Class is Now in Session with Josh Frye

It started with an invitation to be a guest speaker, but when Josh Frye realized how much he enjoyed the classroom, he jumped at the chance to teach his own college course at Benedictine University. 

Josh has now been leading his own courses for five years; this year, he will be an adjunct faculty at Millikin University in Decatur.

Josh teaches leadership studies and management courses, which intersects with his role at O’Shea as Assistant Director of Employee Development. His favorite course is Organizational Behavior.

“It connects psychology, sociology, social psychology and anthropology studies to create high performing organizations made up of high performing teams and engaged people,” Josh says. “This topic is a passion of mine because I get to help people understand their work and build their leadership awareness and abilities.”

Typically, Josh leads courses with adult learners and non-traditional students. Classes are usually at night and once a week — or even once a month — with a large portion of the coursework completed online. This schedule complements his work schedule at O’Shea.

This year has brought some challenges in teaching, though. His students thrive on connection, and it’s been difficult not meeting in person due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Most of these classes operate in cohort fashion, so students attend classes with the same people each and every time; the students bond and look forward to meeting. Cutting that in-person interaction out of the picture limits the synergy within the group,” he says.

Overall, teaching has been fulfilling and valuable for both Josh and his students.

“I love to hear about them putting the information from class to use in their lives, at work and at home,” he shares. 

“I enjoy seeing students connect the dots between their experiences and the information from class. Seeing my students begin understanding the why and using that information to make better decisions is rewarding.”