Scholarly Works, Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education
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- Mentoring Conversations That Matter: Tools and Strategies for GrowthKaufman, Eric K.; Niewolny, Kimberly L. (2025-03-05)Mentoring is a cornerstone of academic and professional development, yet many faculty struggle to foster truly impactful mentoring relationships. To deepen their mentoring practice, this interactive workshop introduces participants to practical tools and strategies from The Encouraging Mentor: Your Guide to 40 Conversations that Matter. Designed for faculty at all career stages, the session will focus on facilitating meaningful conversations that inspire growth, encourage curiosity, and build trust. Participants will explore actionable methods to initiate and sustain mentoring relationships, including conversation prompts that help uncover mentees' goals, values, and potential. We will discuss how to tailor mentoring approaches to diverse needs and contexts, emphasizing inclusive practices and flexibility. Key topics include fostering psychological safety, navigating cross-difference mentoring, and balancing encouragement with constructive challenge. Through hands-on activities and group discussions, attendees will practice using conversation tools and develop strategies for applying these techniques in their mentoring contexts. The session will also introduce free resources, such as videos and worksheets, to support participants in extending their learning and integrating the tools into their mentoring practices.
- The Spectrum of Community EngagementKaufman, Eric K.; Johnson, Lonnie (2025-02-05)Community engagement is a key focus of Cooperative Extension’s mission to foster collaboration and develop culturally relevant solutions for communities. Drawing upon insights from the VCE situation analysis and the work of Extension Leadership Councils, this session will explore diverse models of community engagement, emphasizing how Extension’s program delivery has evolved from traditional, expert-driven approaches toward more collaborative, transformative practices. Attendees will explore the Engaged Model of Program Delivery, which offers a pathway toward sustainable, contextualized problem-solving. The session will also feature the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum of Public Participation, a model that illustrates the continuum of engagement from informing to empowering the public in decision-making processes. We will highlight how different forms of communication—one-way, two-way, and deliberative—shape the outcomes of community engagement efforts. Additionally, we will consider Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation as a critical framework for understanding the levels of public power in decision-making. This session will provide practical insights and tools for VCE professionals to enhance their community engagement strategies and navigate the spectrum of participation, from service delivery to empowerment.
- Authorize Yourself to LeadKaufman, Eric K.; Seibel, Megan M. (2025-02-06)Leadership is not confined to formal titles or roles—it’s an action that anyone can take. This workshop, inspired by Ed O’Malley and Julia Fabris McBride’s "When Everyone Leads," focuses on self-authorizing leadership, empowering participants to step beyond their defined responsibilities. Whether you're an Extension agent, specialist, program assistant, or technician, true leadership often requires going outside of what's expected. We’ll dive into why self-authorization is necessary, what makes it difficult, and how participants can overcome common barriers, such as fear of mistakes or being confined by conventional expectations. The workshop will offer practical strategies for identifying moments to lead and encourage attendees to embrace the mindset that leadership is a choice available to all. We will also highlight the potential value of professional development opportunities, like the VCE Faculty Leadership Development Program (FLDP) and the Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results (VALOR) program. By the end of the session, you will feel more confident in authorizing yourself to lead in your workplace, community, or personal life, contributing to a culture of progress and collaboration. Whether you're tackling an adaptive challenge or seeking to make a difference, this workshop will equip you with the mindset and tools to lead from any position.
- Lessons from the Buffalo River Restoration: A Case Study Approach to Teaching Collaborative Problem SolvingPoudel, Sonika; Kaufman, Eric K. (2025-02-02)
- Bridging the Skills Gap: Digital Badges for Employability in AgricultureKaufman, Eric K.; Coartney, Jama S.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M.; Seibel, Megan M.; Friedel, Curtis R.; White, Amy; Carmichael, Celeste (American Association for Agricultural Education, 2025-02-02)More than a decade ago, the National Research Council (2009) challenged agricultural education professionals to transform how they prepare students for the evolving global food and agricultural enterprise. A critical component of this preparation is durable skills, as they allow employees to adapt and relearn job-specific skills as industry demands evolve (D2L, 2019). However, research suggests durable skills are “more difficult to train for and are not easily assessed” (D2L, 2019, p. 4). In 2020, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) released a report on workforce development skills and attributes for natural resources and agricultural workers (Crawford & Fink, 2020). Critical employability skills (a.k.a., durable skills) included competencies such as communication, the ability to work in teams, and adaptability. Agricultural employers are increasingly in need of a workforce that effectively engages in collaborative leadership (Colclasure, 2020; Donaldson et al., 2023; Kaki et al., 2022; Parrella et al., 2024; Watson et al., 2019). In response to this challenge, the Agriculture Workforce Training for Collaborative Leadership (AWT4CL) project has created a digital learning badge system for helping students develop and claim the durable skills needed for dynamic careers in agriculture.
- Engaging Generation Z: Exploring Volunteering Preferences and Influential Factors for 4-H ProgrammingMiner, Gemma; Nayak, Roshan; Butterfield, Cheryl; Schwarting, Donna; MacArthur, Stacey (2025)
- Evaluating Shifting Trends in Youth Development Volunteerism: University of California 4-H Youth Development ProgramWorker, Steven M.; Nayak, Roshan K.; Miner, Gemma; Wilkins, Tamika; Rodriguez, Matthew; Nathaniel, Keith; Cho, Zeva (2024-10-23)
- Long-Term Outcomes of Youth Development Programs: California 4-H Alumni StudyWorker, Steven; Nayak, Roshan K.; Iaccopucci, Anne; Marshall-Wheeler, Nicole (2025)
- Using Technical Assistance to Bridge the Gap Between Policy, Research, and ImplementationEaly, Phillip L.; Tyler-Mackey, Crystal; Ashurst, Kerri; Blue-Terry, Misty; Cano-Guin, Autumn; Derienfield, Candi; Grant, Samantha; Harmon, Denae; Payne, Pamela B.; Wells-Marshall, Jennifer; Perkins, Daniel F. (Frontiers, 2024-06-12)This case study on the Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk (CYFAR) Professional Development and Technical Assistance (PDTA) Center highlights a government-funded entity’s efforts to provide technical assistance to federal grantees of the CYFAR Sustainable Community Projects (SCP) grant program. The PDTA Center aligns with and supports components of an evidence-based system for innovation support. Through these components, the system provides targeted tools, training for CYFAR SCP grantees, dedicated technical assistance in the form of coaching, and quality improvement support through the evaluation of available program data.
- Strategies for Group Project SuccessKaufman, Eric K. (2025-01-29)Workshop for FIW 2514: Fish & Wildlife Conservation Policy
- Leading & Following in Community Settings [Podcast episode]Kaufman, Eric K.; Fabiano, Sharna (Lead & Follow, 2024-08-18)Leadership Educator and Scholar Eric Kaufman shares his observations of leading and following dynamics in a variety of community and volunteer settings, from civic organizations like Kiwanis Clubs to parent-teacher organizations to church governance bodies. Eric is a professor at Virginia Tech, where he coordinates a graduate certificate in collaborative community leadership and supports an undergraduate minor in leadership and social change. He also has a partial appointment at Virginia Cooperative Extension, and that role has focused his attention on best practices for working with community members to guide educational programming. Eric is a past president of the Association of Leadership Educators, and he is the current chair of the International Leadership Association’s followership member community. Eric has also held significant volunteer roles with his local church and draws upon those experiences to inform his research. “Leadership is the process of inspiring vision and hope. Followership is the process of aligning behavior with a particular vision or purpose.” “People will put up with bad leadership in a business setting when they won’t in a community setting.” “In some community associations, we have a lot of people who care that it’s successful but they don’t want to be in the leader role.” “Sometimes there’s a default to lead through statements, to tell people, ‘this is where we’re going,’ but leading through questions opens space for conversations and it can surface some answers we may not otherwise come up with.”
- Youth Leadership with Eric Kaufman [Podcast episode]Kaufman, Eric K.; Oyedare, Israel (The Future of Leadership Podcast with Israel Oyedare, 2024-12-21)The podcast episode titled "Youth Leadership with Eric Kaufman" is part of "The Future of Leadership" series, hosted by Israel Oyedare. In this episode, Eric Kaufman, a leadership educator and scholar, discusses best practices for collective leadership, emphasizing problem-solving and team development. He also shares insights from his work with the Department of Defense Education Activity and the National Science Foundation's Geosciences Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity program.
- “A part of who I Am:” a phenomenological study of emerging adult leader identity through family storytellingMcCain, Kate; Matkin, Gina (2024-06-17)Purpose – The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore leader identity development experiences of emerging adults at a large Midwest university and how retrospective family storytelling (Koenig Kellas, 2018) plays a role in the sense-making of the leader identity process. Through a unique, three-phase qualitative and narrative inquiry approach, this research further explores LID sense-making through retrospective family storytelling. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative phenomenology and narrative inquiry approach. Data collection consisted of three different data sets: (a) two semi-structured interviews, (b) leader artifacts and (c) journals. Findings – The stories told by the emerging adults described how key messages influenced their identity within the context of leader identity development and their college experiences. Furthermore, a key finding in the narratives exhibited the stories emerging adults recalled in the sense-making of their leader identity centered on persevering, overcoming hardships and interpersonal connections and relationships. Findings from this research contribute to LID literature for leadership educators, researchers and practitioners in leader development. Originality/value – The research presented in this article advances LID by using a narrative approach to explore the role of family narratives in identity development. Further, it approaches qualitative work with rigorous data collection and analysis processing using a cross-case analysis to develop leader identity archetypes. This study directly impacts those who work with emerging adult college students and supports the development of college student leaders.
- Are social media “Influencers” leaders? Exploring student perceptions of social media influencers in the context of leadership and followershipCouncil, Austin; Olowoyo, Olamide (Association of Leadership Educators, 2024-11-21)Purpose – This purpose of the study was to investigate, analyze, and make meaning of student perceptions of social media influencers in the context of leadership and followership. Design/methodology/approach – We investigated whether students perceive social media influencers as leaders, their perceptions of the difference between followers and fans, and the degree of responsibility influencers have over their followers’ behaviors. Existing qualitative data were obtained from n 5 41 participants for the study. We used elements of phenomenology within a single case study design (introductory leadership course) to thematically review and analyze students’ discussion posts and agree on common themes. Findings – Our findings show that most students do not believe influencers are leaders based on value differences between influencers and leaders broadly. Students perceived followers as more actively engaged than fans based on their ability to work alongside leaders, while fans are more passive by only consuming and admiring influencers’ content. Lastly, most students noted that influencers are responsible for the behaviors of their followers and should have more awareness of their power and influence online. Originality/value – As social media continues to influence the perceptions of the younger generations of leaders, our findings seek to provide insights into the evolving and dynamic nature of leadership and followership in the digital age.
- Bridging the Skills Gap-Digital Badges for Employability in AgricultureKaufman, Eric K.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M. (2025-01-17)The Agriculture Workforce Training for Collaborative Leadership (AWT4CL) project has created a digital learning badge system to help students develop and claim the durable skills needed for dynamic careers in agriculture. The AWT4CL digital learning badges are based on APLU employability skill areas: communication, decision-making, professionalism, and leadership. These areas, broken down into specific badges, develop essential skills that prepare learners for personal and professional success. Each badge in the series requires learners to meet specific learning outcomes through practical application and reflection. Each badge is earned through a two-part module involving both an interactive activity and a written reflection. The module is flexible, allowing instructors to adjust specific activities to meet the needs of their course or program while upholding the core badge objectives. In this workshop, participants will learn how to adopt badges into their courses and take home the resources to make it happen.
- Integrating Employability Skills Into Agricultural Courses using the PDSA Model of ImprovementKaufman, Eric K.; Westfall-Rudd, Donna M. (2025-01-17)More than a decade ago, the National Research Council (2009) challenged agricultural teachers to transform their relationship to the global food and agricultural enterprise. With this in mind, Auger (2019) made an important observation: “Some skills are more lasting. Skills like leadership, collaboration, and communication” (para 4). These employability skills are of critical importance to agriculture’s workforce (Crawford & Fink, 2020), and research suggests they are “more difficult to train for” (D2L, 2019, p. 4). Agricultural educators must find ways to incorporate employability skills into classes so that teaching and learning can take flight, soaring to new heights. To improve agricultural courses, our workshop introduces the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) model for improvement (Langley et al., 2009). It is a strategy to pilot, evaluate, and implement changes to courses. PDSA provides a cyclical process, based on the scientific method, to support data-driven continuous quality improvement. It also provides a strategy for post-secondary teachers of agriculture to improve the scholarship of teaching and learning. This workshop is one of the results of a collaboration between a four-year program, technical program, and community college. Workshop objectives are to improve agricultural courses by (1) providing a simple, effective improvement process tool—Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA), (2) reviewing PDSA examples that integrate agriculture and employability skills, and (3) practicing the PDSA model. Participants can practice the PDSA process with their own courses. Interactive activities include (1) reviewing examples done by other agriculture educators, (2) sharing ideas on how to blend employability skills into existing courses, (3) drafting an actual PDSA plan, and (4) discussing how this approach might transfer to other agricultural teaching experiences. PDSA provides a simple, powerful tool and strategy to continuously improve teaching and learning. This workshop introduces how to use PDSA to integrate employability skills into the scholarship of teaching and learning. References Auger, J. (2019, May 6). Soft skills — not technical ones — should be the focus of upskilling initiatives. Training Industry. https://trainingindustry.com/blog/workforce- development/soft-skills-not-technical-ones-should-be-the-focus-of-upskilling-initiatives/ Crawford, P., & Fink, W. (2020). Employability skills and Students critical growth areas. NACTA Journal, 64, 132-141. D2L. (2019). The future of skills: In the age of the 4th industrial revolution. https://www.d2l.com/future-of-work/ Langley, G. J., Moen, R. D., Nolan, K. M., Nolan, T. W., Norman, C. L., & Provost, L. P. (2009). The improvement guide: A practical approach to enhancing organizational performance (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass. National Research Council. (2009). Transforming agricultural education for a changing world. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12602
- Building a training and development intervention for peer leaders: Consideration vs. structureSunderman, Hannah M.; Hastings, Lindsay (2023-06-15)Leadership is necessary for organizational effectiveness (Kroeck et al., 2004), a finding that applies to student organizations at institutions of higher education (Plante, 2016; Posner, 2012). However, student leaders of campus organizations face nuanced and significant challenges (Foubert & Urbanski, 2006; Plante, 2016). Therefore, we sought to diagnose and analyze the central challenge of a peer leadership position within a collegiate leadership mentoring program. After diagnosing the central challenge of the position, we built a training and development intervention grounded in the leadership theory of consideration versus structure (Halpin & Winer, 1957; Stogdill, 1974). The intervention was administered to two cohorts of seven student leaders and subsequently assessed for effectiveness. The current paper shares the assessment results, along with details on developing and implementing the leadership intervention. We hope practitioners can (a) implement the process we outline to conduct a needs assessment and create a leadership development intervention and (b) utilize the training in their co-curricular organizations.
- Transforming leadership education undergraduate advising: Incorporating growth mindset and design thinkingSellon, Addison; Sunderman, Hannah M.; McElravy, L. J. (2023-06-15)Academic advisors are an invaluable and steadfast component of leadership students’ higher education experience (Hunter & White, 2004; Mann, 2020; Museus, 2021; Spratley, 2020). Yet, given the myriad student paths and preferences, advising calls for flexibility, commitment, and personalization. Applying growth mindset and design thinking to the academic advising process in leadership education may help advisors meet the diverse needs of their students, integrating theory and practice. Notably, growth mindset and design thinking are linked to overall motivation, confidence, and problem-solving (Dweck, 2015; Hochanadel & Finamore, 2015; Mann, 2020), allowing students to take ownership over and actively engage with their academic advising experience. Therefore, two advising manuals (i.e., a student manual and a faculty manual) were generated to incorporate growth mindset and design thinking-based approaches to the advising experience within leadership education. The manuals were implemented into various advising situations for data collection and feedback. Findings revealed an overall favorable opinion of the manual and guidance for further implementation within the advising process. The two manuals presented in the current paper provide leadership education students, academic advisors, and departments with various tools to enhance and guide their undergraduate student experience.
- Developing generativity through developmental relationshipsHastings, Lindsay; Sunderman, Hannah M.; Knopik, Nick (2024)Early leader and leadership development experiences that develop generativity - and therefore social responsibility - will become increasingly imperative in preparing a young workforce to shoulder the burden of a substantial leadership transfer in the wake of Baby Boomer retirements. While generativity is considered a midlife construct, recent and emergent research is documenting an association between developmental relationships – such as mentoring, coaching, and advising – and generativity in young adults. The current article highlights this recent research and addresses its implications for leadership practitioners, scholars, and educators. The article concludes with a discourse on future research directions that considers the nuances of particular methodological approaches that will be needed to understand how developmental relationships encourage generativity over time.
- Maximizing the role of teaching assistants (TAs) to match signature pedagogies in leadership educationHastings, Lindsay J.; Sunderman, Hannah M.; Forsythe, Kaitlyn; Knopik, Nick (Emerald, 2024-03-11)Purpose: The purpose of the current application paper is to integrate previous literature with recent results from practitioners on effective practices for utilizing small groups in the leadership classroom. Design/methodology/approach: We use these integrated findings to innovate practice on maximizing the role of undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) by matching their tasks to signature pedagogies in leadership education. Findings: The integrated findings revealed three practice themes: (1) match UTAs to pedagogical approach, (2) create small groups by design and (3) providing training and reflection practice for UTAs. Originality/value: In sum, leadership education can and should challenge historical practices in higher education whereby UTAs are used purely for grading and course logistics management.