Posted on May 9, 2017 by Joanna Carver
Pursuing his passion for research senior Tyler Werland won the Gayle Webb White Prize in Business Administration for a research presentation that he made at the Alpha Chi national convention last month.
He was one of 29 students to be recognized out of 250 participants. His presentation, “Effective Leadership: How to be an Effective Leader,” resulted from research that he conducted with management faculty member Dina Krasikova in the fall.
His goal was to learn what skills, experiences and behaviors make effective leaders in order to better prepare himself for a leadership role.
“I was just coming off an internship with H-E-B, and I was interested in different types of leadership styles,” said Werland, a management major and honors student. “Leadership is one thing I am extremely passionate about, and I aspire to be a great leader one day.”
He conducted interview with 25 employers and employees from companies such as USAA, Rackspace and NuStar. Through the interviews, he identified five factors that were essential for good leadership.
Expanding his personal leadership, Werland recently completed a service project with the Honors College. He organized a fundraiser for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation that resulted in over $10,000 raised for childhood cancer. Sixty-six participants shaved their heads as part of the event.
“The idea is that by shaving their heads, students are showing solidarity for the children who lose their hair from chemotherapy,” said Werland.
Werland continued his research this semester exploring charisma and motivation as part of an independent study project with management faculty member Meghan Thornton-Lugo. This summer he will intern with Target in operations and travel to Spain as part of the college’s immersion program.
Finding a love for research has led Werland to aspire to become a college professor so he can continue to pursue his passion for research and learning. “I’d like to earn a Ph.D. in organizational behavior,” said Werland. “Based on my research on different leadership styles, I strive to become a transformational leader.”
Wendy Frost—
Please send your comments to: wendy.frost@utsa.edu
— Joanna Carver
