FACULTY PROFILE
Professional Background
"My career has spanned a wide range of organizational settings, from a Fortune 50 corporation to a community college. While completing my doctoral degree I worked at Sears, Roebuck and Co. in the Human Resources Planning and Research department with a team of internal consultants to design and implement HR processes, such as job analyses, pre-employment tests, surveys, and training for employee selection and performance appraisal. As a professor at Central Michigan University, I taught undergraduate and graduate students in the discipline of industrial/organizational psychology and collaborated with students on academic research and applied projects designed to enhance organizational effectiveness.
As the Executive Director of Organizational Learning at Grand Rapids Community College I led the department of Employee Professional Development and Enrichment. This involved managing people (e.g., conducting performance appraisals), projects (e.g., integrating performance and learning management systems) and resources (e.g., budgets) and working on cross-functional teams (e.g., ERP software update and integration). These experiences have prepared me well for my role in the College of Business at GSU and my continuing efforts in teaching, research, and service."
Teaching
"My favorite aspect of teaching at GSU is the diversity of both the student body and the faculty and staff. I teach face-to-face and online classes and in each format the participation of students is crucial for a successful learning experience. The diversity of experiences students bring to my classes generates interesting questions and enhances discussions. In every course I’ve taught I learned something new about the science and practice of managing people and often my students act as my teachers.
Furthermore, my colleagues at GSU are diverse both in terms of the professional expertise and
their life experiences. This diversity allows me to work with teams of individuals that complement one another and promote innovative solutions to evolving challenges we face. Just as I learn from my students, my colleagues on the faculty and staff consistently encourage me to learn new theories and
practices associated with business and higher education."
Research
"Throughout my career I’ve strived to remain an active scholar, publishing in journals such as Journal of Applied Psychology,Personnel Psychology, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Group &
Organizational Management, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes,
Journal of Business and Psychology, and many other journals. In general, the focus of my research is the psychology of work and the more specific areas I investigate include work-related attitudes, group dynamics in organizations, employee ownership, and performance management."
Service
"Service is an important component of my work at GSU and helps to inform my teaching and research. In 2023 I was elected President of the GSU Faculty Senate. Through working on shared governance endeavors at GSU, I try to advance the institution through skills I developed in my career and in turn continue to
be challenged to grow and solve problems collaboratively in a rapidly changing landscape. My service to the community is closely linked to my professional expertise.
I act as a peer-reviewer for numerous academic journals in the field of Management Science. I also serve the University Professionals of Illinois in various capacities, including being a member of the Local 4100 House of Delegates and Board of Trustees. I also maintain membership in the Society for
Human Resource Management (SHRM) and regularly attend meetings of regional professional groups associated with SHRM."
- Stephen Wagner, Ph.D.
Curriculum Vitae | Publications