Upon meeting Dr. Tara Singer last winter, as she interviewed for the Executive Director position, our initial conversation quickly moved to our mutual interest in leadership development – for today’s college student, but more broadly for ODK members in general (members of all ages!).
Of particular interest to me was Tara’s claim that ODK needed to “own the leadership space.” She made the statement with some conviction, so I took notice when she began to share her hopes for identifying opportunities for research and curriculum development in the area of leadership education.
It’s been six months since my first insightful meeting with ODK’s then soon-to-be Executive Director, and at our summer meeting in Albany the Board of Director’s authorized the creation of ODK’s first-ever National Research and Curriculum Development Committee.
I am pleased to announce that appointment of this new committee, charged with reviewing proposals from individuals wishing to survey and interview ODK members for scholarly purposes in order to expand knowledge of leadership. Additionally, the committee will identify and provide support of Circle programming activities – at the campus level – that enhance the development of leadership skills.
The Committee is chaired by At-Large Member of the Board, Dr. Melvina King (Leadership Center at Morehouse College) and includes Valerie Jones (Laker Leadership Programs at Grand Valley State University), Brian Flanagan (Ross Leadership Initiative at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan), Dr. Gene Crume (President of Judson University), Brianna Kallman Hitt (At-Large Member of the Board, University of Nebraska – Lincoln), Ramon Hill (University of Miami) and Kathie Amato (Member of the National Advisory Council, Duke University). Dr. Tara Singer will provide support to the committee’s work.
With the talent that we’ve assembled on this inaugural research and curriculum development committee, I am confident ODK will make significant strides in getting closer to “owning the leadership space” as Tara predicted.
