SWOSU Professor Todd Wiggen Earns National Leadership Award

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) Professor Todd Wiggen has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Susan R. Komives Collaborative Leadership Award. The national award recognizes a leadership educator whose work across campuses and organizations improves leadership programs, teaching and student experiences.

Wiggen is a professor of management and leadership in the SWOSU Department of Business within the Everett Dobson College of Business and Technology. Since joining SWOSU in 2016, he has helped expand the ways students can study and practice leadership through degree programs and experiences outside the classroom. His work has also connected SWOSU students and faculty with educators and organizations across Oklahoma and the country.

The National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs created the leadership award in 2022 and presents it every two years. Wiggen is its third recipient. The selection process considers each nominee's work with other educators, ability to bring groups together and results across institutions and organizations.

One of the clearest examples of Wiggen's collaborative work is his leadership in Reach Higher, Oklahoma's statewide adult degree-completion program. Wiggen coordinates SWOSU's Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership program through Reach Higher. He also chaired the council that advises the statewide program from 2019 to 2023. During his four years as chair, Wiggen worked with participating universities to complete a major curriculum revision. The update brought the program in line with other leadership degrees across the country, while graduates he advised at SWOSU have continued into MBA programs, law school and other graduate programs.

For students who returned to college to finish one degree, his support has also opened the door to additional education and career options.

The curriculum review also led Wiggen and SWOSU Business Department Chair Amanda Evert to study undergraduate leadership programs throughout the country. The research identified courses commonly found in leadership degrees and provided guidance for colleges developing or updating similar programs. In 2024, the Journal of Leadership Education published their findings. The research grew from an Oklahoma program review and now provides useful information to leadership educators at other institutions.

Wiggen has also created opportunities for students and faculty within the SWOSU Department of Business. He played a central role in developing the Master of Science in Managerial Leadership program and launched the college's first multidisciplinary international leadership travel program. Wiggen has coached SWOSU's Collegiate Leadership Competition team for the past two years, and the team placed among the top 10 nationally in 2026. He has also mentored junior faculty members who served as assistant coaches and helped bring a regional competition to SWOSU.

His professional work keeps SWOSU connected with leadership and management educators throughout the country. Wiggen serves as editor-in-chief of Management Teaching Review and on the board of the Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society. The Association of Leadership Educators previously honored him with national awards for leadership and service in 2020 and teaching in 2023.

"I always say that leadership is relational, so to win an award based on my own collaborative efforts really means a lot to me," said Wiggen. "Working with colleagues within and outside SWOSU gives us opportunities to exchange ideas and improve how we teach and serve students. I feel blessed to work with outstanding faculty members, and I enjoy every minute with my students."

The award is named for Dr. Susan R. Komives, professor emerita at the University of Maryland and one of the founders of the National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs. Komives contributed to several models, standards and research projects used in leadership education. The 2026 Leadership Educators Institute will recognize Wiggen during its Dec. 14-16 meeting.

For more information about programs available through the SWOSU Department of Business, visit https://www.swosu.edu/academics/business/index.php.

About Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves more than 5,000 students and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.

For more information about Southwestern Oklahoma State University, visit www.swosu.edu.