Dr. Betty Siegel
Today, I honor Betty Siegel, President Emerita of Kennesaw
State University.
She knew my name, even though I was only a part-time
instructor. She was gracious and
cordial. She would smile across the room at me at the Jolly Lodge. She would walk up to me at events and chat. She
treated me with respect and made me feel a welcome part of the university. She even wrote me a personal letter thanking
me for my commitment to diversity at KSU over 20 years ago. I was happy to work at KSU for 12 years under
her leadership. Kennesaw State was my happy place and my safe place.
Kennesaw State has 5
new pillars standing at the entrance to the university. I would like to think
that those pillars stand for something other than status and prestige. I would like to think of them as foundations
that Betty Siegel built. I honor the
pillars that Betty Siegel modeled and demonstrated with her leadership as
President of Kennesaw State University.
She modeled respect, integrity, inclusion, appreciation, and
equality.
She co-authored a book titled Becoming an Invitational Leader, along
with Dr. William Purdy. This book served
me well as a guide to lead my high school students, college students, adult
corporate learners, and my colleagues in the Cobb County School District. She
invited leaders “to step outside of themselves and observe their behavior more
clearly, reevaluate their perceptions, and question how their actions and words
become part and parcel of their larger version of the world….turning toward
more joyful, thoughtful, and meaningful personal and professional lives.”
Once, she came to speak to a
class I facilitated of Cobb County School District employees on the importance
of being inclusive and invitational. My
regret is that I didn’t capture the moment in a photograph; however, her
kindness and smile is etched in my memory as long as I live. I hope that the Kennesaw State Community will
continue to strive for the pillars of humanity that Betty Siegel established.
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