The Leadership Communication doctoral program at Kansas State University proudly announces their spring 2022 graduates. Mac Benavides, Ph.D., and Saya Kakim, Ph.D., have completed their doctorates in Leadership Communication, an interdisciplinary program with faculty from the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education, the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication, the College of Education, and the Staley School of Leadership Studies.
Kakim and Benavides are the fourth and fifth graduates of the leadership communication doctoral program.
Mac Benavides has bachelor’s degrees in both secondary education and Spanish, a master’s degree in student affairs administration, and graduate certificates in qualitative research and conflict resolution.
Benavides’ dissertation in the leadership communication doctoral program focused on surfacing the stories of past experiences and future aspirations of global community partners engaged in collaborations with higher education institutions in the United States. This work was done through critical ethnographic and narrative approaches rooted in the cultural worldview of the local community and brought to light the challenges and opportunities related to building and sustaining reciprocal partnerships. Findings of the study point to an iterative process of institutional and relational commitments as the foundation of meaningful community engagement.
Benavides recently accepted a position as an assistant professor of teaching in the Staley School of Leadership Studies, teaching in the undergraduate leadership studies minor and working with faculty to advance work in culturally relevant leadership learning. He will also co-direct the Guatemala program in partnership with the College of Health and Human Sciences to engage students in community-based global learning.
“The Leadership Communication doctoral program gave me the opportunity to build a bridge between my professional interests and my personal sense of purpose,” said Benavides. “I learned that working in an institution of higher education doesn’t have to be separate from my community engagement – they can both inform each other.”
Saya Kakim has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics and a graduate certificate in dialogue, deliberation and public engagement. Kakim’s professional experience includes feasibility analysis and assessment, civic engagement, and youth leadership development in Kazakhstan. She is co-founder of “Best for Kids,” a nonprofit that focuses on youth empowerment programs for youth at risk and promoting the culture of volunteerism in Kazakhstan.
Kakim’s dissertation focused on understanding how deliberative pedagogy and art-based discussion can foster democratic citizenship development. To explore gifted middle school students’ learning experiences, she utilized multiple data collection methods and thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated that the participation and facilitation in visual thinking strategies and National Issues Forums have the potential to foster deeper reflective thinking, greater perceived awareness of others’ perspectives, and awareness of multiplicity.
Kakim has accepted a position as a graduate researcher with the Kettering Foundation to conduct reviews of relevant scholarly and professional literature, implement transdisciplinary research, and participate in research sessions that focus on strengthening democracy around the world.
“The core of the program is community-engaged approaches to research with a focus on enhancing the capacity of citizens to participate more effectively in public decision-making processes,” said Kakim. “Throughout my experience, I have developed transferable knowledge and skills regarding public engagement and interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge co-creation with communities.”
As part of K-State’s land-grant mission, the Leadership Communication program is dedicated to research that strengthens Kansas and global communities. The program seeks to create bold, community-engaged scholarship that advances the public good. Answering to a call from various industries, government, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Leadership Communication doctoral students pursue research on leading change, engaging community, and advancing communication. Because of these focus areas, the program attracts widely diverse students with divergent career goals. Graduates of this program will use community-engaged research to transform the academic, nonprofit, government, private and civic sectors in which they live and work.
Applications for the 2023-24 academic year are currently being accepted. Learn more.
