Leadership Studies Commons^™

Case Study: The Economic And Legal Challenges Moving From A Township To A City, George F. Dierberger Dr., Ibrahim Keita Dr., Cory Erickson

Journal of the North American Management Society

The paper examines the economic and legal challenges moving from a township to a municipality in the state of Minnesota. One of the authors was a member of the township board as they went through the process of educating the citizens on the risks and rewards of changing from a township to a municipality.

Maximizing Online Intersession Enrollment Through Targeted Course Offerings, Heather S. Mcmillan, Charles D. Mcallister

Journal of the North American Management Society

Abstract

Online winter intersession courses have become an increasingly important strategy for universities seeking to support accelerated student progression while generating incremental tuition revenue. This study examines ten years of winter intersession enrollment data from a public, master’s-level comprehensive university in the Midwestern United States to identify course characteristics associated with higher student enrollment. Using 12,520 individual enrollment records, the analysis focuses on course type (general education versus major requirement), course classification (lower level, upper level, blended undergraduate/graduate, and graduate), and course discipline. A series of ANOVAs and Bonferroni post-hoc tests reveal significant differences in enrollment across these dimensions, with …

Reflections At The Close Of My Freshman Year As Editor, Heather S. Mcmillan

Journal of the North American Management Society

No abstract provided.

Ai Ethics And Governance For Leaders In Higher Education: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Of Faculty Early Adopters’ Sensemaking, Pedagogical Innovation, And Transformation, Freddie Seba

Doctoral Dissertations

Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially Generative AI (GenAI), is transforming how we work, learn, acquire, produce, and deliver knowledge, as higher education experiences existential pressures, including demographic changes that reduce enrollment and revenues, as well as shifting public and government perceptions of higher education's value.

This hermeneutic phenomenology dissertation study explores how faculty early adopters critically engage, innovate, and experiment with this nascent transformational technology in their pedagogies amid multilevel pressures: macro—market-driven (neoliberalism) logic, Big Tech, and demographic change; meso—institutional policy, broader faculty community, and pedagogical innovation; micro—widespread student adoption, pedagogical experimentation, and innovation.

This dissertation study centers on shifting AI …

Exploring Themes In Leadership Transition At A Rural Nonprofit Community Theatre: An Accidental Research Project, Elise Lael Kieffer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Leadership transitions in nonprofit organizations present both challenges and opportunities, particularly in rural community-based theatres where organizational identity is often deeply connected to individual leaders. This study employs narrative inquiry, guided by the lens of Feminist Pragmatism, to explore leadership change at Playhouse in the Park, a long-standing rural community theatre in Murray, Kentucky. Through interviews, reflections, and observations, the study identifies five emergent themes shaping directors’ experiences: expectations, programming content, personality, relational expectations, and the balance between cautiousness and freedom. Findings suggest that the tensions inherent in rural nonprofit leadership transitions—rather than serving as obstacles—function as necessary forces that …

Innovative Philanthropy And Community-Based Approaches: Bridging Access To Sustainable Solutions In Low-Infrastructure Settings, Stephanie Zabriskie

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Nonprofits operating in remote or low-infrastructure environments often encounter structural barriers that undermine social impact, especially for women and girls. These barriers are frequently attributed to funding shortages or lack of innovation. However, evidence from practice suggests that many social problems in these contexts persist not because solutions do not exist, but because they do not reach the communities who need them. This thought paper examines the role of nonprofit organizations as bridging agents that connect existing solutions to underserved communities, using women’s health access in East Africa as a case example. The analysis highlights the limitations of episodic philanthropic …

“A Leader Or A Teacher”: A Latent Theory Of Transformative Education In James Macgregor Burns’S Transforming-Transactional Leadership Paradigm, Evan Rw Dutmer

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

The purpose of this paper is to uncover a latent theory of transformative teaching and learning to be found in James MacGregor Burns’s account of transforming leadership and place it in interdisciplinary conversation with transformative education. The importance of this interdisciplinary exploration consists in this: Burns’s view that good leadership and good teaching are nearly indistinguishable has powerful implications that have been too little recognized. For, if right, teachers ought to view their work as exemplifying leadership (of a mutually beneficial, elevating sort); similarly, leaders across organizations ought to look to transformative teachers as paradigmatic models of good leadership. Expanding …

The Perception Of Leader Identity: The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Interfaith Hospital Chaplains, Zachary C. Wooten, Jocelyn R. Brown

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

This article showcases the results of one research question in a multi-question study, specifically, “How do interfaith hospital chaplains perceive themselves leaders or part of the leadership process?” To answer this question, researchers interviewed ten interfaith hospital chaplains and employed interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). The analysis revealed the participants’ views that interfaith hospital chaplains are part of the leadership processes in hospital systems. A significant opportunity exists for chaplains and the healthcare system at large to engage in a more expansive, interdisciplinary understanding of leadership with the work of healthcare chaplaincy at the center of such discourse. This understanding moves …

Beyond Charisma: A Critical Theory Perspective On Populist Leadership In A Post-Covid Age Of Crisis, Samuel Fianko-Ofori, Stephen Apolima

Interdisciplinary Journal of Leadership Studies

This paper argues that the digital communication environment has qualitatively transformed the dynamics of populist leadership, moving it beyond a reliance on personal charisma. While the affective bonds between leaders and followers—explored by classical theorists like Weber, Freud, and Adorno—are not new, their operation within the platformed public sphere marks a distinct shift. We introduce the concept of Affective Populist Leadership (APL) to conceptualize this shift. APL is a mode of leadership sustained through the strategic cultivation and digital amplification of collective emotions. It operates through three mutually reinforcing mechanisms: (1) the perpetual theatrical framing of politics as crisis, (2) …

Book Review: Growing Women In Ministry: Seven Aspects Of Leadership Development, Beth Ann Fisher, Victoria Blondeau

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

Growing Women in Ministry: Seven Aspects of Leadership Development, by Anna R. Morgan. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2024. 272 pages, $30.

Black Women And Latinas In Stem: A Systematic Review Of Literature, Karin Moore

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

This systematic review of literature examines scholarly studies conducted on Black women and Latinas in STEM fields and in STEM higher education. Women are underrepresented in STEM, and on average they comprise 27% of the STEM population (National Science Foundation, 2017). Black women and Latinas are even further underrepresented in STEM by making up only 14.58 % and 3% of the employees in STEM industries (Hispanic Heritage Foundation, 2020; National Science Foundation, 2021). Barriers for all women are the focus of much of the body of literature in STEM (Beach et al., 2024; Moore, 2024). Isolating specific challenges Black women …

Marooned: A Western Frontier Dismal Swamp Narrative, Professor Meya E. Hargett

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Marooned: A Western Frontier Dismal Swamp Narrative centers the erased figure of Samuel Mars, a lost Black station master whose movements through the Great Dismal Swamp have been excluded from dominant Underground Railroad cartographies. Here, the term “Marooned” refers not to abandonment, but to the maroon geographies of Black and Indigenous resistance encoded in land, lineage, and fugitive infrastructure.

Guided by Diasporic Maroon Memory Theory, Lineage as Method, and the Maroon Geographies Framework, this research reconstructs Mars’s trajectory through oral testimony, spatial patterning, and ancestral land memory. Rather than casting the Dismal Swamp merely as a site of refuge, this …

Extending The Emotional And Multiple Intelligence Theories: Integrating Cultural And Spiritual Intelligence Constructs To Fill Research Gaps, Kimberly J. Mcdonald

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

This proposed mixed-methods convergent research study aims to explore extending the Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Multiple Intelligences Theories by integrating Spiritual Intelligence (SI) and Cultural Intelligence (CQ) constructs. The goal is to explore the interconnectedness of these intelligences to bridge existing research gaps concerning leadership, EI, SI, and CQ. By employing both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods from organizational leaders, this study seeks to develop a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of leadership efficacy across various organizational contexts. The anticipated outcomes aim to contribute to the body of knowledge and potentially impact leadership development in business, education, and other …

Equity And Effectiveness In Advanced Mathematics Education: A Literature Review Of Ap Calculus, Cambridge Aice, And Ib Curricula, Jinhee Lee

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

This literature review investigates equity and effectiveness of three globally recognized advanced high school mathematics programs: AP Calculus, Cambridge International Advanced International Certification of Education (AICE) Advanced Level (A-Level) Mathematics, and International Baccalaureate (IB) Mathematics High Level. Access to advanced mathematics is unequally distributed, impacting underprivileged students (Bressoud, 2021). This review examines curriculum content, teaching methods, and assessment strategies in alignment with college admissions, depth of conceptual understanding, inclusion of diverse approaches, and assessment accessibility. Findings will contribute to informed curriculum choices for students and inform equitable practices for educators.

Abc Pharmaceutical Company Change Model: Implementing J.P. Kotter's 8-Step And Adkar Change Models For Ethical Alignment, Shelbi B. Chandler, Amalfi Gayosso, Alison Lawton, Ali Holness-Roland

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

In this paper, we use the pseudonym ABC Pharmaceuticals (ABC) to refer to the company under examination, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). ABC Pharmaceutical (ABC) must assess, adapt, and change to ensure regulatory compliance, maintain and attract employees, and remain competitive. ABC has a history of erroneous practices and is at risk internally with employees, and externally with regulators and the public sectors. The authors applied J.P. Kotter’s (1996) 8-step and the ADKAR (Hiatt, 2006) models for change management. J.P. Kotter’s top-down model addresses leadership’s role in creating a compelling vision aligned with its actions, and the ADKAR bottom-up model assesses employees’ readiness …

Exploring Occupational Therapists' Experiences With Animal Assisted Therapy Competencies For Safe And Ethical Practice, Macy Burr

Student Dissertations

The implementation of animal-assisted therapy requires professionals to establish competencies and work with animals that possess specific characteristics and have undergone specialized training. Researchers noted a lack of uniform guidelines for practicing animal-assisted therapy in occupational therapy. The Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals recently developed a set of competencies for the safe and ethical inclusion of animals in professional settings, with a section in the appendix specifically tailored to occupational therapy. Although extensive research was conducted to develop these competencies, there is little research on their application to practice. The identified problem was the lack of research to guide the …

Christian Leadership In The Information Age: Has Unlimited Access To Information Influenced Truth, Robert J. Houk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to understand and explore what influences and effects, if any, may be identified as church leaders interact with congregants that have been exposed to a wide array of information in pursuit of truth obtained from various sources. At this stage in the research, the Information Age is being examined to determine if it has had any influence on the pursuit of truth as people seek answers to life's fundamental questions. Previous research had identified growing changes within young people’s beliefs as they sought higher education thus leading to a decline in enrollment …

Play, Instruct, Lead: Investigating The Influence Observing Same-Gender Role Models Has On Leadership Development Of Collegiate Women Student-Athletes Coaching At Youth Sports Camps: A Phenomenological Study, Mercy-Nora Osei

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe how observing same-gender role models influenced the leadership development of collegiate women student-athletes (CWSA) when coaching at youth sports camps (YSC) at NCAA institution campuses in the United States. The theory that guided this study was Albert Bandura’s theory on social learning, as it explained the relationship between observational learning and the influence role modeling had on leadership development. The central question was: How does observing same-gender role models influence the leadership development of collegiate women student-athletes when coaching at youth sports camps? This study used a transcendental phenomenological design to …

A Collaborative Leadership Development Model For Classical Christian School Consortiums, Lisa Diane Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over 55% of young adults in the United States have experienced some form of leadership development; however, their leadership skills are not being used within the church. Nearly 60% of those who regularly attended church during their youth are distancing themselves from it (Barna, 2023). Nonetheless, the same report suggested a link between youth who were well-integrated into a youth ministry and those who stayed active in the church. This Praxis program partnered with Redeemer Classical Academy to implement a Christ-centered leadership development initiative for its high school students. The argument supporting the Praxis program indicates that grounding students' leadership …

Corrections Ministry: Leading By Serving County Level Incarcerated Women’S Practical Needs Through The High School Equivalency Test, Jeri Lea O'Neill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research study explored one possible way that corrections ministry leaders and teams may impactfully serve incarcerated women exemplifying Jesus’s servant leadership and earthly ministry model. In this regard, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to evaluate if a relationship exists between High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) attainment and reentry success of women incarcerated at a large southeastern United States county corrections complex.

The study covered an eight-year timeframe from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2024. The total population entailed 6,599 incarcerated women of which the sample was 2,901. The study assessed the reentry success of incarcerated …

Leading From Within: Integrating Ignatian Pedagogy Into A Theoretical Framework For Leadership Preparedness, Vivian A. Amu

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

In Jesuit higher education institutions, enduring principles and values invite educators and students from all backgrounds to consider integrating the essence of Ignatian pedagogy into their own practices as well as develop leaders who are prepared to confront, transform, inspire, and participate in leadership globally. It requires both institutional investment and student involvement in the learning process. Using the Ignatian pedagogical model, constructivism theory of learning, Dewey’s theory of experience, and past literature on leadership preparedness, this article presents a dynamic self-exploration for leadership preparedness (SELP) framework. It is a theoretical framework rooted in self-discovery through reflection and growth. The …

Honoring Philip Zimbardo: Personal Reflections On A Legacy In Heroism Studies, Zeno Franco, Scott T. Allison, Brian R. Riches

Heroism Science

This article concludes our Special Issue of Heroism Science devoted to honoring the legacy of Philip Zimbardo. Across the preceding contributions, scholars have offered personal reflections, examined his influence on psychology and heroism studies, and discussed the applied interventions of the Heroic Imagination Project. In this closing essay, we situate Zimbardo’s distinctive contributions to psychology and reflect on the cumulative insights of the Special Issue. We then shift to a more personal register, as each of the three authors describes how Zimbardo’s mentorship, vision, personality, and scholarship have shaped our own lives and research trajectories. In doing so, we underscore …

Behind The Badge: Effects Of Stress And Trauma In Policing -- Understanding The Importance Of Evidence-Based Prevention, Early Intervention, And Wellness Programs, Jessica Rolshouse

Master of Arts in Human Services

Law enforcement officers are exposed to occupational stress and trauma routinely and at rates that far exceed the general population. This chronic exposure places them at risk for physical and psychological injury and negative outcomes to include mental health disorders including burnout, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Prolonged exposure to occupational stress and trauma also increases the risk of suicidal ideation and dying by suicide, the most tragic outcome of the stress law enforcement officers face. This literature review focuses on individual risk factors, occupational stress, and trauma, and the development of mental health disorders in law enforcement officers. It also …

Becoming A Social Worker: A Journey Through Community, Justice, And Recovery, Willow Coefield

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

This portfolio is the culminating project for the Master of Social Work program at the University of Montana and demonstrates advanced integrated practice through coursework, practicum, and professional experience. It is organized into an introduction, theoretical orientation, and focused sections on trauma‑informed care and rural and Indigenous contexts of practice, followed by a mapping of portfolio artifacts to core elements and competencies, a conclusion, references, and appendices of key graduate assignments. Drawing on artifacts such as positionality work, case studies, diagnostic assessment, group design, program evaluation, policy analysis, and leadership projects, the portfolio illustrates growth in ethical and professional behavior, …

Journey Through, Cathan B. Tautfest

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Journey Through is the Master's Portfolio for the University of Montana for Author Cathan Tautfest. This paper serves as the capstone graduation requirement for students of the School of Social Work. Over the final semester of the Master's program, this Portfolio was created, reviewed by committee, and defended before its publication. This Portfolio is a culmination of three years and thousands of hours to demonstrate mastery of the ten Social Work competencies, the elements of Social Work Practice, and critically reflect on time spent in the School of Social Work's Master's of Social Work (MSW) program. This Portfolio reflects on …

Stimming Toward Something: Misreading, Method, And Neuroqueer Becoming, Kara Fahringer-Baer

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

This autotheoretical piece examines the epistemic injustices faced by a neurodivergent individual in higher education, tracing how institutional cultures demand legibility while extracting and erasing the knowledge produced at their margins. Drawing on the personal experience of a queer, cis-passing, neurodivergent scholar-practitioner in the U.S. community college system, the narrative enacts theory through lived friction, institutional residue, and creative refusal. By naming the margins as method, the piece offers both scholars and practitioners a framework for recognizing how neuroqueer ways of knowing unsettle dominant logics while making new forms of understanding possible.

The Influence Of Servant Leadership On Team Adaptability During Organizational Change, Mark Lloyd L. Leyva

M.S. in Leadership

Organizational change, an inevitable element of modern workplaces, often introduces stress, uncertainty, and the need for resilience among employees. This study investigates the impact of servant leadership on team adaptability during such transitions. Servant leadership, characterized by empathy, empowerment, trust-building, and support, presents a human-centered alternative to traditional, authority-driven leadership models that prioritize compliance. This research explores how servant leadership behaviors foster resilience, engagement, and adaptability within teams experiencing organizational change. A mixed-methods approach will be utilized, combining quantitative surveys to measure employee adaptability and engagement with qualitative interviews to delve into perceptions of servant leadership behaviors. Existing literature suggests …

The Heart Of Leadership: What Is The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence In Leadership?, Catherine E. Lee

M.S. in Leadership

Emotional intelligence is a concept that has been gaining traction in recent decades, and organizations have been trying to assess its place within leadership and training. Previous research on this topic has shown the growing importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace, with particular attention to employee retention and satisfaction. By using a mixed methods approach to understand the importance of emotional intelligence (EI), this paper explores the specific components of EI employees look for in an organization and a leader. Using a survey of almost one hundred respondents and six in-depth interviews, EI was determined to have a significant …

Trauma-Informed Leaders: Shifting The Paradigm Of Professional Suicide Prevention, Janina Cich

Forensic Scholars Today

Trauma-informed Leaders: Shifting the Paradigm of Professional Suicide Prevention highlights how trauma-informed leadership can transform suicide prevention in law enforcement and other high-stress helping professions. Reflecting on current suicide data and first-responder research, the article outlines early warning signs, intervention strategies, and organizational wellness practices that drive agencies from reactive crisis response to proactive, culturally responsive care. Practical recommendations include leader-supported peer teams, sleep and micro-break interventions, and resilience-focused supports that foster psychological safety, reduce stigma, and normalize help‑seeking across the organization.

A Study Of The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Affective Organizational Commitment And Their Effect On Turnover Intentions, David Dix Tomblison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationships among emotional intelligence, affective organizational commitment, and turnover intentions among millennial employees in Washington State’s technology sector. A fixed, cross-sectional quantitative design was used with data from 459 participants collected through the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Meyer and Allen Affective Commitment Scale, and the Cohen Turnover Intention Scale. Statistical analyses were conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 30; IBM Corp, 2023) for simple regression analysis and the PROCESS Macro (Version 5.0, Model 1) for moderation analysis. Findings showed that emotional intelligence was positively associated with affective organizational commitment and negatively associated with …