Dr. Jim Henderson
University of Louisiana System President
Dr. Jim Henderson became the University of Louisiana System President on Jan. 1, 2017. Since his appointment, he has led the universities of Louisiana in the creation of a strategic framework that charges its universities to produce the most educated generation in Louisiana’s history, drive growth through public/private partnerships and research, and recruit, retain and develop world class faculty who educate students, empower employers and enrich communities. Dr. Henderson will continue his service to the state of Louisiana when he assumes his new role, President of Louisiana Tech University, at the beginning of 2024.
What class or professor most inspired you during your time at UWF?
As a working adult participating in online learning for the first time, I entered UWF with some level of trepidation. I could not have asked for better faculty than Chris Cavanaugh and Karen Rasmussen. Both were remarkably responsive and supportive while delivering a substantive and enriching educational experience. When I teach online today, I still strive to emulate their example.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in higher education?
When I started in the workforce development sector, the focus was on providing employers and the economy at large the talent necessary for growth. Over the years, after witnessing the transformational impact of education and training on graduates, I realized that the core of workforce development, of economic development, of community development is human development. Higher education empowers individuals to advance their economic and social status unlike any other intervention. The intrinsic rewards associated with this work are innumerable.
What is your leadership philosophy?
My career has been a practical application of my (and many others’) research on leadership and ad hoc teams leading me to an inescapable conclusion: empowered teams that are demographically, experientially and psychometrically diverse can move mountains when inspired to do so. Accordingly, my leadership philosophy is rooted in collaboration and empowerment: collaboratively crafting challenging visions with extraordinarily high performance expectations and empowering individuals and teams to bring these ideas to fruition.