The Staley School of Leadership proudly celebrates Carl and Mary Ice as 2024 Michael C. Holen Leaders-In-Residence. The Ices were on campus April 4-5, interacting with leadership studies students, faculty, and staff. They will also be honored at the fall Spirit of Leadership event.
The Michael C. Holen Leader-in-Residence Award honors outstanding individuals who are exercising leadership in a range of organizational, professional and civic settings. Recipients come to campus to share experiences and engage in rich and challenging conversations with our students and the Kansas State University community.
The award recipient exemplifies the Staley School of Leadership mission statement and the following tenets:
- Service to the common good is the goal of leadership.
- Leadership is a process and is not defined simply by position or authority.
- Collaboration is the primary method of teaching and developing leadership.
- Successful leaders are committed and have the ability to engage in leadership with those of many backgrounds and cultures.
Originally named the “Lifetime Leadership Award,” the award was later dedicated in honor of College of Education Dean Emeritus, Michael C. Holen for his tremendous leadership at the university and support of leadership studies. Mary Lynn and Warren Staley were the inaugural Michael C. Holen Leader-in-Residence recipients.
Mary and Carl Ice’s connection to Kansas State University runs deep, with Mary being an alumna of the College of Health and Human Sciences and Carl graduating from the College of Engineering. Their leadership extends beyond their professional careers, as evidenced by their involvement in and leadership with various non-profit organizations such as the Salvation Army, Cat’s Cupboard, Symphony of the Flint Hills, and the Nature Conservancy.
Carl’s tenure at BNSF railway, culminating in 
his role as CEO, and his current position as vice-chair for the Kansas Board of Regents reflect his commitment to service and education. Mary’s dedication to education is evident through her master’s degree in the field from K-State and her longstanding engagement with Cats’ Cupboard. Together, Mary and Carl have made significant contributions to K-State, including creating student scholarships, supporting athletics, and serving on advisory boards across many departments and organizations within the university. Their unwavering support and leadership have positively impacted both K-State and the state of Kansas.
During their visit, the Ices engaged with the Staley School faculty, staff and students. In the classrooms, conversations leaned into many course topics.
In two nonprofit leadership classes, Mary discussed her experiences exercising leadership through advisory boards with the Nature Conservancy, Ahearn Fund, Symphony on the Flint Hills, Cats’ Cupboard, and many others. She also talked about balancing career, family, and community efforts as a family unit. Students shared their experiences volunteering and interning in local organizations as well as how to use philanthropy effectively in creating a more equitable world – extending opportunity to all.
During the capstone course in the leadership studies minor, C
arl shared about his leadership journey with BNSF Railway. Students asked him many deep questions about his approach to ethical leadership and he offered his leadership tenets and advice for students getting ready to start their careers.
Finally, in a global food systems leadership class, Carl was able to share his insight and knowledge about how the railway industry impacts our global food systems, and Mary invited conversation about food security on a micro-level within communities.
“Mary and Carl graciously shared their lived experiences and invited students to share theirs. During their visit, our classrooms hummed with lessons learned, actions considered and taken, and making sense of leadership concepts and theories by seeing them in action,” said Mary Tolar, dean, Staley School of Leadership. “What Carl and Mary created was exactly the learning experience we hope for with our Michael C. Holen Leaders-in-Residence, and we are most grateful.”
Stay tuned for more details about their recognition at the 14th annual Spirit of Leadership event this fall.
