Jing Kuang’s Post

I can still feel the excitement in the air from our Graduation and Prize Giving Day—a day filled with celebration, pride, and recognition for all the hard work our students and staff had put in. But little did I know that the biggest surprise of the day was waiting just around the corner for me. As I sat, completely immersed in the joy of seeing our students receive their well-deserved awards, the last thing I expected was to hear my name called. And then it happened—the announcement of the *Innovation Award*. I was stunned. My team, along with our Executive Director, had orchestrated this incredible surprise, honoring the strides we’ve made together in pushing the boundaries of education. “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” - Steve Jobs. This resonates with me deeply as I believe that true leadership is about setting the pace for others to follow—whether through new teaching methods, technological advancements, or fostering an environment where creativity thrives. As a school leader, I’m always on the lookout for ways to innovate. Whether it’s rethinking how we approach student well-being, integrating cutting-edge technology, or creating opportunities for our teachers to shine, my goal is to ensure that our school remains at the forefront of educational excellence. Thank you to my incredible team for this recognition—it’s a reminder that our work is not just about maintaining standards, but about continuously striving for greatness. #InnovationInEducation #SchoolLeadership #InnovativeTeaching #ThrowbackStory #EducationExcellence #LeadershipAward #AlwaysImproving #Teamwork #SchoolSuccess #EducationalInnovation

🌟 Learning, Leading, and Making an Impact at James Madison University 🌟 Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of sitting in on a thought-provoking presentation by Senior Field Placement student Jaden Case. Her session, "Thinking about Thinking: Critical Thinking and the Power of Social Influence," invited her peers into a meaningful dialogue, encouraging them to reflect on their roles as tomorrow’s leaders. This is just one example of how the Division of Student Affairs at JMU is creating intentional spaces for collaboration, critical conversations, and personal growth. It’s in these moments that students are developing the soft skills and confidence they will need to navigate the complexities of tomorrow. Through these learning opportunities, we’re not just preparing students for the workforce—we’re shaping individuals who will lead with purpose, integrity, and resilience, ready to make an enduring impact in their communities and beyond. It’s exciting to see the next generation of leaders rise to the challenge and continue #RaisingTheBar. #Impact #StudentLearning #StudentDevelopment #LeadingCourageously

🚨 A bit of news to share: 🚨 In January, I'll be starting an MBA program at the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. I'm excited, but also a little nervous thinking about how I'll fit it all in, working, being a dad, running a business, being involved in my community, but if we're not willing to try hard things, we'll never reap the rewards. When I finished my MFA degree 15 years ago, I never thought I'd be going back into a classroom as a student again, especially not for a business degree, but it's time to grow, build some new skills, and take on new challenges. I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had on staff at the University of Rochester these last 13 years (and no, I'm not quitting my job!), and it's now opening doors for me to do even more. I'm passionate about building better pathways for creatives to grow, collaborate, and be more productive and engaged. In order to do that, we need more creatives at the table as leaders, advocating for those who are doing the work, and building on my leadership skills is something I'm ready to lean into. It's a challenge to transition from being a doer and a maker to leading and thinking more strategically, but if you want to build a better future, you have to be willing to step outside of your bubble and make waves. I will always want to be involved in the creative process, but sometimes we need to push ourselves in new and unexpected ways, and I've never been more ready to take on a new challenge.

Plot twists incoming! The past few months at University of Rochester - Simon Business School have been truly transformative. I’ve built lifelong relationships, cultivated a value-aligned business network and gained newfound quantitative confidence. Finding a business school that aligned with my values and mission was crucial. For me, Simon and Johnson were top contenders. While I was admitted to Simon, I was waitlisted at Johnson. Then, life threw me an incredible curveball—I got off the Johnson waitlist! While Simon has given me so much, and for that, I am forever grateful, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve moved to Ithaca to pursue my MBA at Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management, and I am fortunate to have also been named a Reaching Out MBA fellow and a member of The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management! I can’t wait to learn from such an innovative cohort and explore how to make strategic business decisions informed by value-driven impact. The decision to change schools was not easy so for anyone looking to pivot, interested in B-School, or seeking to harness their own story, reach out! I wouldn’t be here without the people who helped me along the way, and it would bring me joy to offer thought partnership, especially to those in education or nonprofit work. Let’s get into it! #MBAJourney #BusinessSchool #CareerPivot #EducationToBusiness #Networking #Resilience #Gratitude #LifelongLearning #Leadership #BusinessLeadership #JohnsonMBA #Cornellian

#FridayThoughts After a conversation with a colleague from UK Higher Education, I've been reflecting on the nature of success and self-worth in academia. The metrics we often chase [e.g., million-pound awards, the establishment of hubs and institutes, or contributing to the ever-evolving vision statements] can obscure what truly matters. These achievements are fleeting and often subject to the whims of time and policy. What endures is the respect we earn and the support we provide to our team members' life and career development. As academic leaders, our legacy isn’t in the transient accolades but in the lasting impact we have on the people we mentor and work with everyday. It’s crucial to maintain our sanity by focusing on these enduring values, fostering a respectful environment, and being respected in return.

On this day of #WomensHistoryMonth, we are honored to celebrate the remarkable contributions of Jennifer Aaker, the General Atlantic Professor of Marketing at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Teaching 'The Power of Stories to Fuel Innovation' as part of the Leading People, Culture, and Innovation Program, Professor Aaker brings her expertise on how stories drive decision-making and innovation. Her research on time, money, and happiness, and how these factors contribute to lasting value transforms how we think about and leverage storytelling in business. Recently, four-time #NBA champion and Golden State Warriors Point Guard, Stephen Curry, highlighted Professor Aaker's impactful guidance on continual self-assessment, emphasizing the importance of knowing oneself. Through her decades of research, Professor Aaker's insights, including her signature advice to 'know yourself,' resonate deeply, guiding individuals towards meaningful fulfillment and success. Read more about Professor Aaker and her research here: https://lnkd.in/gmaEF88p

What a joy to invest in learning, traveling, and critical conversation with 50 or so peer leaders from around the globe attending the Omnicom Senior Management Program at Babson College in Boston. An intensive week of lectures from some of the best Harvard Business School professors on the topic of leadership including Ryan Buell, Leonard Schlesinger, Christina Wallace, Francesca Gino, Jeffrey F Rayport and Thomas DeLong. Hard to come away with just three take aways, but here goes: 1.  Work isn’t working for everyone. So as a leader I need to set others up in the right conditions for each of them to succeed 2.  Best to have a Portfolio Life: foster a multidimensional career across all of your life interests. So far I haven’t worked out how to monetise being a mediocre surfer 😉 but will keep working on it    3.  Evaluate decisions with the lens: is it a one way door (i.e. not reversible) or a two way door (can walk it back)? Great to graduate from this two-part, 12 month program. Many thanks to Dean Karen van Bergen, Associate Dean Mike Cooper, the Dans, the super organised Hannah and all my peers for their openness, laughter, occasional tears and good fun throughout each of the weeks.  

🗣️ This past weekend, we had the honor of participating in the Speech and Debate National Invitational at George Mason University, and what an incredible experience it was! ✨ Our students showcased their talent, passion, and resilience, proving once again what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Even more inspiring, our student success rates have more than tripled over the past few weeks—a testament to their hard work, determination, and the power of believing in oneself. As we wrap up the first half of the year, we’re taking time to reflect on what it truly means to be our best selves: ✅ Celebrating our individual and team milestones. ✅ Striking a balance between being talented and terrific and being team players. ✅ Focusing on every aspect of who we are—not just as competitors and performers, but as collaborators, leaders, and well-rounded individuals. 💡The path to success isn’t just about winning; it’s about lifting each other up, learning from every experience, and continually striving for growth—together. 💪 As we look ahead to the rest of the year, here’s to building on these achievements and embracing the challenges that will make us even stronger. [ #SpeechAndDebate #Teamwork #GrowthMindset #CelebratingSuccess #HolisticDevelopment ]

In this week's edition of "From the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) Archives**" I bring you: "The Relentless Improver: DoDEA's Education System" Find the full document here: https://bit.ly/3ZeHUPE In our 35+ year quest to study high-performing systems of education around the world, we have studied systems from Singapore to Estonia, and British Columbia to Massachusetts. Our intention? To deeply understand top performers' design and bring that understanding to practitioners nationwide. What a thrill, then, to shine a light on a system that spans the 🌎 . In 2022 DoDEA outscored every state on the #NAEP - our nation's report card - in both reading (where they've been a longtime top performer) and math (where they have consistently grown in the last decade). Of note: ✨ it did so with wide margins ✨ it showed the most progress in closing longstanding achievement gaps between white students and their Black and Hispanic classmates ✨ it did so while being the only school system to see its scores hold steady, and even rise somewhat, during the pandemic Anyone interested in being able to say the same for your system??? So much to unpack but, for today, let's focus on some #leadership takeaways: ➡ Clear Vision and Mission: Leaders articulate a unified vision focused on student achievement and well-being. ➡ Continuous Improvement: Emphasis on data-driven decision-making and iterative improvement processes. ➡ Professional Development: Investment in leadership training ensures administrators are equipped to meet evolving challenges. Given that none of these are NEW to us, what are the contributing factors? Take a read - and share an ah-ha below! **Our robust Resource Hub is linked to our website (ncee.org) and contains a plethora of white papers, briefs, case studies, and more to support #educators everywhere and at all levels. This series is designed to shed light on the newest pieces AND the older gems that might get overlooked if you don't scroll far enough! #impactinaction #edleaders #togetherined Jerry Almendarez Adam Clark, Ed.D Fal Asrani Ed.D. Dr. Mike Dominguez Brenton White, Ed.D. Ed Manansala Ed.D. Amanda Corridan Ted Alejandre Dr. Sonia Llamas, Ed.D.,LCSW Kelly Aramaki Julie Murgel Eldon Merrell Ken Collins Marilyn Dondero Loop

Check out my first article on Medium - a reflection on how I’ve managed to drive change and a student success agenda by elevating a critical voice. #studentsuccess #highereducation #leadership #education https://lnkd.in/g7_UdyfQ