Photo by Tony Cece

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Regent Finishes Entrepreneurship Program in Colombia

By Philip Foster

May 16th through the 21st I had the pleasure of traveling to Bogota Colombia to instruct a course titled “Leading and Managing a Small Business.” While in Bogota I met many wonderful people and saw the most beautiful country I could ever imagine. As part of my visit, I toured two primary schools and spoke to many students about entrepreneurship and leading an organization. The leaders of these schools asked many questions about leadership and entrepreneurship. These schools are private and the rooms are small but functional. The children all wore uniformed and when we entered the room they all stood until asked to be seated. While I spoke with an interpreter, most of the children understand English very well. They asked many questions about where I lived and what I did for a living. The most inquisitive class was the seventh graders. The most striking thing I noticed was that there were no computers in the classrooms and yet these children had an excellent command of business.

Another tour was of Cerro Norte which means the North Hill. This is one of the poorest barrios (district) in the northern part of Bogota. Bogota is a city of nearly 9 million people. As I stood on top of this mountain at an elevation above 6,000 feet I saw the splendor and beauty of this place. Bogota is surrounded by mountains and the city rests in the bowl of these mountains.

The view is breathtaking. Even my pictures do not do it justice. I was left speechless at the awe and beauty. In the distance I could see other mountains and before them I could see the flower farms where many of the flowers we purchase may come from.

Bogota is a contradiction. They have some of the most modern looking state-of-the-art buildings that I’ve ever seen. I dare say that these building rival some of the architecture of even the United States. But, right next to these areas of prosperity is factions of poor and extremely poor conditions. Cerro Norte runs up the side of a mountain. These are mostly squatters and the homes are, well…built with materials as they can obtain them. The road up to the top of the mountain is very steep and the switch backs are tight (I will tell you about the driving here in a moment). These people are very resourceful. These building spring up from the side of the mountain and in some cases are stacked on top of each other. Once you can look past the realities of poverty here the view off this mountain is stunning.

The food and coffee in Bogota was fantastic. I had the opportunity to visit what I would call a big box store called “Exito” which means success. I was most impressed with the store. Colombians are genius in their marketing techniques. Vibrant colors and the use of photography is a refreshing change of the blandness of the US marketplace. I think marketing companies could learn a lot from their colleagues here. As I understood it Exito is owned by the same company that owns the Target stores in the US.

Finally I had a meeting with the Dean of Education at the Universidad del Bosque (pronounced Boss-K). My role in this meeting was as Ambassador for Regent University and to introduce myself to them. They asked many questions about my education and the doctoral program at regent. What I have learned is that the education system in Bogota is extremely interested in Entrepreneurship and they were interested in talking about how I could help them develop the countries very first Entrepreneurship center with them and the help of Regent University. After the meeting I was able to enjoy a wonderful cup of coffee with the dean.

The conference on Leading and managing small business was held at the Universidad del Bosque. In attendance were over 130 students and business leaders from around the country. The Dean of Education was impressed with my presentation and complimented me on the ability to take complex subjects and reduce them to simplistic manageable messages that didn’t overwhelm but actually informed the audience in practical and useful ways. I was most honored to know this feedback. I spent a total of 10 hours lecturing on the subject matter.

What I’ve discovered is that Colombians are hungry for information on leadership and entrepreneurship.  The people are beautiful and very welcoming. I feel like I am amongst family there and I miss them very much. One of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done is to step outside of the United States and to walk amongst the cultures of this planet. In Leadership studies we talk about the cultural context of leadership and cross-cultural context of communication. When you step into a culture different than your own, you live out the context of those studies.

There were times when I was surrounded by language somewhat foreign from my own. Granted, I grew up in South Florida and have been around theSpanish culture half my life. But, this is different when for 5 days, over 100 hours – you are immersed in a language that is not your own. There are many things I still have to learn about Colombia. I desire to go back and engage this beautiful country and the beautiful people. I wanted to get to know them and to see their wonderful country.

It is not until we eat at someone’s table, live within their culture and take the time to get to know them one-on-one that we can begin to understand them. Going to Colombia has been rewarding but also very humbling. The people there are hungry for knowledge and information. It was strange to have so much focus on oneself. They welcomed me with friendly arms and hosted me, translated for me and made me feel like family. My heart now longs for the friends I have back there. My eyes long for the beautiful mountains that surround nearly 9 million people. I see a return trip sometime in my future… and it will be a wonderful homecoming.

Regent Students Discover the Glory of God

By Dr. Peter Fraser
Our Literary trip to England has taken a few weeks to digest fully because we saw and did so much in our nine days abroad. From our initial witnessing of the Changing of the Guard in a London drizzle and subsequent tour of the grandeurs of Westminster Abbey to our final day’s tour of the Tower of London with all of its dark history, we were overwhelmed with rich experiences. The trip was designed to help students understand British literature and the Christian tradition, and it easily accomplished that goal. The journals the students kept were glowing.
For me the culminating experience took place in a bell tower at Christ Church Spitalfields, just down the street from our hotel, the Wynfrid House, and a few blocks off London’s notorious Brick Lane, an artists’ enclave with a street full of open shops and galleries and ethnic restaurants. A member of Christ Church Spitalfields, Alan Regin, had agreed to get together a group of ringers to illustrate for our group how change ringing is done. There isn’t much of this in the States because fewer than fifty churches have multiple bells in their towers. In England, there are many more.
Change ringing is the musical art of bell ringing in which groups of trained ringers pull their bell ropes in precise mathematical sequences sometimes for hours on end. Our ringers had recently done a three-hour change. The record for the church was over eleven hours. As one of the novels we were reading was Dorothy Sayers’ The Nine Tailors, which features a murder committed in a bell tower during a record-breaking ring, this tower exercise for us had a very immediate literary connection.
But the ring had a richer connection still. Imagine climbing a set of narrow stone steps into the belfry of an old church with stone walls and no hand railing to guide you. At the top you enter a room the size of a modest classroom with eight ropes dangling through openings in the wooden ceiling. There eight very ordinary, yet distinctively British ringers of all ages and backgrounds stand ready to pull the ropes at the direction of the lead ringer. Once they begin, the room swells with the melodies of the grand old bells ringing out the glory of God throughout that section of the city. The bells can be heard for miles. What an experience!
Regent’s mission to encourage global experiences took on life in that tower and all throughout our trip. There are some things in life like love and faith and English change ringing that you have to experience to appreciate.
Dr. Peter Fraser is an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Language and Literature Department at Regent University. Dr. Fraser is an author of several books. He was also the trip leader for the Literary Oxford Study Abroad trip. Are you interested in participating in a study abroad trip? Click here for upcoming trips and additional information.


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Scripture and Ministry Amplified for Study Abroad Students

By Dr. Mark Wilson
In February-March, 2012, thirteen students, alumni, and friends toured with me in Israel and Jordan. The purpose of the trip was threefold: 1) to understand better the geography and history of the Holy Land; 2) to visit sites associated with key biblical persons such as David and Jesus, and 3) to learn about the contemporary situation in Israel and Jordan by meeting local people.
During our fourteen days we traveled by bus from the length of Israel from Beersheba to Dan. We participated in an archaeological dig at Tel Maresha, viewed the Canaanite gate at Ashkelon, and walked in the clefts of En Gedi where David hid from Saul. Along the way the students gave devotional presentations about various biblical sites.
Jerusalem was a joy and challenge: fascinating sites but blustery, wet weather. One day it rained, then a rainbow followed by snow and hail. To visit Bethlehem we passed through the high security wall that separates Israel from the Palestinian Authority. The Holocaust museum at Yad Vashem was a sobering time of recalling this horrific period. One evening Chris Mitchell, CBN’s correspondent, shared his experiences about living in the Middle East. On another Dead Sea Scroll expert Stephen Pfann spoke to the group.
The crossing to Jordan brought everyone face to face with life in a developing Arab country. Snow had earlier closed the road to Petra so our bus was fortunate to get in. Everyone enjoyed seeing Petra’s magnificent stone monuments, which were featured in an Indiana Jones movie. After days of bad coffee the group was thrilled to stop at the large, two-story Starbucks in Amman.
The final week was spent in the Galilee region where the weather improved greatly. Each day was filled with memories: a boat trip on the lake, a drive along the Golan Heights with overlook of Syria, an unplanned visit to the ancient synagogue at Bet Alpha, and a presentation by the president of the Arab Christian seminary in Nazareth. Through these shared experiences the group bonded in a Spirit-led way. The students kept a journal of their experiences, and it was enlightening to read their recollections. Evident in each was that the trip had been life-changing and would affect how they read Scripture and do ministry in the future. The next Divinity School trip will visit the biblical sites in Turkey and Cyprus so please plan to join us in 2013.
Dr. Mark Wilson is a Visiting Professor in the School of Divinity. He was the trip leader for the Israel and Jordan Study Abroad trip and is a Regent University graduate. Are you interested in participating in a study abroad trip? Click here for upcoming trips and additional information.

Overwhelming Gratitude in Panama


By Dr. Frieda Brinkmann 
Four undergraduate students (Elizabeth Butler, Samantha Pineiro, Victoria Thompson, and Jaquelyn Alvizures), their Resident Assistant, graduate student of Divinity, Yaitza Monge, and, I, traveled to Panama City from May 8 through May 15, 2012.  Our short-term mission trip was organized through Christ for the City International.  This experience gave students the chance to practice their language skills while serving abroad in the Spanish-speaking world. 
We assisted the ministries of Templo Zuriel El Refugio Church in the San Miguelito Community outside of Panama City.  We ran an after school program for children and helped church members deliver meals and minister to the homeless.  We were privileged to participate in several worship services and an evangelistic film night at the church as well.  Students were able to experience first- hand what life and living conditions are like for many in Latin America.  They were immersed in the language, as well as the local culture, as no one spoke English in our host families. 
The disparity between the modern areas of Panama City and the living conditions of the people of San Miguelito are shocking.  However, the simple and uncomfortable conditions we lived in were quickly overshadowed by the kindness and generosity of our host families.  I believe they ministered to us as much as we did to them, possibly even more. 
Our time in Panama also included additional learning opportunities, such as a visit to the Miraflores Locks and the Canal museum, and a boat trip down the Chagres River to visit a village of the Emberá indigenous people.  After this experience, it is hard not be overwhelmed with gratitude for everything we have that we take for granted and humbled at how “our families,” who seemed to have so little, had so much to give. 
Our experience in Panama exceeded my expectations in its contribution to meeting the goals of the Spanish Residential Language Community Program (Enhanced language competence; enhanced global competence; and a strengthened Christian worldview).  It is a desired outcome of the program that students travel to a destination in the Spanish-speaking world to immerse themselves in the language and culture, as well as to give service.

Dr. Frieda Brinkmann is an Associate Professor of Language and Literature at Regent University. She is also the Director of Regent’s Spanish Residential Language Community. Dr. Brinkmann was the trip leader for the Study Abroad trip to Panama. Are you interested in participating in a study abroad trip? Click here for upcoming trips and additional information.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Trauma Team Returns from Kenyan Trip

By Rachel Judy
August 16, 2012

Halfway through a two-week trip to Kenya, Regent University's Trauma Team prepared for a women's conference at a church outside of Nairobi. They were expecting around 100 local women to come for a day of discussing domestic violence. As the conference got underway, more and more women kept coming. In all, 400 Kenyan women showed up that day to learn about issues surrounding domestic violence, as well as dialogue about their own experiences.
Idalia Voigt
Idalia Voigt '11 (Psychology & Counseling).
Photo courtesy of Center for Trauma Studies.

"These women [were] so isolated and alone," said Libby Cutshall, a student in the community counseling graduate program. "The highlight of that moment was when a middle-aged woman came to me and stated, 'You see me, you really see me. Thank you for letting me know I'm not alone.'"

This conference was just one in a series of training events the Trauma Team conducted while in Kenya in July.

Under the supervision of Dr. Benjamin Keyes, director of Regent's Center for Trauma Studies, the team of 22 students, faculty and alumni—all associated with the School of Psychology & Counseling—provided crisis and group counseling and offered training workshops for local mental health professionals, pastors, school children and families in the region.

Much of their trip was arranged in partnership with an orphanage called Into Abba's Arms.

The week prior to their training conferences, the team spent several days working in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp. Formed after internal uprisings in Kenya in 2005, the two-acre camp houses between 1500 and 2000 adults and children. Because of the poverty and close quarters, illness, neglect and sexual trauma are rampant there.

"Nearly all of the children had runny noses from colds, half of them showed signs of poor nutrition and only some of them had shoes," recalled Erik Lohmann, a student in Regent's doctoral in clinical psychology (Psy.D.) program. "It was a place where one had to really step back and assess what they believe about the world and about God."

"Nothing prepares you for the IDP camp," Keyes said. "It's just a sea of people in a very small space."

For some of the students on the trip, this was their first international experience both personally and professionally. "It was good, solid hands on experience for our students to work with families and individuals who have been affected by a severe trauma," Keyes explained. "They're scared going into it. Usually within the first couple of hours, they adjust to the interpreter. They realize they're just talking to other people in other parts of the world and they make the transition. And, they happily discover that not only can they do this, but they can successfully do this."

For Cutshall, the trip was an opportunity to combine service with professional practice. "Education at Regent focuses on being leaders, big or small, in church, in the community, at work, in the United States or abroad. Slowly, but surely, we are inundated with skills that allow us to take a stand, go out into the world and lead as the Lord would have us," she said. "In conjunction with my own life experiences and the advanced trauma trainings at Regent, I felt prepared to identify trauma and grief, assess symptoms of PTSD, offer coping skills, deal with compassion fatigue and offer psycho-educational knowledge to people who otherwise had none, all the while surrounded by an amazing team willing and able to offer an ear when needed."

Lohmann agreed. "As a Psy.D. student, I wanted to find a way to gain experience in the field of psychology and in trauma psychology, but at the same time wanted to continue finding ways to serve others," he said. "I decided to go on this trip when I realized that going would help me accomplish both of those goals."
Learn more about the Center for Trauma Studies.

PR/NEWS CONTACT:
Mindy Hughes, Public Relations

Phone: 757.352.4095 Fax: 757.352.4888
E-mail: mhughes@regent.edu

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Students, Professor Train Therapists in Haiti

By Rachel Judy
August 8, 2012

Thanks to a substantial grant from the Equitas Foundation, Regent University's Child Trauma Institute is undertaking a therapy and research project with Restavek children in the Port-au-Prince area of Haiti.
From July 22-27, Dr. Donald Walker, director of the Child Trauma Institute, led a team of three students to Haiti to train local Haitian therapists who work with children who have been rescued from trafficking. They worked closely with colleagues from Wheaton College and University of Notre Dame, Haiti.

The students accompanying Walker were second-year Psy.D. students Katlin Knodel and Katherine Partridge and first-year master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling student Candace Wheeler.

In the impoverished nation of Haiti, there is a cultural practice of sending poor children from the countryside to live with families in the city. The idea is that the child will help around the house in exchange for food, shelter and education. What really happens, though, is that these children, called "Restavek" children (a Creole term that means "stay with"), face enormous workloads, isolation and frequent abuse.

"The experience has allowed me to learn how consultation works, learn a new therapy technique, and network with other psychologists and organizations with similar goals to my own," explained Knodel. "I feel that both the Haitian individuals we are working with, as well as our research team, are gaining valuable knowledge that will make a difference in the lives of many children."

The Child Trauma Institute—housed in the School of Psychology & Counseling—aims to serve as a leading voice in research, training and practice to understand the role of religious and spiritual faith in the prevention of and recovery from various forms of childhood trauma, particularly child abuse. The institute is believed to be the first and only research center in the country dedicated to studying the dynamics involved in child abuse from what the institute calls "a spiritually integrative psychological perspective."

"It was great to be able to talk with others (the board members and other organization leaders) about my experience as a student and seeing ways where, in the future, I can use my training to be able to help these people," said Partridge. "We were also able to see ways that we, as students, would be able to help now.

"Being a student in a program like Regent s really helps develop the mindset that the education experience is not just about the individual learner but, more importantly, about the people that can be helped because of the research and work that you will do with your degree."

This trip, added Walker, as well as continued work under the grant, has a purpose higher than academia.

"Our trip to Port-au-Prince will not solve the world's problems, or even this entire problem," he said. "I pray that [Kaitlin, Katherine and Candace] remember what they saw and learned this week and carry it with them into their work with their own trainees in the future. For at least this week, we will not be silent."

Learn more about Regent's School of Psychology & Counseling.

PR/NEWS CONTACT:
Mindy Hughes, Public Relations

Phone: 757.352.4095 Fax: 757.352.4888
E-mail: mhughes@regent.edu

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Student's Language Study Confirms Career Plans

By Rachel Judy
August 7, 2012

During her second week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Katherine Nace was given the rare opportunity to explore the building that houses the Latin American country's Supreme Court. For the aspiring attorney and current Regent University School of Undergraduate Studies student, this was the opportunity of a lifetime.

Katherine Nace stands in the Pallacio Judicial
Katherine Nace stands in the
Pallacio Judicial (The Supreme Court).

Beginning in July, Nace spent five weeks in Buenos Aires studying with Español y Cultura en LatinoAmerica (ECELA), a Spanish language program that places students in a number of Latin American countries, including Argentina.

"I was not only benefitting intellectually and socially, but my perspective was widened," Nace said. "Never in my life have I conversed with so many people that all possess radically different perspectives."

In the mornings, Nace took Spanish grammar and conversation courses, some focusing specifically on learning legal terminology and increasing fluency. In the afternoons, she divided her time between lectures at the university and exploring the city.

Nace has always had an interest in human rights issues and her experience in Buenos Aires only served to solidify her desire to make that her career.

"I attended a lecture about the human rights violations during the dictatorship [a period of political and social turmoil in Argentina from 1976-81], with a focus on the people who were imprisoned or who simply disappeared," she recalled. "Then, the next day, I visited the naval school (Escuela de Mecánica de la Armada) that was used as a clandestine detention center during the dictatorship.

"Listening to the guide talk about all the horrible things that were done to people because of their political views really made the facts that I had learned about the dictatorship come to life. I connected personal stories to facts, which made the detention center even more horrible. For me, it was a rather soul-wrenching experience."

ECELA approached Nace about participating in their program because of her affiliation with Phi Alpha Delta International, Regent's pre-law fraternity. Nace is a former president of the organization.

"The more I talked to people from all over the world, the more I realized just how blessed we are in the United States," she said. "The world can be a cruel and harsh place, even if it claims to protect human rights. Therefore, this experience has exponentially increased my desire to work with private organizations within Latin America that strive to give a voice to the voiceless and protect those that have become victims of violence and political oppression. Something has to be done."

Learn more about undergraduate degrees at Regent.
PR/NEWS CONTACT:
Mindy Hughes, Public Relations

Phone: 757.352.4095 Fax: 757.352.4888
E-mail: mhughes@regent.edu

Monday, August 6, 2012

International Youth Leadership Institute Instills Vital Principles


International Youth Leadership Institute students
International Youth Leadership Institute
students (L-R) Nathanya Zyl,
Brandon Walker and Kareena Ali.

 

By Amanda Morad
August 3, 2012

For many people, summers come and go as a time to relax. But the three students selected for Regent University's International Youth Leadership Institute this July did everything but relax.
The summer program, sponsored by Regent's Professional & Continuing Education (PCE), provided an introduction to leadership principles for young adults in high school or preparing for college.

Over the nine-day course, students Brandon Walker (USA), Kareena Ali (Iraq) and Nathanya Zyl (South Africa) convened on Regent's campus for classes and lectures, field trips, activities, and networking opportunities.

"It was as if leadership was redefined for me through this course," said Zyl, a 25-year-old boutique hotel owner from Pretoria, South Africa. "Leadership is not just having influence on others but leaving footprints worthy of walking in."

Zyl came to the program on the recommendation of John Jones '10 (Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship), PCE's program manager on the ground in South Africa. With a passion for women in leadership and a vision for her motherland, Zyl knew the Youth Leadership Institute would be a big step forward in her journey. "In South Africa, there's a big need for strong leadership," she said. "The biggest lesson I've learned here is how to be a productive, strong leader."

Ali's story is different, but the result has been the same: invaluable lessons in servant leadership from a Christian perspective. Coming to Regent from Iraqi Kurdistan, 18-year-old Ali experienced a bit of culture shock when she arrived in the United States and was introduced to the concept of servant leadership.

"The leaders I have met here are not like the leaders at home," she says. "The things they're teaching us are so important. Leadership is something I need in my home and my country, and I have learned how to be a great leader."

A Regent student and friend of Ali's told her about the Youth Leadership Institute on a trip to Iraq. In response to her desire to become a leader in her community, Ali knew she had to come.

"We always wait for God to tell us what to do, but He wants us to move," she encouraged. "Don't wait. He wants us to choose to serve Him."

Ali, Zyl and Walker enjoyed trips to Colonial Williamsburg, local museums and cultural points of interest during the Institute. Most importantly, they also had the opportunity to connect with renowned Regent faculty members from the School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship and the School of Undergraduate Studies (RSU).

"Leadership is a people process—how to inspire people, how to motivate people, how to guide people," said Dr. Michael Hartsfield, assistant professor in RSU, in his class on emotional intelligence. "One of the worst things a leader can do is to say one thing and live something completely different .... Behavior is all followers see."

Hartsfield's class was one of six intensives the students attended throughout the course.

Learn more about PCE's programs.

PR/NEWS CONTACT:
Mindy Hughes, Public Relations

Phone: 757.352.4095 Fax: 757.352.4888
E-mail: mhughes@regent.edu

Friday, August 3, 2012

Legal Intern Impacts Advances in Trafficking Awareness in Japan


Rebekah Kaylor in front of the Imperial Palace.
Rebekah Kaylor in front of the Imperial Palace.


By Rachel Judy
August 1, 2012

Third-year Regent University law student Rebekah Kaylor grew up in Japan as the daughter of missionaries. But, when she started her degree at Regent Law, she never dreamed her studies would take her back to the country she'd grown to love.
Sponsored by the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights & the Rule of Law, Kaylor is one of a group of 22 interns working on issues of human trafficking and justice both in the United States and abroad.

Kaylor's summer internship was with Operation Blessing International (OBI) in Japan. Her task: researching ways the non-profit organization can help fight violence against women, including sex trafficking and domestic violence in Japan.

"Even though Japan is one of the largest destination countries in Asia for trafficking victims, awareness of trafficking is very low," Kaylor explained. "Many times, there is either an outright denial of its existence or a complete misunderstanding of what it is."

One of the major reasons Kaylor decided to go to law school was because she wanted to fight violence against women. When the opportunity to complete an internship under the umbrella of the Center for Global Justice arose, she knew the right doors were opening.

"I was overwhelmed that God opened the doors for me to be able to go to Japan, a country I love, and work as an intern in the field I am passionate about," she said.

Kaylor knows that her first two years at Regent Law prepared her for this internship.

"In law school you are taught to identify the rule and then to analyze by applying the facts to the rule to come to a conclusion," Kaylor said. "I would go into an interview with the definition of trafficking and, as I talked with the interviewee and elicited facts, I realized as I applied the facts to the rule that, even though the interviewee was insisting that they had not worked with trafficking victims, they actually had. I was able to use this to demonstrate that problems such as human trafficking are a lot more widespread then statistics show."

As she enters her final year of law school, Kaylor has a new perspective on her future as an attorney and advocate for women's rights.

"The greatest way my career plans have been impacted is simply understanding that God is the One who opens the door," she said. "Yes, it is our responsibility to knock on doors, send out applications, network, etc. Ultimately, though, God is the One who opens the right door at the right time, and we need to have a responsive heart in order to walk through."

Read more about the summer adventures of the Center for Global Justice interns.
PR/NEWS CONTACT:
Mindy Hughes, Public Relations

Phone: 757.352.4095 Fax: 757.352.4888
E-mail: mhughes@regent.edu

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Servant Leadership Roundtable Goes Global

Speaker of Queensland's Parliament, Fiona Simpson '08 (GLE), stands with Dr. Kat
Speaker of Queensland's Parliament,
Fiona Simpson '08 (GLE), stands with
Dr. Kathleen Patterson, associate
professor in GLE and co-chair
of the Global Servant
Leadership Research Roundtable.
By Amanda Morad
July 27, 2012

Regent University's School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship (GLE) sponsored the second Global Servant Leadership Research Roundtable this June, hosted at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
The conference is an outgrowth of GLE associate professor Dr. Kathleen Patterson's Servant Leadership Research Roundtable hosted at Regent each year. Celebrating its 10th anniversary this spring, the event brings together leadership experts in scholarly discussion of research streams, new models, testing of existing concepts, instrument development and validation, as well as servant leadership case studies.


The first global roundtable was held at Erasmus University in the Netherlands in 2008. Regent's partnerships with these leading world universities begins with renowned leadership scholars Dirk van Dierendonck, from roundtable co-sponsor Erasmus University; Sen Sendjaya, from Monash University; and Andre Pekerti, from the roundtable co-sponsor the University of Queensland Business School.


"It is always a privilege to plan and participate with scholars from around the world, all centered on a central theme of servant leadership," Patterson said. "The very idea of the leader taking the stance of the servant is a powerful concept—a concept that has the power to change lives, communities, organizations and the world."

Regent alumna Fiona Simpson '08 (GLE) was featured as a session speaker alongside Patterson. Simpson recently won her seat in Queensland's Parliament for the eighth time and was elected as Speaker of the Parliament—the first woman to hold this position in the legislative body's 150-year history.

Several GLE doctoral students also had the opportunity to attend the conference in Melbourne and present research from their dissertations.

"The blend of diverse global perspectives on servant leadership combined with the strong representation of professors and researchers made this a truly prestigious and insightful event," said Ph.D. student David Peltz, who presented research on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s model of servant leadership. "Perhaps most significant was the valuable group and one-on-one feedback I received from all the experts in the field of servant leadership. Their feedback challenged and encouraged me to consider and incorporate additional facets of servant leadership content into my dissertation."

"I learned a great deal about the diversity of servant leadership scholars, the wide scope and applicability of the concept through the practitioners, and potential areas for future research on this important topic," explained student John Hargadon. "It allowed for networking with others from around the globe, establishing relationships for potential future research collaboration, and a general improvement in cross-cultural understanding, the importance of which might be the greatest benefit of all."

Hargadon's research on servant leadership in military settings was presented at the roundtable, as was fellow student Eric Coggins' research on servant leadership in Eastern and Western cultures.

"The privilege to attend and present at the 2nd Global Servant Leadership Roundtable afforded me the opportunity to interact with high-level scholars in the field of leadership," Coggins noted. "I was able to make great connections with other scholars in the field of servant leadership."

Learn more about GLE.
PR/NEWS CONTACT:
Mindy Hughes, Public Relations

Phone: 757.352.4095 Fax: 757.352.4888
E-mail: mhughes@regent.edu