EPISTEMOLOGY OF LEADING: WHAT LEADERSHIP IS NOT

Deconstructing the ontological meaning, interpretation, and application of leadership

By ANTHONY OBI OGBO
M.B.A., M.HM, P.hD.

With unimaginable measures of definitions, the sense and discipline of leadership and the act of leading still face ontological inadequacies. Authors, researchers, and theorists of leadership, for many years, have crafted their definitions from countless perspectives, justifying the conceptual relevance of each meaning with substantial phenomenological facts. In fact, most definitions are submerged in theoretical concepts of organizing people to manage their environment, politics, and resources; whereas the proper identification and deconstruction of practice insufficiencies gradually diminish out of consideration. For example, most definitions of leadership might end up investigating the epistemic standards of leading or managing success; but perhaps, to an extent, would least consider the very senseless trends leaders embrace at the detriment of their constituents. This essay, however, invokes the definition of leadership from the rearmost view by metaphorically invigorating significant theories and concepts to convey the meaning and application of leadership.

The article as a purpose, provides remedies to the disparaging afflictions of leading beyond the conjectural boundaries of organizing people, their hope, and aspiration. Passages in this article in explaining the process of leading or managing, offer substantial clues on how leaders or managers could harness their resources and translate their communal crisis into a plantation of economic possibilities. Consequently, in a shear reversal, rather than asking and explaining what leadership is or should be, the approach in this paper emerges from a backmost standpoint to ask and convey what leadership is not and should not be.

So let us proceed then with what leading is not, by first clarifying that leadership is not voodoo. It is not a ping-pong political affair, neither is it a fanfare business; it is a social science. In fact, in the broadest sense, the application of leadership must make sense. It must raise philosophical clarification in meaning and practice. It could be argued that the tradition of leadership must appeal a real-world epistemic connotation of organizational objectives, and implore execution actions. Nonetheless, if the exercise of leading does not breed tranquility of commonsense; ontological humility; if this process does not enthuse the spectacle of wisdom, where leaders learn from followers and followers learn from leaders; where leaders uplift followers and followers uplift leaders; or perhaps, where both camps walk side-by-side in solidarity over transcending challenges, it is not leadership

It might be acknowledged that effective leadership demands an integration of sociotechnical systems and tasks. Thus, if the process does not assume a driven expedition for innovation through a sociotechnical approach, whereby technological work procedures are incorporated with human emotions and actions, it is not leadership. It must be acknowledged that web applications are not humans but gadgets – thus leadership must not just focus on technical shortcuts to solving problems, but also could display a human face. Therefore, if the process is not strategized by intellectual actions; if the practice does not flow in-between the stakeholders of the organizations and the leadership; it is not leadership.

Consequently, if the practice does not share task-related thoughts; emit a learning culture, and instill a focus on both human attitude and information conveyance, it is far from leadership. Effective communication is a good process for managing attitude. Through open communication, leaders can amplify innovation by expediting, planning, goal-setting, exchange of information, and reduction of misunderstandings. Therefore, if the practice does not task the aptitude to listen, understand, sympathize, coach, and mentor; and furthermore, if the practice does not create a culture of transparency and information control to bond the leader and the led; it is not leadership.

Leadership is not a one-man process. Leaders do have subordinates, which conceivably are partners in the organizational development process. Isolating such cohorts in the decision process often leaves a structure of monocracy or tyranny. Therefore, if the leading process does not recognize subordinates as partners in business; and adopt them as allies in the change transformation venture, where the fundamental process of embracing something new implores a construction of sociopolitical awareness and shared collective interests, it is not leadership.

In quest of organizational transformation, amidst transcending global economic challenges, if activities do not entail the bone to take risks and facilitate innovative solutions to achieve unexpected outcomes, it is not leadership. This author in an approach to explore the content and discipline of organizational leadership in its entirety argues that the passion and basic skill set of leading might not be enough in making the organization great. A leader must be armed with the intellectual capacity to manage and motivate a culture of risk-taking. The audacity of leadership represents a scepter of human endurance, individual courage, and resolute idiosyncrasy. Therefore, if the process does not involve the propensity to tackle unparalleled trials of experimentation, potential threats and failure, it is not leadership.

It is appropriate to ensure that a broad enough human resources base must be allocated to innovation-related activities. As a part of organizational culture, tolerating failure makes organizations more innovative. In fact, people will not try to do new things if they know that they will be punished if they are unsuccessful. The process of taking risks must dovetail the fail-factor. In other words, a process that encourages risk-taking in the leading sector could reward failure as a learning tool. When leaders or managers dismiss such failures triggered by the risks of innovation with regulations and penalties, they are merely suppressing the passion to create something new. Therefore, if the organizational culture and structure do not create the standards for taking risks; if the system does not recognize the practical meaning of failure from the perspective of learning – it is far from leadership.

But the charismatic aspect of the act of leading is often played down, especially where a capitalistic quest for profitability engulfs human empathy. A leader must have a human face and exhibit compassion. If he does inspire empathy; that is, if he lacks the compassionate characteristics concomitant with the milk of human kindness[i] – if he does not resonate with the plights of the commonalities and share their traditional values and collective aspiration – the practice is far from leadership.

In a current era of social, political, and economic uncertainties, the language of leadership could build hope rather than fear; emit love rather than hate and animosity; orate peace rather than hatred; and accordingly, build unity rather than division. As Mahātmā Mohandas Gandhi noted[ii], “Service without humility is selfishness and egotism.” Therefore; if he talks like Robert Mugabe[iii]; twits like Trump[iv]; and parades the pitiless disposition of Kim Jong-un[v]; it is not leadership.

The values of the team aspect of leading or managing must be acknowledged too. Leadership success is a group phenomenon – and could entail an organized collaboration of individuals to accomplish tasks, solve problems, and collectively dissuade impending organizational or management challenges. Thus, if the process lacks the team atmosphere and signals unchallenged authority; or embraces the team setting but undermines its collaborative actions – it is not leadership.

The application of leadership must galvanize a culture of transformation, inspire the masses, and carry them along toward the finishing contours of mission accomplishment. As a leader or manager, it might not just be enough to oversee and appraise routine tasks and activities. It is the leader’s responsibility to supervise strategies for moving the organization from a present state to an upper level of economic possibilities. A leader must be able to speak the language of transformation with an accent pertinent to innovation and change structures. Therefore, and finally, if it does not speak the language of transformation; does not recognize the values of innovation; in other words, if it undermines the necessities of change and undercuts the technology of organizational reformation and progress, it is not leadership.

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[i] Phrase ‘Milk of human kindness’ expressing care and compassion for others was derived from work of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, 1605. Reference quote: “Yet doe I feare thy Nature, It is too full o’ th’ Milke of humane kindnesse.” (Shakespeare’s Macbeth, 1605).

[ii] Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer Mahātmā Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India.

[iii] Noted for controversial racist rhetoric, Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician, Robert Gabriel Mugabe served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017.

[iv] Donald John Trump is the 45th and current President of the United States, in office since January 20, 2017 whose addiction to Twitter could adversely reshape the presidency.

[v] Termed world’s foremost living dictator, Kim Jong-un is the Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea and supreme leader of North Korea since 2011. Under his rule, North Korea remains among the world’s most repressive countries.

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About the Author

Dr. Anthony Obi Ogbo is the Publisher/Editor of International Guardian News in Houston, Texas; author of The Influence of Leadership, and the Strategic Advisor, Center of Excellence, Consumer Arts and Sciences at the Houston Community College. Profile: http://www.ajtlonline.org/dr.–anthony-obi-ogbo.html

2018 Michigan State University Scholarships is open to Sub-Saharan African residents and citizens

The MasterCard Foundation has partnered with Michigan State University to provide full tuition scholarships to undergraduate and master’s degree students from sub-Saharan Africa.

The mission of The MasterCard Foundation is to advance education and financial inclusion to catalyze prosperity in developing countries. The Scholars Program is a 10-year, US $500 million initiative that will enable 15,000 academically talented students from economically disadvantaged communities (mostly in sub-Saharan Africa) to attend secondary school and/or university.

Michigan State University (MSU) is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. MSU was founded in 1855 and became the nation’s first land-grant institution under the Morrill Act of 1862, serving as a model for future land-grant universities.

Scholarship Description:
• Applications close: February 1, 2018
• Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing Master programme at Michigan State University.
• Study Subject: Scholarships are awarded to study the subjects offered by the university.
• Scholarship Award: The MasterCard scholarship will cover full tuition for those accepted to the program.
• Number of Scholarships: Numbers are not available.
• Scholarship can be taken in the USA

Eligibility for the Scholarship:
• The program is open to residents and citizens of Sub-Saharan African countries. Students who are already enrolled in degree programs in Africa or elsewhere are not eligible for the program.

Eligible Countries:
• The program is open to residents and citizens of Sub-Saharan African countries.

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirement: Graduate: The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at Michigan State University for master’s students is open to students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree at an African university and are residents or citizens of an African country.

Test Requirement: Undergraduate applicants must provide either WAEC/NECO Scratch Card information, official or certified copies of O and A level results, or any National High School Leaving Examination results.

Undergraduate: MSU currently does not waive English language requirements for any country in Africa, even if the primary language of students’ schooling is English. (See MSU’s English language proficiency requirements for more details.) International students must provide English language proficiency examination results to be considered for admission to MSU. Students only need to take one of the following exams to prove English language proficiency: SAT, ACT, IELTS and TOEFL The MasterCard Foundation Scholarship is not available to those who only qualify for provisional admission based on their TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Graduate: Each department has varying requirements for standardized testing. Please check with individual program and department to verify which tests and what scores you need for regular admission into the program.

Scholarship Award:

The MasterCard scholarship will cover full tuition for those accepted to the program.

How to Apply:

Complete this scholarship application and upload it electronically via online admissions account.

Undergraduate Application Form

Graduate Application Form

Scholarship Link

“It snowed while we camped” – OLMC Catholic School Kids recount their “Camp Kappe” expedition

OLMC Catholic School Kids at the 2017 Camp “Camp Kappe” adventure

By Anthony Obi Ogbo | Guardian News, Houston, TX.

You may call them by their names: Jessica, Arabella, Sophia, Anthony, Joshua, Jaycen, Samuel, and Adam; but these kids are not kidding. Besides the passion and brilliance they demonstrate in their scholastic endeavors, there is one major activity that validates the academic citizenship of this 5th-grade community at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School. It is the Camp Kappe” escapade.

This program is not a picnic. It is a four-day knowledge-based exploration camp – a combination of learning and amusement in a unique program-setting designed to offer school kids a new dimension to human existence. Camp Kappe is a youth retreat facility of the School of Environmental Education under the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School (OLMC) on Whitefriars, Houston, Texas has for years adopted this annual journey as a trademark, introducing the kids to the real-world academic and spiritual sentiment as they progress in their prospective stages of maturity. For the 2017 session, these kids just made it back from the “Camp Kappe” trip which started Tuesday, November 5 and ended yesterday, Friday, November 8.

The camp program is loaded with excitement and educational engagements. Students had the opportunity to acquaint themselves with predictabilities of nature, as well as the use and protection of God-given resources. For instance, just in the four-day period, participants physically visited the Global Village; Barns; Hiking in the Wood site; Pond and Swamps; Playing Courts; Hills with Rocky Path, and Stations of the Cross. An enthusiastic participant told the Guardian News, “Not only that we had fun, but it also snowed while we camped,” referencing the unusual big and fluffy snowflakes that fell across parts of south Texas on Thursday, November 7.

The School of Environmental Education (S.E.E.) program of the Camp Kappe excels as a center and platform for youth retreats, campouts, and operates programs for spiritual development. Each year, the 5th grade class of OLMC attends this facility under the supervision of their teachers and chaperones to explore the realities of nature and spirituality. This year, the kids were accompanied by Mr. Stephen Crawford, a faculty employee; and Carmen Salazar a secretary at the school. The Camp Kappe program at the OLMC has indeed provoked positive outcomes in school’s academic prospectus. Excursion leader, Mr. Crawford who also led the 2016 trip said the program has over the years generated very encouraging responses from both school kids and parents.

The Camp Kappe Youth Retreat Facility is approximately one hour north of Houston in Plantersville, TX (Grimes County), and was founded in 1981. However, it was officially named Camp Kappe, in memory of Fr. T. W. Kappe, a priest who worked with young people of the Galveston-Houston diocese for more than 20 years before his death in 1976.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic School is a diverse learning entity with core mission of making Catholic education available to the populace. The philosophical relevance is faith-based – where the school collaborates with the parish and parents to advance their evangelical duty through cultivating the mind and developing the heart and spirit of pupils. For general information or enrollment, please contact the OLMC campus directly at 6703 Whitefriars, Houston, Texas 77087 or call 713-643-0676. To visit the School’s website, please click >>>

Industry Leaders Offer insight to Future Technicians

The Global Energy COE offers associate degrees and certificates in multiple engineering technology career fields that can lead to work in energy, petrochemical and related industries.

Refineries, petrochemical and manufacturing plants are part of the economic engine that fuels the Houston economy. Highly trained technicians working in the industry help keep the economic engine going.

Houston Community College (HCC) process technology students poised to enter the industry learned firsthand from experts about job opportunities and what it takes to work in the field. The HCC Global Energy Center of Excellence (COE) welcomed two guest speakers to the classroom who discussed industry operations, hiring standards and the importance of making safety a priority.

Tony Wood, operations manager for the Lyondell Basell Bayport Complex, spoke to the students about what his company looks for in potential candidates and the rigorous hiring process. For Lyondell Basell, future technicians are expected to meet entry-level training standards and new operators must also get certified on the units they are assigned as a part of post-hiring. Wood emphasized the critical component of safety compliance and the knowledge of its impact on the company and adjacent communities.

With massive plants located across the Gulf Coast region and often in close proximity to residential communities, workplace safety is imperative to those communities. HCC students also heard from Richard Nickerson, an official with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the agency that enforces workplace safety. Nickerson elaborated on OSHA’s responsibility to ensure that employers provide a hazard-free and safe work environment for employees. He also stressed the importance of the technician’s role in following safety practices and reporting unsafe situations when they occur.

HCC students and faculty gained invaluable information from the two speakers.
Wood and Nickerson also shared their personal career journeys and answered questions about their roles in the industry, providing realistic insights on what is expected when joining the workforce.

“It is very important that our students interact with and hear directly from the industry leaders to set their career goals and job search strategies according to the industry standards,” explained Dr. Ammar Alkhawaldeh, a member of the process technology faculty. .
Dr. Alkhawaldeh, who coordinated the two visits to HCC, also believes that direct meetings between students and industry leaders give them networking connections for potential hiring opportunities. “It is a win-win strategy for our students, the program and the hiring companies alike.”

The Global Energy COE offers associate degrees and certificates in multiple engineering technology career fields that can lead to work in energy, petrochemical and related industries. Registration is now open for the spring 2018 semester. For more information on the Global Energy COE, visit hccs.edu/centers/global-energy.

Dr. Melissa Gonzalez named interim president of HCC Southeast College

Gonzalez has been an associate professor of management at University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she also served as assistant chair for the college.

Dr. Melissa Gonzalez has been selected as the interim president of Houston Community College’s Southeast College. Gonzalez, currently the vice chancellor and chief of staff to HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado, will assume her new position December 1.
Maldonado said Gonzalez’s outstanding leadership qualities will make her the perfect choice for interim president of HCC Southeast College. “Dr. Gonzalez has a proven track record of leadership here at HCC and at other educational institutions,” Maldonado said. “I know she will do an excellent job at Southeast College.”

Gonzalez welcomes the opportunity to play a key role in creating student success at Southeast College. “I want to thank Dr. Maldonado for this appointment and for his confidence in me.”

Gonzalez came to HCC in 2015 from Lone Star College, where she served as vice chancellor, workforce and economic development. While at Lone Star College, Gonzalez held several other positions, including interim vice president at Greenspoint and Victory Centers, special assistant to the president and dean of instruction. Gonzalez has been an associate professor of management at University of Houston-Clear Lake, where she also served as assistant chair for the college. In addition, Gonzalez has held teaching positions at the University of Houston-Downtown, University of Texas-Pan American and South Texas College.

Gonzalez received her Ph.D. in international business and management, an MBA and a B.B.A. from the University of Texas-Pan American.

Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 15 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society. HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities. To learn more, visit www.hccs.edu.

University of St Andrews Scholarships for International Students in UK, 2018

The University of St Andrews is inviting applications for international undergraduate scholarships for 2018 entry. These scholarships will be awarded as a tuition fee reduction of up to £4,000 per year.

The University of St Andrews is one of the UK’s top universities and is one of Europe’s most research intensive seats of learning.

All students entering the University must provide evidence that they can use English well enough to study effectively at St Andrews.

Scholarship Description:

•Application deadline: March 16, 2018
•Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing undergraduate degree level at the University of St Andrews in UK.
•Study Subject: Scholarships are provided to learn any of the courses offered by the University of St Andrews in UK.
•Scholarship Award: The scholarships will be awarded as a tuition fee reduction of up to £4,000 per year for each year of the student’s undergraduate studies and will be awarded on the basis of financial need.
•Number of Scholarships: Numbers are not given.
•Nationality: International students
•Scholarship can be taken in the UK

Eligibility for the Scholarship:

•Eligible Countries: International students can apply for these scholarships.
•Entrance Requirements: The following criteria must be met in order for applicants to be eligible for scholarship: •International Students can apply for the scholarship.
•Entrant scholarships are for international students who will be studying at St Andrews for an undergraduate degree starting in 2017.

•English Language Requirements: All students entering the University must provide evidence that they can use English well enough to study effectively at St Andrews.

International Scholarships

Application Procedure:

This scholarship is available for application through Scholarships and Funding.

How to Apply: This scholarship is available for application through Scholarships and Funding. After you have applied to a new course beginning in the 2018-2019 academic year, you can access Scholarships and Funding through My Application.

Application Deadline: Scholarship application deadline is March 16, 2018.

Scholarship Link >>

The Centre of African Studies Visiting Fellowship at University of Cambridge in UK, 2018-2019

Applications are invited for Centre of African Studies Visiting Fellowship for 2018-2019 academic year. Applicants who are residents in Africa are eligible to apply for these fellowships.

The aim of the fellowships is to enable the visiting academics to focus on a period of research and writing in Cambridge.

The University of Cambridge has long been one of the world’s leading centres for study of Africa. In addition to fostering PhD level research, we run a one-year interdisciplinary MPhil in African Studies, with teaching contributions from faculty in History, Politics and International Relations, Social Anthropology, Geography and English. The course also includes training in an African language.

Scholarship Description:

•Application deadline: January 15, 2018
•Course Level: This is a visiting research fellowship programme.
•Study Subject: Fellowships are awarded in all the disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.
•Scholarship Award: Each award is worth up to £17,000; out of which travel, college accommodation, maintenance costs and medical insurance will be paid by the Centre on behalf of the fellow.
•Number of Scholarships: Numbers are not given.
•Nationality: Africa
•Scholarship can be taken in the UK

Eligibility for the Scholarship:

•Eligible Countries: Offers are normally made to applicants who are permanent residents in Africa.
•Entrance Requirements: Applications are invited from candidates in all the disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Applicants are expected to have completed a doctoral degree before the Fellowship start date. Preference will be given to candidates with a distinguished research profile commensurate with their academic rank. Early- to mid-career researchers are particularly encouraged to apply. Offers are normally made to applicants who are permanent residents in Africa. It is expected that applicants would be intending to come to Cambridge to work on a project building on existing research for which a period of residence in Cambridge is demonstrably appropriate. They should present a clear and feasible plan for preparing one or more pieces of work for publication. The initiation of a new research project will not be ruled out where there is a realistic expectation that it could be substantially advanced by the end of the tenure of the Fellowship.
•English Language Requirements: Applicants from outside the home country will often need to meet specific English language/other language requirements in order to be able to study there.

UK Scholarships

Application Procedure:

In order to apply for a Fellowship you will need to submit an application to the Centre of African Studies, University of Cambridge, by 15 January 2018 and to arrange for your references to arrive at the Centre by the same date. The Centre is not able to consider applications that are not complete.

How to Apply: This application package contains the following:
•A copy of the notice of award;
•Guidance on the information required in your curriculum vitae;
•Guidance on the type of project details required;
•Guidance for you to pass to your referees.

Your application must include the following:
•Your curriculum vitae including details of publications;
•Your project details;
•A photocopy of your PhD certificate (if applicable);
•A photocopy of your passport;
•Two references to be sent directly by your referees to the Director, University of Cambridge, Centre of African Studies, Alison Richard Building, 7 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DT, UK. E-mail: centre-at-african.cam.ac.uk.

Collegiate Disengagement and Completion Low Rates: Academic Symposium at the University of Houston Takes the Bull by the Horn

Dr. Anthony Hancock, Dean of Arts and Sciences, at the Houston Community College, during his presentation on Friday, October 27, 2017 – invoking the theories on identity development to advocate a mindset for growth.

Without doubt, college enrollments, disengagement, underachievement, and low rates of degree completion of Black men consistently generated terrifying numerical measures of desolation and ineffectuality.

By Anthony Obi Ogbo (International Guardian, Houston, TX)

It was all hands of deck at the “Men of Color Greater Houston Area Collegiate Symposium” where students and educators gathered for a three-day lecturing, learning, and strategizing on effective ways to support men of color in their college ventures.

The event sponsors by The University of Houston Downtown, Houston Community College and San Jacinto College hosted local schools, colleges, universities, and community organizations in taking part to bring students and leaders together to effectively engage men of color in creating pathways for success for students and professionals in the K-16 environment.

Conference organizers say they hope to specifically review solutions to support students and leaders as they evaluate outcomes for continued success to support institutions, organizations, and communities mitigate school-to-prison pipeline and the collegiate dropout rate. But presentation on Friday, October 27, 2017 by Dr. Anthony Hancock, Dean of Arts and Sciences, at the Houston Community College, unloaded that philosophy – invoking the theories on identity development to advocate a mindset for growth.

Participants – The event was sponsored by The University of Houston Downtown, Houston Community College and San Jacinto College.

Photo from left – Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi, President, Central College, Houston Community College; Dr Anthony Handcock, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Houston Community College; Dr. Roger T Watkins, The San Jacinto College District; and Alvin Johnson, Associate Director of learning Success, University of Houston.

Without doubt, college enrollments, disengagement, underachievement, and low rates of degree completion of Black men consistently generated terrifying numerical measures of desolation and ineffectuality. To make these challenges worse are a lack of effective approaches by educators and policymakers in addressing them. Dr. Hancock admitted that these challenges are among the most pressing and complex issues in American higher education today. In fact, a summary of problems and inequities that are typically amplified in public discourse, scholarly journals, policy reports, and the media justifies the impending urgency. For instance:

35.8 percent of Black students who enrolled at four-year colleges in 2010 had earned a diploma by 2016.
For Whites, 60.7 percent of students who entered college in 2010 had graduated by 2016.
At private four-year colleges and universities, the Black graduation rate was 41.1 percent compared to a White graduation rate of 68.0 percent.
For Black students entering college in 2010, 39.2 percent of women earned their degrees within six years compared to 31.2 percent of Black men.
About 72 percent of Black students took out a student loan, again the highest rate among any racial or ethnic group.

These figures according to Dr. Handcock shaped the fundamental relevance of his presentation titled, “Sometimes Curve Balls Don’t Curve: A Mindset for Growth.” “Classroom experience matters in strategizing any engagement process when the issue is about people of color,” he noted. For example:

What compels one to speak and participate actively in courses in which he is the only Black student?
How do Black undergraduate men earn GPAs above 3.0 in majors for which they were academically underprepared?
Which instructional practices best engage Black male collegians?
How do Black men craft productive responses to stereotypes encountered in classrooms?

These and many more exploratory questions came up from different perspectives to herald reflection forums and sessions at Men of Color Greater Houston Area Collegiate Symposium. Dr. Handcock’s 45 minutes Presentation on “Sometimes Curve Balls Don’t Curve” however confronted the issues head-on, with substantial intervention actions. A workforce exponent, Handcock expresses the need to create multiple pathways that combine education, training, work experience, and support to help young men, especially those who lack high school diplomas and job skills, achieve successful postsecondary outcomes.

Session participants …hosted local schools, colleges, universities, and community organizations in taking part to bring students and leaders together to effectively engage men of color in creating pathways for success for students and professionals in the K-16 environment.

Among other intervention strategies, there could be a concerted effort to reach out to former students who have attended an institutions but who have not earned a baccalaureate degree from any institution. Finally, the paper advocated an undivided support for economic growth at regional, states and national levels; including research and innovation, commercialization of technologies, and economic development, this includes increasing graduates in areas of critical need including STEM fields.

HCC Central College President, Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi, Named to a Global Education Commission

Dr. Siddiqi said he looks forward to representing HCC on the commission. “I am excited by this appointment and welcome the opportunity to share my experience and HCC’s values with commission members.

The president of Houston Community College’s (HCC) Central College has been appointed to a special commission by a national education organization.

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) named Dr. Muddassir Siddiqi to its Global Commission on Global Education. Dr. Siddiqi says he is honored to receive the appointment. “I believe that global education plays an increasingly important role in enriching students’ learning experiences in U.S. institutions of higher education.”

The purpose of the AACC commission is to provide a forum for focused conversation on global education and to advise the organization’s board and staff. In naming Dr. Siddiqi to the commission, Dr. Walter Bumphus, president and CEO of the AACC said, “Your insight and leadership will significantly contribute to the board’s decision-making process.”

Dr. Siddiqi has an extensive background in international education and business. He worked a dozen years for multinational corporations in six countries. His tenure in higher education is marked by successful implementation of campus internationalization activities.

At his previous institutions in Illinois, Dr. Siddiqi worked with the Illinois Consortium of International Studies and Programs, an international education consortium of over 25 community colleges, to dramatically expand international faculty and student exchange programs and cultural tours. He also worked with faculty and staff to create a comprehensive campus internationalization plan that integrated international education goals into academic and student affairs strategic planning processes and outcomes.

Dr. Siddiqi received his undergraduate education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and also pursued postgraduate studies in Singapore, Thailand and the Netherlands.

HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado said, “Dr. Siddiqi’s international business and educational experience makes him an invaluable asset to HCC. His appointment to the Commission on Global Education is well deserved.”

Dr. Siddiqi said he looks forward to representing HCC on the commission. “I am excited by this appointment and welcome the opportunity to share my experience and HCC’s values with commission members.Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 15 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society.

HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities. To learn more, visit www.hccs.edu.Houston Community College (HCC) is composed of 15 Centers of Excellence and numerous satellite centers that serve the diverse communities in the Greater Houston area by preparing individuals to live and work in an increasingly international and technological society. HCC is one of the country’s largest singly-accredited, open-admission, community colleges offering associate degrees, certificates, workforce training, and lifelong learning opportunities. To learn more, visit http://www.hccs.edu/