An Interview with Nicole Stedman by Matthew Sowcik
In this candid Interface conversation, Dr. Stedman explores what authentic leadership looks like in academia, how graduate mentorship is evolving, and why the field must get serious about making leadership research accessible beyond the ivory tower.
- 29 May 2026
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Can a leadership scholar truly practice what she preaches? For Dr. Nicole Stedman, Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Florida, that question became personal when she left a 22-year faculty career to step into academic administration.
In this in-depth Interface interview conducted by colleague and leadership educator Matthew Sowcik, Stedman reflects openly on that transition—and on the broader challenges facing leadership studies today. She discusses how her mentorship philosophy has shifted over the years, moving away from the traditional model of fitting students into faculty research agendas toward a more student-centered approach that nurtures independent scholarly identity. She also takes an honest look at the persistent gap between leadership scholarship and practice, acknowledging that the field must do better at translating rigorous research into formats that practitioners will actually read.
Candid, thoughtful, and unafraid to call out her own blind spots, Stedman offers a perspective grounded in decades of scholarship and sharpened by the real-world complexity of institutional leadership. It’s a conversation that will resonate with educators, researchers, and practitioners alike.
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Dr. Nicole LP Stedman serves as the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School. In this role, she chairs the Graduate Council, which guides graduate student academic affairs — including academic curriculum, programs, and policy. She also oversees Graduate Student Success, which provides students with professional development, award funding, community engagement, well-being, and writing for publication skills. Dr. Stedman further works closely with campus partners and colleges, is the primary advisor for the Graduate Student Council, and helps guide the Office of Post Doctoral Affairs. Dr. Stedman served previously as Associate Department Chair for Agricultural Education and Communication at UF, where she was promoted and tenured (2010 and 2016). Her time at UF includes many roles, including her service as UF Faculty Senate Chair and Trustee from 2016-2017. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University from 2004-2007.
Dr. Matthew Sowcik is an internationally recognized leadership educator, consultant, award-winning scholar, and best-selling author with more than two decades of experience developing leaders across higher education, government, nonprofit organizations, and industry. He serves as an Associate Professor of Leadership Development in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication at the University of Florida, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses focused on interpersonal leadership development, organizational leadership, and advanced leadership theory. His scholarship and applied work focus on helping leaders create stronger cultures, build trust, and drive meaningful organizational change through humble and effective leadership practices.
