me to Leadership Studies the incredible staff leading the department and the passionate students within it I found a program deeply committed to making a positive impact, both locally and globally Leadership Studies taught me not only the importance of leading but also how to be an incredible follower. I had the freedom to be myself, and the program gave me the flexibility to explore my path without needing a perfectly mappedout career plan by the time I graduated. This openness allowed me to follow where I felt called. My degree prepared me to achieve a significant goal of mine: joining the Peace Corps. Because of what I learned in the classroom and the leadership experiences I had at Fort Hays State, I was ready to serve for two years in West Africa after graduation. This program, and FHSU as a whole, truly changed my life and set me on a trajectory I am incredibly proud of.
CAN
YOU DESCRIBE A SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE DURING YOUR TIME WITH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS THAT INFLUENCED YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE?
I can’t remember the exact name of the project, but in one of my first leadership classes, we did something called the “Voice Project ” This assignment challenged us to step outside of ourselves, walk in someone else’s shoes, and document our experiences and insights For my project, I chose to focus on homelessness, even recording the entire journey During this project, I experienced levels of racism in Hays that shocked me I also encountered compassion from people I never would have expected It made me aware of the power of empathy This experience softened my heart for the marginalized in society and pointed me toward civil service as a career. I became a leader who listened and empathized before imposing my own ideas and dreams. The project also taught me that I have so much to learn about the world and that people’s experiences are far more complex than we might assume We don’t always know the reasons why someone ends up in certain circumstances, and we should never be quick to judge someone’s story without first seeking to understand it at a deeper level Finally, it taught me that, as a leader, I don’t get to make blanket statements about the world. For instance, I can’t speak about homelessness if I don’t personally know even one person who has experienced it and the traumas that led them there. Issues need to take on a face and a story I am an empathetic leader, one who starts with joy and shares power and I learned that through this program
WHAT IS YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE TO CURRENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS’ STUDENTS?
My advice to undergrad students is to try out a variety of experiences, organizations, and leadership roles Stretch yourself and see what resonates with you throughout the process It may take years, even after you graduate, to truly discover who you are and what you're about, but embrace that journey with seriousness and intention Small decisions turn into habits, habits form lifestyles, and our lifestyles shape the legacy we leave behind. There’s a West African proverb that says, “Slowly, slowly, you catch the monkey in the woods.” It might sound silly, but it’s one of the truest lessons I’ve learned. Take your time getting to where you want to go, and do it alongside a supportive community. There are plenty of young, ambitious leaders who can reach their goals quickly, but many haven’t developed the character needed to sustain their success once they get there.
Mr.
Tamas Kowalik- Instructor
Tamas Kowalik joined Leadership Programs in August of 2024 He has over 20 years of experience working in the private, public, and non-profit sectors He has actively contributed to democratizing Hungary and served in several public policy roles. Most recently, he worked with the Kansas Leadership Center and UFM Community Learning Center, where he served as the case manager for a $1 5 million federal grant
LT. David Salazar-Officer Candidate School (OCS) Program Manager
David Salazar joined Leadership Programs in August of 2024. His current role is to instruct military leadership and development curriculum to FHSU students, and OCS candidates David recently completed his Executive Masters in Business Administration in Aerospace and Defense at the Price Scholl of Business in Oklahoma
Ms. Diana Angarita-GTA
Diana Angarita joined Leadership Programs in August of 2024 Diana is from San Felipe, Venezuela, and is currently pursuing her M.P.S. in Organizational Leadership. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing through FHSU Diana will be working toward marketing and recruiting efforts for the Leadership Programs
Ms. Tayyabunnisa Tahera- GA
Tayyabunnisa (Tayyab) Tahera joined Leadership Programs in the Fall of 2023 She is an international student from India, pursuing a master of science in Clinical Psychology Tayyab has been actively involved in civic learning and engagement, working as a graduate assistant under Dr. Donnette Noble Beyond her field of study, Tayyab is passionate about graphic design and creativity, which she enjoys incorporating into her work and projects This unique blend of psychology and creative design drives her approach to leadership and service, and she is thrilled to be part of this impactful community
FHSU was invited to attend a Consortium Meeting for Improvements in Leadership Education and Development at the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University in Houston, TX in January 2020. Consortium participants were arranged into three groups: Leadership Development, Leadership Education, and Leadership Research. Dr. Donnette Noble represented FHSU in the Leadership Education group. Thirty scholars and practitioners hailed from a variety of schools and entities around the country including the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the US Airforce Academy, Tufts University, Yale University, Brown University, and Marietta College, among others to begin the conversation around what a new elective classification would look like.
In 2021, Drs. Justin Greenleaf and Donnette Noble worked on the LPP pilot application thus, securing FHSU’s status as one of nine founding institutions for this classification -- the eight others are: Claremont McKenna College, Westminster College, United States Coast Guard Academy, Valparaiso University, Simmons University, Creighton University, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, and the University of Colorado Boulder. FHSU applied for the classification on the heels of a robust institutional-wide self-study in December 2023. We received notice that the classification was awarded in May 2024. FHSU now holds the classification through 2030. Only twenty-five institutions currently hold this classification. FHSU is the ONLY Kansas school to hold the classification!
Effective leadership for public purpose transcends functional or instrumental leadership (i.e., personal career or political gain; or narrow business or organization outcomes), in pursuit of collective public goods, including justice, equity, diversity, and liberty. Leadership for public purpose can manifest in all realms of society, such as private business, public and nonprofit institutions, neighborhood and community life, professional associations, civil and government institutions, and religious institutions. Institutions of higher education demonstrate their commitment to leadership for public purpose by enhancing their learning, teaching, and research missions by developing the leadership capacity of all institutional stakeholders.
This is a public facing acknowledgment that FHSU is, indeed, delivering on its mission to “develop global engaged citizen leaders.”
Dr. Donnette Noble and Dr. Justin Greenleaf joined Dr. Brent Goertzen and Dr. Jill Arensdorf in being promoted to to the rank of Professor. -May ’24
Students at the School of Criminal Justice, Leadership, and Sociology ice cream social. -August ’24
Student, Ryan Will, presents his research at the John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days (SACAD). -May ’24
FHSU Washburn Leadership Challenge team wins the “Team Transformation Award”. -March ’24
November Student of the Month, Addyson Brown -November ’24
Fall Commencement- December ’24
VALUE students attend a conference at the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) in Wichita KS. -November ’24
Spring LDRS 310 final presentations- May ’24
L3 students attend the Strengths Student Conference at Kansas State University- March ’24
L3 students volunteer at the Amarillo Zoo during their spring service trip. -April ’24
Spring Scholarships and Awards Ceremony- May ’24
Fall LDRS 310 final presentations- December ’24
Achievement in Leadership Studies Award
Tarah Stockebrand
Outstanding Leadership and Service Award
Shania Lopez-Cabrera
AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS
Leadership Programs $350 Scholarship
Seth Dewey, Slater Heglin, and John Kuntz
Curt & Christie Brungardt Endowed $350 Scholarship
Adolfo Molina Jr and Caden Riat
Lynne Albers Leadership $1500 Scholarship
Walaa Ahmad, Diana Angarita, Christina Haselhorst, Maggie Shupe, Tarah Stockebrand, and Julia Waller
Voss Advanced Leadership Undergraduate Experience (VALUE) $1000 Scholarship
Navaeh Copenhaver, Zoey Daniels-Sneed, Ryan Patterson, Caden Riat, and Tarah Stockebrand
