By Carol McBryde

Last July, three Oklahoma State University faculty members were awarded a Higher Education Challenge Grant from the USDA. Penny Pennington, Cindy Blackwell and Bill Weeks worked with colleagues Christine Langone, University of Georgia, and John Barbuto, University of Nebraska, to develop the Leadership Education Institute for faculty in colleges of agriculture who were interested in furthering their study of teaching and research in leadership.

The program is designed to be a professional development opportunity for faculty members currently teaching or planning to teach leadership courses for undergraduate students. The discipline of leadership is rapidly growing, and colleges of agriculture across the nation continue to add leadership programs and coursework.

Learning the intricacies of leadership, including the theoretical foundations and applications, can be a daunting task for faculty not surrounded by other professionals academically trained in leadership. The Leadership Education Institute will enhance faculty members’ preparation to teach leadership, develop participants as scholars in agricultural leadership and build a network of leadership educators in agriculture.

Over the next two years, these faculty members will work with a group of faculty chosen to participate in the Leadership Education Institute. The group will take part in three multi-day, face-to-face leadership education workshops. In addition, the group will have an online reading club and visit one of the three campuses of the project directors to observe an exemplary agricultural leadership program. This exciting program brings national attention to our leadership program and newly developed major.

If you're interested in becoming a member of the Leadership Education Institute, please complete the online application.