Alumni Views and News

Visit the MOR Alumni webpage for the calendar of this fall’s calls, to RSVP for the MOR Reception at EDUCAUSE, and learn more about our support.

Starting at Blockbuster video as a video store clerk I decided at age 17 I wasn’t cut out for management. Then some things happened.

If you want people to lead from all levels of the organization, you have to be relentlessly accountable to them.

We received more than 24 inches of rain in just 24 hours. This is how I led, even amidst personal chaos.

I was flipping through my notebook. I wrote down what I want to be known for. Later I circled the question “Is what I said true?” I had some doubts.

Where will the next leaders come from? Think about the talent around us and how we might think differently in answering this looming question.

[Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Vijay Menta, CIO of Middlebury College.  Vijay may be reached at [email protected].]   Happy New Year everyone!   At around the same time last year, I published my Backpack Essentials for a Your Leadership Journey piece.  Several of you provided me with such wonderful feedback, that I was inspired to […]

[Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Ron Kraemer.  He is currently retired.  Ron previously was Vice President for Information Technology and CIO at the University of Notre Dame. Ron may be reached at [email protected].]   A few months ago, I was doing some research concerning distinction in leadership. I scoured dozens of leadership websites, read a […]

[Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Eva Dale, Web Services Director for the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University.  She is a BTAA MOR alum.  Eva may be reached at [email protected].]   We human beings are funny creatures. In prehistoric days, if there was a scary shadow in the distance then it […]

Leadership and Decision Making [Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Amanda Sarratore, Manager of Academic IT Services at the University of Notre Dame.  She is a MOR alum.  Amanda may be reached at [email protected].]   As the pandemic hit, staff stepped up to embrace change in a radical way, and more than a year later, many […]

[Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Beth Holtz, Senior Manager for Strategic Initiatives and Administration in Research Computing, Princeton University.  She is a MOR alum.  Beth may be reached at [email protected].]   We can do hard things.  I must say this about 20 times a day, both in my head and out loud.  I say it […]

[Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Sean McDonald, Vice-President of MOR Associates and David Sweetman, MOR Associates Leadership Coach and Consultant. They may be reached at [email protected] and [email protected].]   We recently had a number of MOR program graduations.  Graduations are a wonderful time in celebrating the accomplishments of our program participants, as well as looking […]

[Today’s Tuesday Reading is by Dr. David Sweetman, MOR Associates Leadership Coach and Consultant.  David may be reached at [email protected].]   Given the positive feedback we received from our Tuesday Reading a few weeks ago that featured the perspectives of multiple MOR alums, we plan to include that style as part of our ongoing program […]

[This reading is from Dr. Julie A. Traxler, Associate Dean for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University.  She is a recent MOR program alum.  Julie may be reached at [email protected].] During our MOR sessions, I could see us collectively cringe, but we began slowly to get more comfortable (or maybe a […]

[This reading is from Vania McBean, Assistant Director of Information Technology for University Recreation and Wellness at the University of Maryland – College Park.  She is a recent MOR program alum.  Vania may be reached at [email protected].] From time to time, as leaders we have to stop and press the pause button. MOR practice requirements […]

Never waste a good crisis! [This reading is from Evelyn F. Griffith, Assistant Director of Data Management at Michigan State University.  She is a recent MOR program alum.  Evelyn may be reached at [email protected].] What a time to write a reflection! There are so many valuable lessons that we gain from participating in MOR.  However, […]

[Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Sean McDonald, Vice-President of MOR Associates with contributions from Firmin Charlot, Identity Management Officer, and Nicholas Oas, Head of Security Operation, both at Michigan State University. They may be reached at [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected].]   Over the course of the past six weeks I have consumed numerous resources and […]

Alumni Reflections on empathy and self-care [Today’s Tuesday Reading is by Dr. David Sweetman, MOR Associates Leadership Coach and Consultant.  David may be reached at [email protected].] Based on your feedback, this week we introduce a new type of Tuesday Reading.  Today you’ll have the opportunity to learn from the personal reflections of multiple MOR alums, woven […]

[This reading is from Jessica von Borck, Director of Land Use Planning at Stanford University.  She is a recent MOR program alum.  Jessica may be reached at [email protected].] “’Cause love’s such an old fashioned wordAnd love dares you to care forThe people on the edge of the nightAnd love (people on streets) dares you to change […]

[This reading is from Michael Chakerian, Director of Information Technology for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.  He is a Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) MOR Leaders Program alum.  Mike may be reached at [email protected].] Perhaps the most difficult thing that no one prepares you for with a major […]