~ Heraclitus of Ephesus, Greek philosopher

If the university could grant an organizational change leadership

Angella Donovan

degree for personal experience, Angella Donovan could have skipped the formalities. The first graduate of the Organizational Change Leadership program was highly motivated to apply, register, and complete her coursework in two years.

“As 2010 wound down, I was working for the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, I owned a wedding planning business, and my four children ranged from one to eight years old. I sold my business in December of 2010 and by June of 2011, I was bored and knew I needed to do something else,” Angella said.

She made a quick decision to start a master’s degree in organizational change leadership, submitted her FAFSA, and began working with her advisor to register in time for fall courses. “Liz Lucas was a huge help. I wanted to finish quickly and took two courses a semester. As I approached the end of my coursework, I appreciated Ron Bonlender, Susan Hansen, and Derek Dachelet working together so I could complete my capstone project and graduate this month.”

Beginning the program was the first of many changes for Angella. While earning her degree, she started a new job with the City of Platteville and went through a divorce.

The constant in her life has been her involvement with the Kappa Alpha Sigma sorority. A member as an undergrad at UW-Platteville, she has served on the alumni board the last 15 years, the last 13 as president. But the sorority, by its very nature, is in a constant state of change, putting Angella in an ideal position to offer guidance through her capstone project.

“When I pledged, there were nine actives. I saw the group grow to 50 and presently there are 20,” Angella said. “I’ll be working with the active members to develop a strategic plan that will facilitate needed change. Unlike many sororities with national affiliations, Kappa Alpha Sigma is a local sorority, responsible for their own constitution and managing all of the associated activities and business.”

“The pattern has been that with growth, there are changes to the constitution and sometimes a lack of understanding about why those rules are in place,” Angella said. “I want the sorority to stay true to its roots and not lose its identity while meeting the changing requirements of the university, such as raising the GPA standards for members.”

“Angella is a perfect example of the type of person the Organizational Change Leadership program is targeted toward,” said Professor Misty Lemon-Rogers. “As a young professional who is striving to become a leader in her field, the insight Angella brought to our online classroom through the discussion board and team exercises were beneficial to the entire class. It is no surprise that Angella continues to be successful in her career, and I look forward to continuing to mentor Angella as she continues on her lifelong journey of learning and success.”