STUDENT LEADERSHIP

PROFILES

Brian Alexander
Senior, Mass Communication Major
Study Body President

“I make it a priority to listen to my peers, make decisions based on consensus of the group, and lead by example.”

Ann Elizabeth Armstrong
Assistant Professor, Graduate Studies Director, Theatre
Faculty Advisor, Walking Theatre Project

“My leadership style is heavily influenced by the collaborative nature of work in the theatre, and much of what I do involves making connections between work happening in different areas and facilitating a process that brings a group's vision into a concrete form.”

TJ Bittel
Senior, Engineering Management Major
Founder, African School Advancement Program
Funding Committee Member, Associated Student Government Vice President, Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council

“In all of my roles, my leadership style is to serve the community by developing a comprehensive understanding of its true needs and enabling the community’s constituents to realize and utilize their core strengths.”

Michael Carrafiello
Associate Professor, History
Director, Michael J. Colligan History Project, Miami University-Hamilton

“A fundamental characteristic of effective leadership is the ability and willingness to listen to and appreciate the values and goals of others. To help colleagues embrace and enact their own unique vision so as to enliven the institution and the surrounding community is for me the real joy of academic life.”

Rachel Chase
Senior, Physics Major
Scholar Leader Undergraduate Director
Student Member of the Miami University Board of Trustees

“I like to encourage my peers to express themselves, to be confident that their opinions are worth hearing, and to be sympathetic to the concerns and ideas of others (with the awareness that others also have valid opinions). I also try to keep ideas from getting stuck in the just-an-idea stage and get them acted upon so that students see their input turning into action, underscoring the fact that their contributions really make a difference. My hope is that by creating safe environments for free expression, more ideas will be communicated, developed, and acted upon, and positive actions will thereby be initiated and perpetuated.”

Jerome Conley
Associate Librarian, King Library
Mayor, Oxford, Ohio

“My leadership philosophy is guided by Lao-tze, the 6th century B.C. Chinese philosopher: "A leader is best when people barely know he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they despise him. But of a good leader who talks little, when his work is done and his aim fulfilled, they will say, 'We did it ourselves.'"

Tom Dutton
Professor, Architecture
Director, Center for Community Engagement in Over-the-Rhine

“My leadership style is collaborative, in that I see leadership as a form of pedagogy that accounts for how people learn to analyze current reality, understand and welcome complexity, and engage productive conversations across contending constituencies in order to elevate public discourse.”

M. Katie Egart
Coordinator, Urban Leadership Internship Program

“If I have a leadership ‘style,’ it is based in my own disciplined search for self-knowledge and for an experiential understanding of interdependence that, at best, manifests the qualities of compassionate communication and effective action that serves life.”

Neila Hanges
Assistant to the Senior Director of Shriver Center

“I enjoy working with people and trust that they want to reach a successful outcome as much as I do. I try to focus on creating a harmonious work environment that offers the greatest possibility of achieving that success.”

Melissa Parsons Healy
Associate Director, Office of Community Engagement and Service

“I strive to lead by example and take decisive action based on my core beliefs.”

David Hodge
President

“My role is to lead the university, to provide guidance and direction, and just as important, to listen and respond. I hope my leadership style is encouraging and supportive while still being provocative and innovative. I believe I'm collaborative while still expecting efficient, superior results. I won't compromise my high expectations for myself, for others, nor for the university.”

Rhonda Jackson
Administrative Assistant, Women’s Center

“Interactions with students and staff have shaped my leadership style, which can be best described as ‘engaged listener.’ All too often we hear what people say, but do not listen to what they are saying. By listening, simple ideas become visions, and visions become agents of change; and those changes can affect humanity in a positive way. Being a student of humanity is a goal I strive to achieve daily.”

Michelle Lawrence
Junior, Creative Writing Major
Founder, Illuminati (creative writing journal)

“Leading by example is important to me, as is making each writer, artist or staff member feel valued. Our staff runs in age from 18 through 70, and each one brings a unique perspective. They inspire me, and I'm continually in awe of their talent.”

Brian Ludwin
Senior, Psychology Major
Service Guide, Office of Community Engagement and Service

“My goal is to engage people in an active, critical manner that aids the development of their intellectual capabilities and curiosities while also empowering them to act on their knowledge in the hopes of creating change.”

Gary Manka
Director, Office of Student Activities & Leadership
Coordinator of Leadership Education

“My leadership style is participatory in nature and focuses on values, character, and authenticity. I believe that leadership involves the self-identification of personal values and the alignment of those values with personal action. Leaders must take the internal leadership journey, strip away our masks of composure across all contexts, and be who we are regardless of the situation and/or the risk.”

Eric Melbye
Assistant Professor, English
Director, Community-Based Learning Initiative and Center for Community Engagement, Miami University-Middletown

“I strongly believe in the old adage, ‘Lead by serving, serve by leading.’ Leadership is a position of service to others, and service is the best way to help others become leaders themselves.”

Adrienne Nothnägel
Junior Economics and International Studies Major
Founder, Individuals for Disordered Eating Awareness (IDEA)

“My leadership style is one that listens, inspires, advises, and delegates. I work with others to make them realize their potential, and I give them the building blocks (goals and inspirations) to achieve it. I organize their ideas then delegate so they take ownership of their visions.”

Regina Rapp
Miami Police Sergeant

“I try to adopt a democratic style of leadership. I am willing to listen to the ideas and perspectives of the personnel when making decisions and when addressing the concerns of the department and the personnel.”

Kim Schneider
Senior, English Literature Major
Scholarship Chair and Founder of Mentoring Program, Zeta Tau Alpha

“On a daily basis, I like to think that I lead by example; however, I can also take control when I recognize that a situation requires more active leadership, while still permitting others to retain substantial roles.”

Rhonda Shepherd
Junior, Special Education Major
Tutor, America Reads Program

“I believe that a good leader speaks with compassion and truth which comes from the heart, and then listens with empathy and courage which comes from the soul.”

Sara Speh
Assistant to the Dean, College of Arts and Science

“I strive to help students make connections between what they are studying/researching and how that fits with their larger aspirations. A leader is a visionary, one who can help others contextualize their goals on a larger scale and then help develop strategies to meet those goals.”

Lauren Spero
Community Outreach Coordinator, Office of Community Engagement and Service

“One of Margaret Mead’s famous quotes is the source of my inspiration and dedication to creating a better world through positive social change: ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Ray Terrell
Associate Professor, Educational Leadership
Assistant Dean for Research and Diversity, School of Education and Allied Professions

“My leadership style is collaborative. I seek to include all persons in the unit in shaping goals and decisions.”

Paul Wagoner
Senior, Political Science and American Studies Major
Student Representative, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Advisory Council

“The most important quality of leadership is being able to synthesize others' ideas into workable solutions that benefit as many people as possible.”

Ellenmarie Wahlrab
Coordinator, Center for Teaching & Learning, Miami University-Middletown

“I see my work as connecting people in conversations that matter to them and to the success of our students and to really listen. My intentions are to instigate, support and follow through on collaborative efforts to support the learning of everyone involved.”