Mazuca 1 Running head: Barbara L.

Schneider

Leadership Profile of Dr. Barbara Schneider Christina M. Mazuca Michigan State University

Mazuca 2 Introduction Almost three years ago, I came to work in the Office of the John A. Hannah Chair at Michigan State University (MSU). I had previously worked for another department in the college of education when a position became vacant working with Dr. Barbara Schneider, University Distinguished Professor and John A. Hannah Chair. At the time I did not know much about Dr. Schneider but was informed by many that she was very well respected in the fields of education and sociology. Additionally, I was a bit clueless as to what it meant to be the John A. Hannah Chair in the College of Education. After some careful research I discovered that the John A. Hannah Chair was a very distinguished position. The university seeks out candidates from other institutions in order to fill this position. It is an endowed chair that comes with a yearly discretionary account that is to supplement the research activities of the individual that holds this highly regarded position. Little did I know that by accepting this position many doors would open toward the path of professional and personal growth. Background Dr. Schneider was born in 1946 in Illinois. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois and at the young age of 14 became extremely ill and was diagnosed with an uncommon digestive problem. While she was hospitalized she remembers some of the other children in the hospital that were much less fortunate than she. She recalls that some of the children had no family visitors and remembers being really upset by this. They had no support. She knew that she was blessed because she didnt have those issues. It was a vivid memory that she carries with her even to this day. Even at such a young age she recognized the need to do something to help these children. Keeping in mind her goals to help impoverished children have a better future and more support she later went on to graduate from Northwestern University and became a teacher. She taught

Mazuca 3 for a few years and then decided to return to school to continue her education. She received her masters and her doctoral degrees from National Louis Academy. Before coming to work at MSU she worked at the University of Chicago for 18 years, holding positions as Professor in Sociology and Human Development and as a senior researcher at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC). She came to work at MSU in the fall of 2005 and currently holds a dual appointment in the College of Education and the Department of Sociology. Dr. Schneiders main focus has been on issues of sociology in education. She uses a sociological lens to understand societal conditions and interpersonal interactions that create norms and values that enhance human and social capital. Her research focuses on how the social contexts of schools and families influence the academic and social well being of adolescents as they move into adulthood. A Picture of a Leader Just last year, Dr. Schneider submitted a research proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF) in response to a call for proposals that involved Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Careers. Proposal writing is something that she does frequently. As a result has been awarded several grants and many of them from the NSF. This particular grant ($1M) involves increasing college-going rates among high school students. The idea is to go into schools and help those students interested in careers in the STEM fields to better align their goals with the courses that they are taking or plan to take while in high school. Additionally as part of the program we plan to help them to be better prepare to go on to college. Dr. Schneiders vision for the College Ambition program has really inspired me. She has a clear plan and knows what it takes, based on years of research, for students to be successful in getting to college and completing their degree.

Mazuca 4 I am constantly amazed at her ability to juggle all aspects of life. She is a dedicated researcher that is hard working and produces quality work. She has published fifteen books and over 100 articles and reports on family, social context on schooling, and sociology of education, all the while maintaining her family life. She has two grown and successful daughters that she has very close relationships with and is also a grandmother. Her husband is a partner in a Chicago-based law firm and together they travel and spend quality time with friends and family. Her commitment to improving education is again shown in another one of her most recent endeavors which involves the analyzing of the Michigan Merit Curriculum. In a joint effort with The University of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Education, Dr. Schneider is part of a team that plans to analyze the impacts of the Michigan Merit Curriculum. Always looking for ways to improve upon education, she is a big proponent of the use of datadriven decision-making. She really wants to see students succeed in education. It is her belief that through education the youth of America can succeed and have bright futures. Dr. Schneider has done work for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has served as editor-in-chief of Education of Sociology, as well as served on countless other educational boards and committees. As a testament to her commitment in education she was recently nominated to serve as the next President of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Receiving this nomination is just another tribute to her hard work and dedication in the field of education. I know that part of her success is in the fact that she surrounds herself with people that share her goals and enjoy working equally hard to accomplish them. Northouse (2007) defines leadership as a process whereby and individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal. I guess in some ways you could say she is a transitional leader. As Warren Benis

Mazuca 5 would say, she is concerned not just with doing things right but also with doing the right things (Sashkin & Sashkin, 2003). Dr. Schneider works very closely with her graduate students and guides them to be the best at what they want to do. She is highly supportive of her staff and students and often allows them to participate in meeting and conferences that not many graduate students would be a part of. She is always on the lookout for interesting opportunities and ways to promote growth in the people that she mentors. I feel that part of what makes her a great leader is the fact that she allows people to get down in the trenches with her and gives plenty of opportunity for practical experiences. She is especially supportive of women in education. Not to say that she is unfair or biased but she believes in women in the workplace and making sure that we are as recognized as our male counterparts. She has come through the ranks in a time when it wasnt always easy for women and that in itself has been inspiring to me. She is always giving me words of wisdom and making sure that I know my own importance in the research that we conduct. Dr. Schneider says that for her, what matters most is, to understand some of the issues that create inequalities in our educational system and bringing these issues to an educated and general public using rigorous evidence from my own research and that of others (B. Schneider, personal communication, February 4, 2010). She is also passionate about launching the careers of dozens of individuals who are trying to make a difference toward creating a more equitable society in both schools and the workplace. When I asked about her leadership philosophy she responded by saying, When given specific responsibilities I believe it is important to lead, to have follow-through--and to delegate whenever possible. Part of being a successful leader is building and providing opportunities for others to lead. However, one cannot lead through democracy alone--sometimes one has to make difficult decisions--and I believe we sometimes

Mazuca 6 forget that. Another important part of leadership is taking responsibility for ones actions and being generous of spirit to those around you whose mistakes are most often the consequence of myself (B. Schneider, personal communication, February 4, 2010). Searching for opportunities to improve, experimenting and taking risks, fostering collaboration, supporting followers in their personal development, and setting an example are just a few of the ways in which she provides leadership and according to Sashkin and Sashkin (2003) are all factors attributed to leadership. Conclusion Since working for Dr. Schneider she has encouraged me to become more of a leader and to take more initiative. She even sponsored me last year in the Education Policy Fellowship Program which was a very valuable experience. I attended two national conferences where I was able to listen to many other amazing leaders in education. Most recently has encouraged me to pursue my masters degree. It is partially through her support and encouragement that I have decided to continue my education. She inspires others to do better, work harder, and make a difference. When I first came to work for Dr. Schneider I didnt know the impact that she would have on my career. I had been told by others that she was a superstar but it has only been through working closely with her that I realized what exactly that meant. I am grateful for the many opportunities that she has already provided and that I know will continue to provide.

Mazuca 7 References Northouse, P. G. (2007). Leadership: Theory and practice (4th ed.). Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Sashkin, M., & Sashkin, M. G. (2003). Leadership that matters. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.