Widener’s Oskin Leadership Institute Welcomes Pioneering Army Leadership Educator as Beideman Visiting Scholar

CHESTER, Pa.– The Oskin Leadership Institute at Widener University welcomes Dr. Sean T. Hannah as the 2014-15 Beideman Visiting Scholar. Hannah is the Tylee Wilson chair of business ethics and professor of management at Wake Forest University, and directs the university's Center for Leadership and Character. Prior to his appointment at Wake Forest, he served as the first director of CAPE, the Center for the Army Profession and Ethic, at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

As the Beideman Visiting Scholar, Hannah will deliver a President's Invited Lecture at 12 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 22. In addition to the invited lecture, Hannah will facilitate a workshop with Widener's Senior Leadership Team and work with ROTC cadets and cadre.

Hannah recently retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army, with recognition as one of the army's most senior experts on developing leaders of character. He served in command and staff positions in infantry units in Europe, Cuba, Panama, Southwest Asia, and the United States. Upon his retirement, he was awarded the Legion of Merit to honor his 26 years of service.

An engaged and effective educator and trainer, Hannah synthesizes his research and practical leadership experience to engage students and leaders and enhance their learning. Beyond university teaching, he has conducted more than 150 executive education programs with major corporations and other organizations on leadership and character development.

"Widener University and the Oskin Leadership Institute are deeply honored that Dr. Hannah accepted our invitation to serve as our 2014-2015 Beideman Visiting Scholar," said Dr. Arthur Schwartz, executive director of the Oskin Leadership Institute. "His work at CAPE and with Wake Forest University is pioneering in the fields of leadership and character and we look forward to learning from his insight and perspective."

Hannah sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Leadership Quarterly and Business Ethics Quarterly. He has authored more than 60 publications on leadership including papers in premier management journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Leadership Quarterly, Business Ethics Quarterly and many others. 

Hannah holds a doctorate in management from the University of Nebraska, a master's of business administration from Syracuse University, a master's in national security studies from the Marine Corps University, and bachelor's in political science from California State University.

Paul Beideman and his wife, Caroline, established the Beideman Visiting Scholar program within the Oskin Leadership Institute in 2011. Through their gift, distinguished scholars from outside institutions spend time at Widener sharing their expertise and guiding faculty and student discussion and research.

A member of the Widener Board of Trustees, Beideman received a master’s degree in finance from Widener in 1979 and an honorary doctor of public service in 2014. He currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Avenue of the Arts, Inc., an independent non-profit organization created to coordinate and oversee the growth and development of the Avenue of the Arts in Philadelphia.