5 minute read
Faculty Briefs
by Jen Wingerter ’13 LEADERSHIP IN THE CLASSROOM
DANIEL M. STRUDWICK, PhD
professor of theology, completed his bachelor's in philosophy from St. Meinrad College, Indiana, earned a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, then completed a master's and a doctorate in theology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Penn. He has been teaching courses in systematic theology at QU for the past 13 years and recently concluded serving two terms as chair of humanities. He continues to serve as director of the Quincy University Honors Program.
A: The Catholic understanding of leadership is profoundly formed by the words and deeds of Christ. Jesus was very clear, for the Christian, the focus of leadership must be service and not power. He told his Apostles not to follow the examples of those in leadership who lord it over others. Instead, he said, they should recognize how he was there among them as a servant (Luke 22:24-27). I think the notion of servant leadership is markedly strong within the Catholic/Franciscan tradition and has much to offer students and faculty alike.
A: For me, it is a sincere desire to promote the common good; it is at the core of what is upheld in Catholic Social Teaching. The Catholic Church has a strong tradition of recognizing and promoting the common good. Unfortunately, the social teaching of the Church, albeit prominent in certain circles, is not well known to many today. I believe a focus upon the common good can provide a vision or goal that can unite diverse parties, at least at the initial level. We may differ on how to achieve the goal, but this initial agreement allows for some level of commonality amidst varied perspectives.
Q: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE LEADER? WHY?
A: My favorite leader would unequivocally be Pope St. John Paul II. Pope John Paul had the daunting task of leading the church in Poland while under oppressive communist rule. He had to balance the safety of his people with uncompromising faithfulness to the gospel. I think leadership requires that one be both committed to principles and yet exercise diplomacy. Diplomacy would be an outgrowth of the cardinal virtue of prudence, the virtue which helps us to most effectively achieve the good. John Paul remained faithful to his principles and yet navigated turbulent political waters. He then went on, as Pope, to apply those talents to leading the universal Catholic Church as it implemented the vision of the Second Vatican Council.
MEGAN BOCCARDI, PhD
professor of history, co-director of service learning and assistant vice president for academic affairs, completed her bachelor's degree in history from Quincy University; master's in history from Louisiana State University; and doctorate in history from University of Missouri-Columbia. She specializes in American history. She has been teaching at QU since 2009 and was recently appointed assistant vice president for academic affairs. Boccardi has led students on national and international mission trips and study abroad trips. In 2016, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and spent a semester teaching in Venice, Italy.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Q: HOW DOES THE STUDY OF HISTORY HELP US LEARN TO LEAD EFFECTIVELY?
A: I try to instill in students an appreciation for the past because history often serves as a window to the present. It is the story of people's lives. It tells you about the way they lived, but it also helps us understand how things work and the significance of what's happening today.
Q: IN YOUR OPINION WHICH PERSON IN HISTORY BEST EXEMPLIFIES LEADERSHIP?
A: Picking one person who exemplifies leadership is a difficult task. Within my research, I tend to look at average citizens like most of us (individuals left out of the historical narrative). These people often demonstrated leadership in their own families and communities that we might overlook. Average citizens helped rebuild the nation after the Civil War and marched for Civil Rights only decades ago. But, if I were to select a person, I would look for someone who, like St. Francis, exemplifies servant leadership. Servant leaders lead by building community, listening, expressing empathy, and demonstrating a willingness to work with others. Most importantly, I believe that a servant leader does not hide his or her humanity, the flaws of his or her character, which makes a person fallible. Abraham Lincoln is a model of leadership. He was not a perfect man or leader. He continues to be the subject of both criticism and praise by historians. Lincoln endeavored to make the best choices for a nation, even when those choices were not easy or challenged his ideologies. His brilliance was his enduring humility, his compassion, and recognizing the weight of his responsibility to the people of the nation.
MICHAEL KELLER, PhD
associate professor of English, teaches courses in American literature, rhetoric, and literary theory. His current research focuses on the intersections between race, labor, and poetic form in abolitionist and anti-abolitionist writing. He earned his bachelor's from Wheaton College, his master's from Northern Illinois University, and his doctorate in English at Marquette University.
Q: CAN LEADERSHIP BE TAUGHT THROUGH LITERATURE?
A: Among other things, great literature reminds us what it means to be human, how to empathize with others, how to think critically, how to understand society, and how to see beyond every day, to imagine the impossible. The student of literature will become adept at all of the above and, in doing so, will become the best kind of leader. It is no accident that so many companies are looking to hire English majors.
A: In my opinion, the greatest leaders are the ones who are constantly learning, adapting, and analyzing their world (and themselves) with a critical eye. Rather than devoting their energy to forcing through a single vision, great leaders help those around them become better people and work collaboratively toward a shared goal.
Q: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE LEADER? WHY?
A: One leader I admire is Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was not a leader of a business, school, or political party. Rather, he went about learning everything he could and encouraged everyone around him to do he same. Through his life and his writings, he inspired some of the world's greatest minds--from Margaret Fuller to Friedrich Nietzsche--to challenge the status quo and to embrace their own gifts. Regardless of how bleak things seemed, Emerson never failed to believe in humanity's inherent potential for good. What he said in his 1837 “The American Scholar” address is equally true today: “This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.”
