Teaching
My favorite aspect of teaching at GSU is the diversity of both the student body and the faculty and staff. I teach face-to-face and online classes and in each format the participation of students is crucial for a successful learning experience. The diversity of experiences students bring to my classes generates interesting questions and enhances discussions. In every course I’ve taught I learned something new about the science and practice of managing people and often my students act as my teachers. Furthermore, my colleagues at GSU are diverse both in terms of the professional expertise and their life experiences. This diversity allows me to work with teams of individuals that complement one another and promote innovative solutions to evolving challenges we face. Just as I learn from my students, my colleagues on the faculty and staff consistently challenge me to learn new theories and practices associated with business and higher education.
Background
My career has spanned a wide range of organizational settings, from a Fortune 50 corporation to a community college. While completing my doctoral degree I worked at Sears, Roebuck and Co. in the Human Resources Planning and Research department with a team of internal consultants to design and implement HR processes, such as job analyses, pre-employment tests, surveys, and training for employee selection and performance appraisal. As a professor at Central Michigan University, I taught undergraduate and graduate students in the discipline of industrial/organizational psychology and collaborated with students on academic research and applied projects designed to enhance organizational effectiveness. As the Executive Director of Organizational Learning at Grand Rapids Community College I led the department of Employee Professional Development and Enrichment. This involved managing people (e.g., conducting performance appraisals), projects (e.g., integrating performance and learning management systems) and resources (e.g., budgets) and working on cross-functional teams (e.g., emergency planning). These experiences have prepared me well for my role in the College of Business and Public Administration at GSU and my continuing efforts in teaching, research, and service.
Service
My service to the community is closely linked to my professional expertise. For instance, I regularly make presentations to regional chapters of the Society for Human Resource Management that fulfills continuing education requirements for professional certification. I also endeavor to make connections between my professional expertise and interests in the broader community. For example, in the summer of 2013 I worked with other faculty members to organize and execute a speaker series on Dynamic Leadership in the 21st Century that was open to GSU students and the general public.
Curriculum Vitae: Dr. Wagner
Link to academic website: Publications