Meet the Features
Meet the wonderful people featured in Digital Leadership in Higher Education: Purposeful Social Media in a Connected World.
Digital Leadership in Higher Education
Purposeful Social Media in a Connected World
Digital leadership isn’t about chasing the latest tool or trend. It’s about people.
Our online lives shape how students, staff, and communities connect, celebrate milestones, and share meaning. While platforms have evolved over the years — and will continue to shift as technology evolves — the core needs of campus communities remain steady: to belong, to be seen, and to trust in the value of our institutions.
This book is your guide to leading with clarity and care in your online communities. Drawing on research, lived experience, and practical strategies, it offers a framework to align your digital presence with authenticity and purpose.
Because at the end of the day, the true ROI of social media isn’t reach or likes. It’s relationships.
Inside the Book:
Primer for Digital Leadership
Build a solid foundation. This section introduces the essential skills and first steps you’ll need as you begin to develop your digital leadership presence.
A Purpose-Driven Presence
Lead with your values.
Discover how to craft digital communications with authenticity and intentionality. This section guides you in aligning online engagement with your personal and institutional values.
Digital Leadership in Practice
Bring it to life. Learn from real-world examples of higher education leaders who are using social media to tell powerful stories, build community, and inspire trust. You’ll walk away with adaptable tactics you can implement right away.
The future of leadership is dynamic: leading with impact in every space, digital and in person.
"What is your why for leading online?"
By the end of this book, you’ll have an answer — and a strategy.
Browse the Table of Contents
- Opening: The Meaning Behind the Screen
- Chapter 1: Welcome to your Digital Leadership Purpose
- Chapter 2: A Tech Pulse of Higher Ed Professionals
- Chapter 3: Plugging Digital Skills into Your Professional Practice
- Chapter 4: Heartware: Your Why for Leading Online
- Chapter 5: A Digital Remix on Life, Leadership and Legacy
- Chapter 6: Creating a Values-Based Strategy for Social Media
- Chapter 7: Solving the Relationship Equation
- Chapter 8: Investing in Your Online Amplifier
- Chapter 9: Digital Role Models and Leadership in Action
- Chapter 10: The Next Wave of Digital Influence and Leadership
- Chapter 11: The Future of Digital Leadership
As Seen In
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Digital Leadership Resources
Take the next step and dig deeper into the book, join the community, and find additional resources for your digital leadership journey.
- Chapter Exercises
- Related Resources
- Recommended Reading & Podcasts
Praise for Digital Leadership in Higher Education
For higher education leaders who are hesitant to embrace social media or further hone their skills, Dr. Ahlquist’s book is a valuable guide to learning why and how to incorporate social media meaningfully and effectively into their professional lives.
Melissa Woo, PhD
Senior Vice President for Information Technology & Chief Information Officer, Michigan State University
Digital Leadership in Higher Education sets a new standard for our profession. After reading the text, I have three conclusions. First, this is one of the ONLY books related to technology that may be virtually timeless.
Second, the content is helpful from those in student leadership positions to university presidents and chancellors. Third, a purpose-driven digital leadership frame is essential to modern leadership.”
Jason Pina
Chief Strategy Officer, Global Programs and University Life, New York University
Josie Ahlquist breaks new ground with the text, Digital Leadership In Higher Education. The text provides practical examples, leadership theory, and most importantly, exercises and activities that professionals can use to strengthen their digital leadership. The book has a wide range of ideas that meets the reader wherever they are in their digital leadership journey.
Walter M. Kimbrough
President, Dillard University
About Josie
I’m Dr. Josie Ahlquist — digital engagement and leadership strategist, researcher, author, and educator. I help higher education professionals and mission-driven organizations harness the power of digital communication to lead with authenticity, build thriving online communities, and tell their stories with purpose.
Through my consulting work, I offer tailored, hands-on support in marketing and communications strategy, executive coaching, upskilling for teams, and keynote speaking. My approach is grounded in research and fueled by empathy, helping clients lead online with clarity and confidence.
You can follow my insights and interviews on my blog and podcast, with content featured by EdTech Magazine, Inside Higher Ed, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. I’m also the author of Digital Leadership in Higher Education (2020), an Amazon #1 New Release.
Let’s connect! You’ll find me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Bluesky.
