September 15, 2011 - The department of student leadership and programming launches its monthly “Leadership Lunch” series on Sept. 29 with Dr. Andy Westmoreland, president of Samford University.
Hosted in the Howard Room, students will have the opportunity to engage various university and community leaders on topics related to leadership. The featured speakers for October and November are Kristina Scott, executive director of Alabama Possible, and Dr. John Knapp of the Mann Center for Ethics and Leadership.
Janna Pennington, director for student leadership and programming, oversees this new endeavor. Pennington saw a need to expand student leadership programming and used the summer to develop a program that would allow students to engage one another and the featured speaker.
“The goal of the program is to provide opportunities for students to learn about leadership and grow as leaders no matter what part of campus they’re involved in, or if they’re not involved anywhere yet maybe participating in a leadership lunch would inspire them,” Pennington said.
Pennington said she wants the series to focus on “big picture” issues related to leadership; issues that would provoke conversation among students even after the lunch hour.
Pennington said the first leadership lunch will cover Dr. Westmoreland’s viewpoints on leadership, the second will focus on the service aspect of leadership and the third and final leadership lunch of the semester will center on ethical leadership.
Junior accounting major Nick Boardman plans to attend the first leadership lunch with Westmoreland and hopes to gain some insightful lessons.
“I hope to learn how to lead an organization or peers more effectively, as well as practical tips on being a Christ-like leader,” Boardman said. “Being able to pull from the knowledge of someone who has literally lead thousands and thousands of people is invaluable.”
The Leadership Lunch series is open to all Samford students and registration is now open for the Sept. 29 lunch with Dr. Westmoreland via OrgSync.
Lunch will be provided for participants. For more information or to offer suggestions on future topics, email Janna Pennington at jpenning@samford.edu.
September 1, 2011 - The Mann Center recently organized a six-week service practicum in South Africa, where students from Samford's Brock School of Business worked at a micro-enterprise center that creates economic opportunities in townships where much of the country's poverty is concentrated. The project was conducted in collaboration with Living Way, a non-profit organization that empowers the poor with "meaningful opportunities to earn a decent living" through job training and small business development.
The student team conducted research and worked on site at the center near Cape Town to develop strategies and methods for better training outcomes. Team leader Kley Sippel called the project "a capstone experience for my business education," explaining that it "expanded my network internationally, increased my cultural literacy, and provided an opportunity for undergraduate research – all fulfilling goals of mine since freshman year and better equipping me for graduation." The Mann Center continues to partner with Stellenbosch University in South Africa in a new program to develop student leaders as agents of positive change. Cadres of students at Samford and Stellenbosch are studying together via live videoconferences and networking on a Facebook group. In January 2012 Dr. John Knapp will take a class of Samford students to Stellenbosh for three weeks of study about the social and economic challenges facing contemporary South Africa.
September 1, 2011 - Mann Center Director John Knapp was with a small group of educators who visited North Korea's Pyongyang University of Science and Technology in July. During a five-day itinerary, he spoke to the university's leaders and graduate students about the role of higher education in developing ethical leaders. In a lecture entitled, 'The University as a Community of Moral Formation,' he focused on such leadership qualities as commitment to the common good of all citizens and openness to collaboration with others in global society.
The mission was organized by the Consortium for Global Education to explore opportunities for interaction with this new institution in North Korea, especially in support of humanitarian efforts. While traveling in Asia, Dr. Knapp also visited Beijing, where he met with an official at the U.S. embassy to discuss opportunities for university partnerships in China.
September 1, 2011 - Findings of the Samford Survey on Academic Integrity, conducted last spring, are now being used to evaluate the university's effectiveness in promoting ethical standards for academic work. The university-wide survey of students and faculty examined practices, experiences and perceptions regarding multiple types of cheating. Conducted in collaboration with the International Center for Academic Integrity, the survey has been used by nearly 200 colleges and universities in the United States, making it possible to analyze Samford's findings in comparison to others. During the fall semester, the Mann Center will use the findings to assist other academic units in strengthening academic integrity.
In addition to its role on the Samford University campus, the Mann Center offers a range of year-round programs and services for external organizations and the general public. Some examples from this summer include:
The Mann Medal in Ethics and Leadership - Awarded to Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, at a community luncheon in July. Intended to recognize contributions to a better society, the medal recognized Colson's three decades of international work on behalf of prisoners and their families, including advocacy for penal reform. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2012 medalist.
Ethics Education for Financial Advisors - Dr. John Knapp is leading seven national seminars this year for professionals in the Investment Management Consultants Association, provider of the CIMA designation.
Alabama Association of Nonprofits - Dr. John Knapp led a seminar on ethics and public trust for non-profit executives. It was simulcast to three meeting sites across the state.