2023 Bender of Twigs

When asked to provide a statement about Linnea GlenMaye for the Bender of Twigs, there was a moment of vertigo, followed by awe. Had it really been 25 years? Then all the remarkable stories began to appear from the recesses of my memory. What an adventure it has been to count Linnea as a colleague, mentor, and friend for the past 25 years.

I met Linnea at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting in the fall of 1998. She was in her first year as an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Wichita State University. She exuded a quiet sense of confidence sprinkled with an undertone of knowing. She was exactly how you would imagine a social work educator. She embodied calm, compassion, and kindness. Over the years, these characteristics have inspired all of us to try to do a respectable job, support others, and be more human.

Linnea graduated with an MSW and Ph.D. from the University of Washington, then spent three years teaching at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas before arriving at Wichita State University. As an assistant professor, she was already someone to look up to for guidance. In 2004, Linnea became the Director of the School of Social Work. Then in 2011, she was appointed to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. All the faculty knew Linnea had an answer, a talent for listening, and would provide sage advice. She was always the driving force behind the School of Social Work, the program's accreditation, and our shared successes. Now after 25 years, we all know, this is how Linnea leads.

Linnea introduced junior faculty (including me) to the culture of social work education, the annual program meetings, leadership, the accreditation process, and how to be a calming force in tense situations. Linnea worked collaboratively with the faculty in social work through her tenure and promotion, founding of the POWER conference, the first accreditation of the Master of Social Work program and reaffiliations of the BSW program. For the faculty and students in social work and now the university, Linnea is a mentor, a guidepost, an example of resolve, determination, and leadership.

However, if you really want to see Linnea light up, just ask about her sons' careers and lives. She will share stories of their successes. Knowing Linnea, sharing stories, looking for solutions, or asking for advice is to experience empowerment. In her words, "Empowerment is speaking the truth of one's life and working with others to create that possibility for all." Linnea is empowering.

Over the past 25 years, Linnea has contributed to the positive and supportive culture at Wichita State University through her remarkable accomplishments as a scholar, a professor, a leader, an administrator, a colleague, a mentor, and yes, a friend. Linnea is an example of leadership through empowerment.