(Butler, PA) The institute, Dr. Ryan Kociela said, “provided insight into the very broad scope of effective leadership in community colleges.”

The institute, Amanda Fleming added, “will help me to be a better leader due to the knowledge I gained from the various presentations.”

The institute, Rebecca Bennitt said, “presented me with so many insights into the current landscape and changes taking place in community colleges in Western Pennsylvania.”

Kociela, Fleming and Bennitt were among seven 91¿ì²¥ employees who in December graduated from the third Western Pennsylvania Community College Leadership Institute – as did cohorts from the Community College of Beaver County and from Westmoreland County Community College.

The seven-session institute was held virtually from February to December.

Sara Artzberger, Paula Crider, Jacqueline Kunkel and Ed Stark Jr. joined Kociela, Fleming and Bennitt as a 91¿ì²¥ cohort that in completing the institute demonstrated leadership competencies in 11 areas outlined by the American Association of Community Colleges.

“Importance of communication and collaboration”

Those competencies included organizational culture, and institutional leadership.

Student success, and institutional infrastructure.

Fundraising and relationship cultivation; and governance, institutional policy and legislation.

And they demonstrated competencies in communication and collaboration while working as individual cohorts on capstone projects that addressed an opportunity or problem relevant to their college’s mission and strategic plan.

“The most important things I have learned,” Crider said, “have been the importance of communication and collaboration.”

“How to first understand the strengths and weaknesses of my teammates,” Kunkel said, “and then utilize that information to better perform in a group setting while applying my own skills.”

Interaction key, 91¿ì²¥ president says

Small-group communication and dialogue are important aspects of leadership, said Dr. Nick Neupauer, 91¿ì²¥ president.

“It is important that they are able to develop those real-life skills in small-group communication, interpersonal communication, large-group communication and as an individual,” Neupauer said.

“It’s not only what they are getting in the programs, not only the (capstone) project, but it’s also the interaction that they have being part of the cohort that makes this so excellent.”

Cohorts heard from Neupauer and from other community college presidents, such as Dr. Roger Davis, CCBC; Dr. Tuesday Stanley, WCCC; and Dr. Quintin Bullock, the Community College of Allegheny County.

They heard from community college trustees, vice presidents, executive directors and deans; from four-year institutions’ chancellors or presidents; and from advisers, analysts, attorneys and consultants.

They heard about collective bargaining and legal issues for public institutions; about financing and fundraising; about institutional and program accreditation; and about population trends in the region.

"As with chess, one move can either set up a leader for strong positioning, or create immediate danger to both the leader and organization." 

- Dr. Rya Kociela, 91¿ì²¥ @ Cranberry director, leadership participant

Impact to “all stakeholders”

When leading a community college, Kociela said, “It is crucial to consider the impact of initiatives and decisions relative to all stakeholders. It is also important to consider how one decision can impact other aspects of the institution. As with chess, one move can either set up a leader for strong positioning, or create immediate danger to both the leader and organization.”

“One can start to get tunnel vision based off their own job or specific needs that would impact their area,” Artzberger said. “However, it’s important to know that there are so many more factors that need to be considered when making organizational changes.

“I think it was helpful to be reminded of that and to be shown some of the specific areas of consideration not only as they relate to a budgetary standpoint, but other factors such as internal and external politics, master planning, and how the decision fits with the college’s mission, vision and goals.”

Fleming agreed.

“Understanding the process that takes place in determining how decisions are made for institutions and funding will better help me grow within my position or any future position at the college.”

Project could “spark strategic ideas”

Artzberger is assistant director of information technology for enterprise business applications; Bennitt is coordinator of digital and social content; Crider is human resources assistant; Fleming is college business services specialist; Kociela is director of 91¿ì²¥ @ Cranberry; Kunkel is an instructor in liberal arts and Stark is maintenance ground coordinator.

The Western Pennsylvania Community College Leadership Institute’s capstone project consists of five components: the identification of an opportunity or problem; the completion of a needs analysis; a literature review; a description, implementation and impact analysis; and a final report and presentation.

The 91¿ì²¥ cohort’s capstone project was titled “Lifelong Pioneers: Child Care And The Contemporary Community College.”

The group stated that its project would “allow the college to develop a new strategy – from ‘strollers to scholars.’ By creating innovative service models that support parents and families, 91¿ì²¥ can lead by serving as the community’s provider of accessible, affordable, flexible care and learning opportunities for children as we adapt to become a 21st-century workplace.”

Child care, Bennitt said, is an issue that impacted her personally and professionally as a working mother with a young child.

“Leadership,” Bennitt said, “enables you to step outside of your day-to-day individual duties – during what is a time of great change – and examine issues that impact the college and contribute to a research project that could spark strategic ideas and support long-term planning as the college moves forward.”

Becoming “a better leader”

The institute, Crider said, “has provided an opportunity that I will be forever grateful for. I am hoping to use the skills I have learned to be a better person and employee.”

The institute, Fleming and Kunkel said, was “a wonderful experience.”

“And,” Kunkel said, “I am glad to say we are concluding the institute as good friends as well as colleagues.”

“I learned so much from all the presentations, had the opportunity to work with colleagues that I don’t typically work with on a regular basis and formed lasting relationships with those individuals,” Fleming said.

The institute, Artzberger said, “taught me so many things.

“I think I will be able to utilize much of what I have learned to become a better leader who tries to look at all aspects to make suggestions and decisions, when applicable, that will be beneficial to the college as a whole.”