Kansas State University

Several leadership communication graduate students and Staley School of Leadership faculty represented Kansas State University at the 2022 Association of Leadership Educators conference (ALE), June 26-29, in Kansas City, Missouri. The theme was “Leadership in the Middle of Everywhere.”

The ALE is a professional organization aimed at strengthening the expertise of leadership educators and developers. Staley School participants in the conference led presentations and discussions on leadership education research and innovative practice. As part of K-State’s land-grant mission, the Staley School and leadership communication doctoral program are dedicated to research that strengthens Kansas and global communities.

“The scholarship shared at this conference reflected innovation in leadership learning and development, building civic capacity, and leading change, which are the research focus areas of our school,” said Kerry Priest, Ph.D., director of graduate studies and the leadership communication doctoral program.

“Our students and faculty showcased engaged research activity – highlighting ideas, practices, and processes that advance the design of meaningful, dynamic, culturally relevant leadership learning and development for students, organizations, and communities.”

The 2022 ALE conference participants* and presentations included:

Educator Practice Talks

• Increasing the Effectiveness of Leadership Development Programs
  • Ahmadreza Shamsi Yousefi, graduate research assistant, Staley School Third Floor Research; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program

• Your Authentic Leadership is Not Your Students’ Authentic Leadership

• • Keyla Harrison, instructor and coordinator, Edgerley-Franklin Leadership Scholarship Program, Staley School of Leadership; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program

Educator Workshop

• The Power of Narrative Inquiry: Exploring Narrative Methods for Leadership Scholars and Educators

• • Kate McCain, Arizona State University
  • Mac Benavides, Ph.D., assistant professor of teaching, Staley School of Leadership
  • Hannah Sunderman, Virginia Tech

Innovative Practice Papers

• Leadership Development in the Middle of Work: Team Meeting Observation as a Practice-Based Intervention 

• • Kerry L. Priest, Ph.D., associate professor, director of graduate studies, Staley School of Leadership; director of leadership communication doctoral program
  • Roberta Maldonado Franzen, director of people and culture, K-State Libraries
  • R.J. Youngblood, assistant director, Academic Achievement Center; doctoral candidate, leadership communication doctoral program

• The Subliminality of Leadership Communication:  A Theoretical Connection Between Leadership Development and Communication 
  • Ahmadreza Shamsi Yousefi, graduate research assistant, Staley School Third Floor Research; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program
  • Stephanie Dailey, Claremont Graduate University
  • Timothy Steffensmeier, Ph.D., professor, Staley School of Leadership; interim director, K-State Office of Engagement, director of Third Floor Research, Kansas Leadership Center

Panel Discussion

• Leadership-as-Practice: Exploring Development from  in the Middle of Everywhere and in Between Everything
  • Joe Lasley, University of Southern Maine
  • Brandon W. Kliewer, Ph.D., associate professor of civic leadership, Staley School of Leadership
  • Kerry L. Priest, Ph.D., associate professor, director of graduate studies, Staley School of Leadership; director of leadership communication doctoral program
  • Eric Kaufman, Virginia Tech
  • Linnette Werner, Hamline University

Research Manuscript

• Collective Sensemaking: Constructionist Train the Trainer Leadership Learning and Development

• • Brandon W. Kliewer, Ph.D., associate professor of civic leadership, Staley School of Leadership

Research and Practice Posters

• An Analysis of the Leadership Development Curriculum of the Nigerian National Youth Service Corp Orientation Course
  • Chibuzor Azubuike, graduate teaching assistant, Staley School of Leadership; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program
• Community-Engaged Dissertations: Approaches to Leadership Education Research in Ph.D. Programs
  • Anisah Ari, graduate teaching assistant, A. Q. Miller School of Media and Communication; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program
  • N’Zoret Innocent Assoman, graduate teaching assistant, Staley School of Leadership; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program
  • Monica Macfarlane, graduate program coordinator, Grain Science and Industry; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program
    
• Leadership for Young Change Agents across Factions and Countries: Building Youth-Led Organizations Actors to Address Regional Issues
  • N’zoret Innocent Assoman, graduate teaching assistant, Staley School of Leadership; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program
• Stories in Action: Using Change Narratives for Leadership and Professional Development
  • Kerry L. Priest, Ph.D., associate professor, director of graduate studies, Staley School of Leadership; director of leadership communication doctoral program
  • Michaela Saunders, communications coordinator and assistant to the dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Washburn University; graduate student, leadership communication doctoral program

Roundtable Discussion

• Decolonizing Coaching: Using coaching questions to critique the coaching framework
  • Andrew Wefald, Ph.D.,  associate professor, Staley School of Leadership
  • Ariel Griffin, Children International

• Exploring Philosophy as Method in Leadership Education

• • Zachary Wooten, West Chester University of Pennsylvania
  • Matthew Pierlott, West Chester University of Pennsylvania
  • Kerry L. Priest, Ph.D., associate professor, director of graduate studies, Staley School of Leadership; director of leadership communication doctoral program

Learn more about K-State’s leadership communication doctoral students here. Learn more about the Staley School’s faculty and research agenda here.

Conference proceedings will be available on the ALE website.

*All participants listed are representatives of Kansas State University unless otherwise noted.