Digital Leadership Network

Finally, a book about Digital Leadership in Higher Education

I created a book to give higher education professionals permission to call social media what it really is: personal.

Our technology timelines weave closely together with life highs and lows, for some younger professionals as early as elementary school. Overtime while digital communication platforms and technology tools change, the deep desires of our campus communities won’t—a need to belong, find meaning, and our need as higher education leaders to document the value of our institutions to students and stakeholders.

To take on these challenges, we need to humanize campus leaders with a personal approach online and on campus. Digital leadership in higher education asks you to personalize tech through an authentic human touch and intent for real connections. Using research, practical examples, and active reflection, you will discover the real-life ROI of social media: relationships.

Although this book’s companion website includes exercises, book feature profiles, and lots of other goodies, I wanted to create a private, stand-alone community away from major public social media channels for focused dialogue, networking, and more. Although productivity apps and private communities are not covered in depth in this text, they’re fantastic tools you can use within courses, community organizations, departments, and teams. Based on cost, access, and usage trends at the time of this book’s publication, I decided to create a digital community on this very platform, Mighty Networks. You can also download the Mighty Networks desktop, mobile, or tablet application on iTunes or Google Play.

You’ll find several different topics and groups, including each of the 11 chapters (to share chapter-specific reflections), Orientation (which is especially useful for newbies), Meet Your Features, Meet Your Author, and current popular platforms for digital leaders (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter etc.). I anticipate that as the community grows, the network layout will also evolve. Please head to Introductions to say hello and, of course, refer to the Orientation section if you need to learn how to use the Mighty Networks platform. I can’t wait to connect with you all there!

Through speaking, coaching, teaching, and consulting, Josie Ahlquist helps educational leaders, organizations, and students to practice purposeful digital leadership. Her practical, evidence-based frameworks empower clients to build and implement digital engagement strategies that fit their lives, their audiences, and their purposes. Josie’s work is grounded in her grant-funded and award-winning research that has allowed her to train thousands around the globe as a speaker; provide consulting services to institutions and companies; and coach professionals in branding, voice, and positioning.

Josie’s work has appeared in The Handbook of Student Affairs Administration (Jossey-Bass, 2009), The Journal of Leadership Studies, NASPA Leadership Exchange, Technology and Higher Ed, and Contested Issues in Troubled Times (Stylus Publishing, 2019). She also served as coeditor and author of the New Directions in Student Services volume Engaging the Digital Generation, and the New Directions in Student Leadership volume Going Digital in Student Leadership.

Josie is a three-time LinkedIn Top Voice in Education, and she has been recognized by Ed Tech Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Must-Read Higher Ed Technology Blogs” for 5 years. Her podcast, Josie and The Podcast, has been featured by The Chronicle of Higher Ed and Inside Higher Ed. She is a past recipient of the Dr. Susan R. Komives Research Award and the Student Affairs Technology Research, Assessment, and Evaluation Innovation Award. 

Josie received her EdD in higher ed leadership from California Lutheran University, an MEd in counseling from Northern Arizona University, and a BA in sociology and human development and family studies from South Dakota State University. Prior to her independent path, Josie spent nearly 15 years on college campuses in areas of student leadership, student activities, residence life, and student affairs communications and marketing. She currently serves as a research associate and instructor at Florida State University Leadership Learning Research Center, where her curriculum builds digital literacy and leadership skills for undergraduates to doctoral students.