The leaders of tomorrow are formed today at PennWest Edinboro’s Leadership Institute. The Institute enhances the educational experience by drawing on the shared knowledge of faculty, staff and students from diverse academic areas. It is an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to education, training and leadership.
The mission of the PennWest Edinboro Leadership Institute is to become a regional resource that provides an integrated curriculum in leadership studies, recognizes excellence in campus and community leadership, affords research opportunities for faculty and students and helps to develop leadership skills in personal and professional venues.
Learn more about the outstanding credentials of the faculty fellows at the Leadership Institute of PennWest Edinboro.
Melissa Gibson, Ph.D., is a professor in the Communication Studies Department at PennWest
Edinboro. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in communication and business
management from Ohio University and her bachelor’s degree from Edinboro University.
At Edinboro, she served for many years as the First Year Experience Director for the
university’s entering freshmen, as well as the Community Outreach Director. In 20
years of teaching at the college level, Dr. Gibson has taught more than 30 different
courses, including courses in managerial and leadership communication, crisis management,
organizational communication, and training and development. She has been nominated
for Edinboro University’s Teacher of the Year and Advisor of the Year awards several
times. She also has worked as a leadership and management consultant to profit and
nonprofit organizations across the Midwest and East Coast. Dr. Gibson has presented
40 conference presentations and secured grants totaling $250,000. In addition to a
published textbook and book chapters, her research has appeared in Management Communication Quarterly, Journal of Applied Communication Research, Journal
of Management Consulting, Business Communication Quarterly and Southern Communication Quarterly. Her research interests include gender and leadership, nonprofit leadership and leadership
development.
Timothy Few, PhD
Associate Professor
108 Hendricks Hall
Email: wfew@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-732-1319
James Daniel Fisher, JD, PhD
Professor
Reeder Hall
Email: jdfisher@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-732-2729
Melissa Gibson, PhD
Professor, Graduate Program Head, Department Internship Coordinator
202 Compton Hall
Email: mgibson@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-732-1592