Profile

I am a university business professor, and it keeps me very busy. It includes three components: 1) teaching classes; 2) conducting research, writing, and publishing; and 3) service. For the last component I serve on many committees at the university and in the community to help move efforts forward.

[Editor’s Note:  Susan has published about 50 articles in academic journals.  Her books include On Becoming a Woman Leader:  Learning from the Experiences of University Presidents and Developing Leadership:  Learning from the Experiences of Women Governors.]

It is like a typically university environment. I have an office where I often work and where students and colleagues meet with me for meetings. I attend meetings throughout campus and teach in various types of classrooms. 

I work with a wide variety of individuals and groups. I work closely with hundreds of students each semester that typically range from 20-55 years of age. They have all types of backgrounds and experiences. I worked closely with those students with the ability and interest in personal development and undergraduate research.

I also work with a wide variety of faculty colleagues from all kinds of disciplines (management, accounting, marketing, English, computer science, science, health, philosophy, etc.).

In addition, I work closely on projects with university administrators. I work with a wide variety of individuals from nearly every kind of background imaginable. 

I typically teach two days per week. On those days I prepare for class, attend classes (I arrive early and stay late to talk to student), grade papers/tests, meet with students individually who need extra assistance, and respond to emails and calls. Two days a week I work from my home office. These are my research and writing days. These are quiet thinking days where I plan research or write results. My fifth day is in the office and typically I am in meetings a lot of the day, and I grade papers, respond to emails and calls, and meet with colleagues. 

A sharp mind, passion in the topics you teach, an ability to be self-disciplined, strong teaching, speaking, and mentoring skills, strong skills in research and writing, desire to make a difference in other’s lives, ability to work with others well, responsibility, dependability, and strong ethics and moral values.

Yes, but I determine travel for the most part. If you are a high level scholar, then you must attend conferences and present. I also do international research (many professors do not), which leads me to travel to international locations. In the last year I have traveled to the UAE, Australia, Czech Republic, and England/Wales. 

I love the autonomy. I can choose what I want to spend my time doing. I make choices about how I teach and what I research. I create my own opportunities and can have success when I chose to do so. I love to be able to positively influence others in many ways. My job gives me a chance to do this. I like the flexibility. 

The work never ends if you have passion and are a driven person. There is always more to do, and I am always tempted to work too much. 

I can be inspired by anything if I chose to be inspired. I am inspired by things I read, people I listen to, collecting data (interviews) from inspiring people.

My parents; I have realized that so much of what I have become started during my upbringing. They continue to be amazing people and positive influences in my life.

When I was raising young kinds and struggling with life, I asked my mother where I could find joy. She responded: “You can always find joy in the moments.”

The other best piece of advice was to continue my education throughout my life—to become a lifelong learner.

Many people have told me that I need to be strategic about my career path and plan. I have found that if I remain open I can do more interesting and exciting things and what I really love.

Continue your education. This is one of my most important and critical things you can do in your life. Also, always continue to develop yourselves. You can do so much in life!

I spend time with my husband and children. I also play soccer, racquetball, snowshoe, and hike. I do church service as well.

I develop people. That is what I love. I love to help other learn and become the people they can become. 

I have four children. I have struggled with work-family conflict, but I did my dissertation many years ago on the topic so I could understand things more. I have integrated my work and life, which has made it so I could do many things. I did not work full-time for many years so that I could be home with my children, but I found that I always needed to work a little. I have worked very hard to do what I have thought was right for my family and also meet my personal needs and desires. I am very driven, ambitious, and achievement-oriented. 

Not really. I wish I would have been more patient with my children, but I think I did the best I could for who I am and who I was becoming.

I needed a lot of education, so I constantly thought of my schooling and loved it! I always looked for interesting new opportunities and have tried to keep some flexibility in my life so I could take opportunities that I wanted as they came along or as I found them (you cannot just wait for others).

I started teaching piano lessons at age 13 and knew I was a really strong teacher. My parents are both teachers and knew of their positive influence. I always knew I would teach, but it took longer to figure out I would also become a researcher and author. 

Many. I struggled for many years with trying to do work and family well. I was also on full bed rest for my last two children, including six full months with my last child. This was very difficult. My oldest child has been one of the biggest challenges in my life. He made every day difficult for me, but a few years ago I realized that it is because of these challenges I have become the strong, effective individual that I have become. I know look at my oldest child as a gift. As a mother, I have struggled a lot with domestic duties. I do not like to cook or do housekeeping. My husband is a wonderful guy who believes in me and has teamed with me in life to get things done. I also found that hiring a housekeeper is critical in my life. I tried to do too much for years without getting the assistance I needed. Once I let go of “having to do it all” I was much happier!