“In the world of vectors, direction is everything.” — Josiah Willard Gibbs In the spring of 2000, I went in search of a new suit. I spent $400 on a silk suit under the assumption that it would be the last interview suit I’d ever buy. I was about to enter the academy. I would be a curriculum professor, and I fully expected to spend the next forty years teaching graduate students about John Dewey and curriculum theory. I would write theoretical research about education, leaders

In recent posts, I’ve addressed how higher education is shifting and how colleges and universities must prioritize career competencies and workforce development. It is true. Most students attending college today need to see a clear connection between their coursework and their career goals. I cannot help but consider this within the context of my own experience – my own privilege. I attended Oglethorpe University as a traditional undergraduate student. My parents paid for my

When I was a sophomore in college, I was majoring in business and working at a marketing company. I managed secret shoppers in an area in Southern California for Domino’s Pizza. Thanks to me, the company knew their pizzas were delivered on time at an appropriate temperature and with toppings evenly distributed across the product. I suddenly realized that my image of being a leader needed to be more than simply wearing pumps, carrying a briefcase, and feeling important . I nee

What should a culture of care look like within higher education? We often talk about belonging and inclusion, and at the heart of this work must be a true organizational ethos. Emily Skop, Martina Angela Caretta, Caroline Faria, and Jessi L. Smith created an Ethos of Care Pledge for scholars when engaging in research. This ethos includes mutuality, honesty, mentoring, transparency, and “Humanizing our work by valuing the intellectual and ethical centrality of friendship, con

Those of us who are committed to higher education need to face some hard truths. Many Americans have lost faith in the value of higher education. According to the Deloitte Center for Higher Education Excellence, the percentage of Americans that express high confidence in the value of higher education fell from 57% to 36%. Only 47% of Americans believe a four-year degree is worth pursuing without school loans. The percentage drops to 22% if students must secure school loans. S

Recently, a Tesla Cybertruck was rendered inoperable. This complex machine, celebrated for its engineering and technological sophistication, was disabled by a single toothpick. It’s almost absurd, but it’s also a perfect reminder: in any complex system, whether a Cybertruck or a university, the smallest overlooked detail can bring the entire operation to a halt. Everything is connected. Everything matters. What can we learn from this incident? First, universities must underst

What does it mean to lead with love? As a classroom teacher, it always felt natural to say I loved my students. It was expected. How could anyone teach well without love? When I worked with preservice teachers, I would remind them of this. I’d say, “I know you love children. That goes without saying. There must be more.” Even then, I kept a cautious distance from the word itself, worried that naming love too openly might somehow make me less professional. When I began prepari

What is in a name? For many in higher education, our names mean a great deal. We can find our names on such sites as Academia , LinkedIn...

The following was shared at a hooding ceremony with the 2024 NJCU Ed.D. graduates in Educational Technology Leadership: I want to begin...

The following was shared with NJCU's Ed.D. in Educational Technology Leadership students at their 2022 hooding ceremony: It is very easy...