12 Chapter 12

Fritz Rock

My name is Fritz Rock and I intend to graduate from Winona State University this upcoming December of 2017 with a graduate degree in Education Leadership with an emphasis in Sports Management. I obtained my undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of Illinois. I am currently a Graduate Assistant at the Warrior Success Center at WSU. This semester I am currently taking Systems Thinking and Change Leadership. My final class is Scholarship, and I will be enrolled this upcoming fall semester.

Prior to taking this course, I only had heard that the professor was strict. After being in class for over 12 weeks now, I have discovered Dr. Holmes to be a professor that will push you. Dr. Holmes will challenge you as a student and more so as a leader. For instance, I have always had insecurities with public speaking. Speaking in front of a group can be very nerve-racking. That changed the first day when Dr. Holmes had created an open environment for student to introduce him or herself and share their vision. I got a chance to speak in front of the class and they got a chance to learn about me more.

I feel Dr. Holmes does a great job in making sure that we as students stay engaged. She is always asking us questions and our feedback about certain topics that will come up during our class sessions. I find it interesting because it keeps you well aware of what is going on during class. This tactic keeps you on your toes, because it is impossible to predict when she will call on you. I had a situation not too long ago where she caught me off guard and asked me a question and I was unprepared to answer. My take away from that situation was to remain engaged so I don’t set myself up to be unprepared again.

Each week, we have case studies that we discuss certain questions with our pre assigned groups. We are supposed to have those answered prior to class that week. They are very beneficial because they are real life experiences and they directly tie in with Change Leadership. It also gives you a better understanding about organizations and different perspectives of challenges as they occur in the workplace.

I would recommend meeting with Dr. Holmes in her office at least one time during the semester. She is a professor that will push you to your potential and I feel it is important to build a relationship from that.  Dr. Holmes is there to help the students succeed, by going to her office and meeting with her, she can help set you up for success. If you are struggling in class, it always helps to have a foundation with a professor. They can see passion and effort on your part, maybe that will make the difference between a C+ and a B-. I feel it is important to build a foundation for open communication and feedback with professors. This is a new mindset to me compared to my undergraduate. Graduate level students are held to a higher standard, we need to rise to the occasion.

Be prepared to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. It is a Change Leadership class so you have to be ready for challenges throughout the course. Change is not always a bad thing, sometimes change can be for the better of the organization or the individual as well. Remember, the classroom is a safe and friendly environment and we are always giving one another feedback on things as they come up in our discussions. You are going to have to share your thoughts and ideas throughout the course. Ensure that you are on top of the readings and any other assignments that we have to do, as classroom participation is a big aspect of this course.

Lastly, have fun and enjoy the time you are in Change Leadership because before you know it, class will be over. This semester went by fast. I got a chance to build relationships with classmates that I would never have built, if I were not in Change Leadership. Ask questions! It is a great class; I have enjoyed learning about different aspects of Change Leadership. Leaders influence outcomes. This class will help prepare you for Scholarship because we learn how to become better writers in Change Leadership. I would highly suggest that students take LDRS 614 before taking scholarship. Also, make sure that you have the APA 6th edition manual book. This book will be your best friend, as you go through the process of doing your research paper. This class has helped me for the next class that I will be taking in the fall. Finally, good luck!