The purpose of this study was to examine transfer student athletes' perceptions of their transition experience. Studies of student athletes typically focus on ''traditional'' student athletes who matriculate to college directly from high school. This study sought to fill the void in the research literature. Schlossberg's Transition Theory was used as the conceptual framework for this study. Twelve male transfer student athletes from a Midwestern Division I university were interviewed regarding their transition experience. The findings would suggest that Schlossberg's Transition Theory provides a relevant framework within which to examine the transition experience of transfer student athletes. The findings indicate that transfer student athletes are relatively self-reliant relying on a narrow support network consisting of family and members of the athletic department including teammates. These athletes reported that they had a limited amount of engagement with the broader university community. All of the athletes in the study reported that they were motivated to transfer by athletic rather than academic reasons, which may account for their reliance on a rather limited support network focused on the athletic department. A surprising finding was that a number of participants indicated that due to NCAA rules they were forced to become ''swirlers'' (4-2-4 transfers) in order to make degree progress and remain athletically eligible.

PurposeThis paper critiques how the member states adopted the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a concerted effort to improve the lives and meet the basic needs of all global citizens. COVID-19 has been an unexpected precipitous monitoring system that has exposed the current implemented policies and systems, begging the question, “are these goals failing?” Furthermore, may it be equated to failed leadership on a global scale? The UN 17 SDGs is an urgent call for union by all countries – developed and developing – recognizes that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality and spur economic growth. This paper is central to addressing the shortcomings of UN leadership and multilateral organizations. The UN coordinates multilateral organizations' actions in reaching the most marginalized communities (United Nations, 2015). Hence, these outcomes have become more distant to those without means and most in need, a likely consequence of program failure and our globalized world. The pandemic has taught us national solutions to global problems fall short and may only exacerbate the outcome. The authors approach this as a failure of global leadership. The UN's pledge to “Leave No One Behind” has undermined its commitment to poverty and inequalities of racism and sectarianism. The UN staff are often unprepared to deal with the issues they have contributed to. They continue to perpetuate the inequalities that stem from racism and discrimination even though the pledge is to leave no one behind. The 17 SDGs are designed to impact citizens' health and livelihood. The goals have direct and indirect effects on women, children and the most marginalized groups residing in urban cities across the globe. This article examines systemic racism and the UN and its impact on the SDGs’ agenda.Design/methodology/approachThis article proposes a human-centered approach to address leadership inadequacies in a global public leadership institution using a literature review and contemporary cases.FindingsThis article argues a premise for the UN institutions to adapt their leadership approaches to better understand the global communities with whom they serve.Practical implicationsThis article is directed to multi-lateral leaders and governments in hopes to expose inequities and hypocrisies in order to advance more inclusive and culturally responsive approaches to tackle the most challenging social issues the world faces.Originality/valueThis article draws on current events of racism that challenge one of the largest global institutions and can potentially undermine the achievement of meeting the 2030 UN SDGs for any country.

Strengths-based coaching has emerged in past decades as an asset-based approach that can help individuals identify, harness, and leverage their strengths to achieve professional and personal goals. This paper shares the design and outcomes of a year-long strengths-based coaching program to support leadership development within the context of one university's women's leadership initiative.Program outcomes and changes in participants' perceived confidence in identifying and applying their strengths in different contexts were evaluated through an online survey using a Likert-based REDCap survey tool after participation in the program. Findings strongly suggest that most participants lacked the self-confidence and/or self-awareness to recognize their own strengths in a granular way prior to the program. Themes that emerged in the survey findings point to the following program outcomes: participants gained an increased ability to identify and value one's own leadership strengths, an increased ability to recognize and value the strengths of others, and a supportive community of women leaders to share experiences and reflect on the application of their strengths as part of their leadership journey.Further studies are needed to understand and measure how a program such as this can impact one's leader identity, self-awareness, and self-confidence. Given the critical need for women's leadership opportunities, this program shows promise as a means to strengthen women's leadership across career stages and disciplines.

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