School of Leadership Studies

Mary Tolar, Dean

Professor: Steffensmeier
Associate Professors: Kliewer, Priest, Tolar, and A. Wefald
Assistant Professors: Finnegan, Gott, Lee, and Siefers
Instructors: Bauer, and Cebula
Visiting Professor: Carlin
Adjunct Staff: Casey, Moody, and Patterson
Emeritus Professor: Shoop and J. Wefald

257 Leadership Studies Building
785-532-6085
Fax: 785-532-6542
E-mail: leadership@k-state.edu
www.k-state.edu/leadership/

Since its inception in 1997, the Staley School of Leadership strives to fulfill each part of its mission statement: developing knowledgeable, ethical, caring, inclusive leaders for a diverse and changing world. We invite all to become a part of the Leadership Studies community and together we will continue to discover ways to learn about and engage fully in the mission of our program.

The School of Leadership continues to develop and grow. Grounded by its progressive spirit, commitment to collaboration, and devotion to a student-centered learning community, the School is building critical infrastructure to advance our programs and contribute to the discipline. By understanding, honoring, and preserving what works well, the School is creating a future for Leadership that values its legacy as a necessary component of successful innovation. As we continue to engage students in the central questions of purpose and values, highlight the need for ethical leaders at all levels, share a desire for all of us to commit to a lifetime of service and civic engagement, and open students to the need to continually learn and affirm different people, places, and cultures–we are extending our legacy to the future.

A minor in Leadership Studies complements an academic major by combining theory and practice with an emphasis on personal leadership development. In addition to the minor, we have a certificate in nonprofit leadership. The Nonprofit Leadership Certificate will develop an individual’s leadership capacity to better work, serve, and lead in nonprofit organizations. Drawing from leadership development theory and best practices, graduates will gain tangible skills in understanding the nonprofit sector and the unique considerations of leading within it.

The secondary major in Global Food Systems Leadership is intended for students who want to study and exercise leadership on the grand challenges of feeding a growing world population through a systems thinking approach. An interdisciplinary team from Kansas State University created the program with the goal of helping students enhance their preparation for a diverse range of careers that require integrated knowledge of the global food system and the leadership capacity to skillfully intervene to change the system for the common good.

The Leadership Communication doctoral program started in fall of 2018. The Leadership Communication program is an interdisciplinary research degree. This Doctor of Philosophy degree is rooted in leadership practices and communication processes that can be used to make progress on the most difficult challenges of our times. Through the study and practice of leading change students will produce original research that is grounded in community-engaged scholarship.

Our Programs-Service and Civic Engagement

The Staley School of Leadership is also focused on students’ service and civic engagement and offers various programs for students (and faculty) to enhance social responsibility, citizenship, and awareness of community needs to improve the quality of life–on campus, in the community, and across the world.