An innovative new program is fostering leadership on campus and inspiring faculty and staff to better themselves and the university.
Marshall University has produced its share of leaders, some quite notable. Think of Brad Smith, the executive chairman of the board and former president and CEO of software giant Intuit. Or Verna Gibson, the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company. And there’s Mike D’Antoni, two-time NBA Coach of the Year — to name a few.
Through a program launched in 2019, Marshall is grooming a new class of leaders — faculty and staff at every level and across all disciplines. The goal of the John Marshall Leadership Fellows Program is to recognize leadership potential throughout the ranks and inspire participants to achieve their potential while working together for the betterment of the university.
The program is the brainchild of President Jerome Gilbert. Both he and Dr. Jaime Taylor, senior vice president for academic affairs/provost, witnessed the effectiveness of similar programs at other universities.
“Such learning opportunities provide a way for individuals to get a better sense of how the university operates,” Gilbert said. “The idea is that if people understand the university better, they’re in a better position to be supportive of its initiatives and to become future leaders as they see how things are managed within the institution.”
Taylor added that the program also is about building bridges while fostering mutual understanding and respect for other departments and individuals.
“Sometimes there is a separation between faculty and staff,” Taylor explained. “There’s also separation between different departments. One of the things this program does is bring people from different parts of campus together. Once you start to meet these people and learn what they do on a daily basis, it really creates camaraderie.”
Each year approximately 20 fellows are chosen from the ranks of full-time faculty and staff. Individuals apply or are nominated by their peers. The first cohort was selected in 2019, the second earlier this year.
Dr. Robert Bookwalter, dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Dr. Karen McComas, executive director of the Center for Teaching and Learning; and Brandi Jacobs-Jones, senior vice president for operations/chief of staff; are co-directors of the program, which is based on principles Bookwalter has taught in leadership seminars over some 30 years.
“At the core, leadership is rooted in communication, collaboration and relationships,” Bookwalter said. “Leadership requires us to have relationships with others that allow them to be willingly influenced. Leadership requires that we create a culture of collaborating for the good of the group more so than working toward personal gain. Effective communication is the mechanism by which we build good leader-member relations and a collaborative culture.”
Bookwalter explained that the John Marshall leadership initiative involves three components:
- Learning about leadership theory and research. Through seminars, lectures and panel discussions, fellows learn about leadership from scholars and practitioners in the field, including expert faculty and staff at the university.
- Drawing on leadership experience and insights of members. Participants meet regularly as a group to share experiences, broaden their understanding of other areas of the university and build networking relationships.
- Developing initiatives to improve the university. Cohorts draft proposals for institutional improvement by tackling challenges using the Design Thinking model popularized by Smith at Intuit. In year one the challenge focused on gender equality; in year two, inclusion for all.
The first cohort recommended — and the university created — an ombudsperson position, an individual charged with addressing questions and concerns personnel have about university policies and procedures and serving as coordinator of civic engagement.
Leah Payne, director of communications, was a member of the inaugural fellows class. Payne spent the first part of her work life supporting the professional aspirations of her then-spouse rather than focusing on her own career. That was followed by a decade opting out of the workforce to care for family and serve as a community volunteer before resuming a career in her 40s.
“Consequently, I’ve jumped at every opportunity since then to learn more, experience more and become more,” Payne said. “The leadership course was very helpful to me at a critical time in my career path.”
To provide guidance, inspiration and advice, fellows select individual mentors. Payne chose Dr. Monica Brooks, associate vice president for online learning/dean of University Libraries.
“I chose Monica for just one reason — her calm, determined demeanor,” Payne said. “I did not know her very well but always admired her ability to assess a situation and deliver results in a measured response.
“Monica helped me realize that tough conversations and conflicts are all part of growth, both for self and the institution. And that in some situations, there may be no good solutions, but there are always ways to better the scenario.”
The program has been educational not just for participants but also for facilitators and university officials.
“The program affirms how important it is to have representation from all facets of an organization,” said Jacobs-Jones. “Rarely are faculty and staff given the chance to discuss opportunities and challenges in the same setting. This has been one of the greatest takeaways. This program helps to provide a broader perspective of what makes Marshall University run and how each role contributes to the goal of educating students.”
McComas agreed.
“I see the overall importance of bringing people together to build knowledge and skills,” she said. “What we teach is quite often the least important thing that happens in professional development; what participants learn is more important. That learning comes from interactions with others who have different experiences, bases of knowledge and skill sets. Through this work, I am reminded to talk less and learn more. There is so much to be learned from others.”
About the Author: Michael Friel is director of communications at the Robert C. Byrd Institute.
Photos: (From top) From left, Dr. Robert Bookwalter, dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Brandi Jacobs-Jones, senior vice president for operations/chief of staff; and Dr. Karen McComas, executive director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, are co-directors of The John Marshall Leadership Fellows Program.
The 2019 John Marshall Leadership Fellows Program cohort, from left: (front row) Shaorong Zang, College of Business; Leah Payne, University Communications; Kelli Prejean, College of Liberal Arts; Shawn Chinn, Housing and Residence Life; Terri Moran, School of Pharmacy; Lacie Bittinger, College of Business; Zach Garrett, College of Health Professions; Kristen Lillvis, College of Liberal Arts; Brittany Riley, School of Pharmacy; (back row) Program Co-director Robert Bookwalter; Eric Wallace, Physical Plant; Adam Dalton, College of Arts and Media; Timothy Melvin, Academic Affairs; Holly Dunmore, School of Medicine; Kimberly McFall, College of Education and Professional Development; Jessica Lowman, Institutional Research; Rayshawn Eastman, Student Affairs; Sabrina Thomas, Libraries; Sandy York, College of Arts and Media; MU President Jerome Gilbert; (not pictured) Habiba Chirchir, College of Science.
The 2020 John Marshall Leadership Fellows Program cohort, from left: (front row) Suzanne Strait, College of Science; Lisa Martin, Student Conduct; Candace Layne, Counseling; Karen Doss, School of Pharmacy; Mary Chapman, Human Resources; Eugenia Webb-Damron, College of Education and Professional Development; Glen Midkiff, College of Business; Susan Lanham, College of Business; LeKesha Taylor, Housing and Residence Life; (back row) Becky Lusher, Facilities and Planning; Joseph Justice, Physical Plant; Justin Hawthorne, Purchasing; John Colclough, College of Arts and Media; Jill Underhill, College of Liberal Arts; Omar Attarabeen, School of Pharmacy; Arslan Iqbal, School of Medicine; Christopher McComas, University Communications; (not pictured) Amy White, Sustainability; Debra Young, Social Work.