Longtime Leadership professor Dr. John Kline has been honored with an endowed scholarship in his name by the Alabama Lions High School Leadership Forum.
The $25,000 leadership scholarship presentation was made in late April by members of the Lions Club. Students pursuing a minor in Leadership Studies will benefit from the scholarship.
“It was a privilege to work with Dr. Kline during his involvement with the Alabama Lions High School Leadership Forum. His insight into leadership consistently resonated with our high school delegates every time he took the stage,” said Tracy Thompson, who helps coordinate the Forum. “The ALHSLF is thrilled to play a small role in establishing a scholarship in honor of Dr. Kline and the lasting legacy he has at Troy University.”
The purpose of Forum is to build and strengthen leadership, foster new and beneficial relationships, and a desire to serve, among students in Alabama.
That was right up Dr. Kline’s alley. Kline, who retired in July 2021 as Director of TROY’s Institute for Leadership Development, built a cross-curriculum program centered on servant leadership – a topic on which he wrote a book. Through his efforts, Troy University has been the Forum’s home for more than a decade.
“Dr. Kline’s commitment has always been to follow the example of the One who came to serve and not be served,” said TROY Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr. “It is certainly appropriate that this scholarship recognizes his devotion to servant leadership and is testament to his dedication to preparing our next generation of leaders.”
Through the ALHSLF program, students are encouraged, motivated, and empowered to return to their communities as advocates for positive changes and to lead by example when serving their city and school by demonstrating ethical, compassionate, and confident leadership traits.
“Dr. John Kline has been a tremendous supporter of youth leadership development for decades. His work with the Lions Club Youth Leadership Camp each summer allowed him to mentor and inspire countless young people, many of whom attended TROY and minored in leadership studies,” said Dr. Kerri Palmer, Dean of the College of Education, in which the Leadership Institute is located.
“The naming of this scholarship for Dr. John Kline is a fitting tribute to a great Trojan,” he said.
The Lions and the Office of Development are trying to expand the corpus of the endowment to at least $50,000. If you would like to contribute, please visit the Dr. John Kline Honorary ALHSLF Leadership Scholarship on the web.
