Fall 2025
ATING A CULTURE OUS LEARNING
One tool the division has used to put this into practice is CliftonStrengths by Gallup. Formerly known as StrengthsFinder, a Gallup framework that helps individuals identify their top talents from 34 themes— such as Strategic, Learner, or Empathy— and understand how to turn those natural patterns of thought and behavior into strengths. Decades of Gallup research shows that people who use their strengths daily are more engaged, more resilient, and more effective in their roles. This August, Stephen Tang- Nian II, Assistant Director of Residence Education and Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach, facilitated workshops for SCL Professional staff, the SCL Graduate Assistant Orientation, as well as the Blue Crown Society. Together with Dr. Fred Tugas, chief of staff and assistant vice president, over 400 employees and students have identified their natural talents, an important foundation to building the competence and confidence in seeing themselves as effective, natural leaders.
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“ In our pursuit for developing our individual skills and talents, we tend to focus on identifying areas of weakness and solely working to develop those areas, however, in doing so, we tend to neglect our areas of natural talent. I enjoy CliftonStrengths because it’ s a tool that allows us to identify areas of natural talent and learn strategic ways to invest time into strengthening these talents” – Stephen Tang-Nian II, Assistant Director of Residence Education and Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach.
Building on the momentum of CliftonStrengths, SCL encourages staff and students alike to engage in leadership development as a regular practice of self-reflection, competency development, and continuous application. For staff, division committees such as the SCL Professional Development Committee and SCL Workplace Environment and Culture Committee are focused on space for training and learning in a supportive community of practitioners. Additionally, as the University continues to invest in digital transformation and artificial intelligence( AI), Dr. Melanie Graham, director of strategic initiatives, and Rachel Taclobos, technical support professional, are forming a cohort-based learning community to explore how AI can reduce manual tasks, increase student and staff engagement, and create a more seamless, connected environment for our community to thrive.
For students eager to strengthen their leadership skills, Dr. Dionicia Mahler-Rogers, Associate Director in the Center for Career and Leadership Development( CCLD), offers a wide range of opportunities to grow.
Leadership is about vision, creating a culture of influence and motivation, and an environment for positive change. It’ s about motivating others, inspiring innovation, and creating opportunities to develop more leaders.
“ Every Monarch has unique talents,” Mahler-Rogers shares.“ I’ m passionate about helping students uncover their strengths and step confidently into their leadership journey.”
Students and teams can participate in leadership consultations, interactive workshops, and assessments such as Emotional Intelligence( EQ-i 2.0), DiSC, MBTI, and the Strong Interest Inventory. These resources allow participants to explore their leadership style, reflect on strengths, and apply their learning in real-world settings.
In addition to individualized tools and consultations, CCLD also offers structured programs that bring students together to practice and expand their leadership skills. Encourage students to join the Leadership Lecture Series on Wednesdays at noon or attend a Career Focus Professional Development Workshop on Thursdays. Both series provide an engaging way to dive into key leadership and career topics, connect with peers, and build the skills that set strong leaders apart. While these programs focus on students directly, much of CCLD’ s impact also comes from behindthe-scenes efforts that prepare students for long-term career success. For example, CCLD partners with the SCL Skills Committee, led by Jenna Rowlands, Associate Director in CCLD, and Russell Chandler, Director of SCL Assessment and Planning, to advance the division’ s learning outcomes: Crown Your Career: 8 to Great.
These examples represent just a few of the many ways leadership is taught, practiced, and lived across Student and Campus Life. While not comprehensive, they reflect the breadth of our commitment: preparing Monarchs( staff and students) to succeed and lead with confident impact and positive change.