Interim Dean Sheehan: Here Are Some Lessons I've Learned About Change

'every effective leader is a change manager and changemaker'

Article by Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, Interim Dean and Professor,

University of Baltimore College of Public Affairs

We're told that modern life is in a state of constant change. At the same time, signs of evolutionary thinking and behavior can be hard to find. Which is it? Are we always changing, or constantly stuck? Both? Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to be among those who are making change real for their communities. I learned that it takes sustained efforts—strong, measurable, replicable work—to make progress in the nonprofit, public service, and social entrepreneurship spaces. That message could not be clearer.

I gained this new appreciation during the 4th Annual Changemakers Networking Symposium, held on April 30 at The University of Baltimore. The event, which was facilitated by the College of Public Affairs' Nonprofit Management and Social Entrepreneurship (NMSE) Student Organization, featured a diverse group of alumni panelists and community partners who shared valuable insights on what makes changemakers effective. It's that focus, on starting the process and then ensuring its renewal, that leads to success over time. The forum was engaging, inspiring, and a reminder that change is possible, and impact can be achieved. But there's no substitute for simply putting in the effort.

As I observed at the close of the event, the College of Public Affairs was established 15 years ago to prepare leaders for meaningful careers in the public sector—and every effective leader is a change manager and changemaker.

In reflecting on what I heard and what I have learned during my time as a higher education administrator—in an extended period of significant change, much of it through trial and error, observation, and through guidance offered by trusted mentors—it dawned on me that I had revelations of my own to share.

Below are 11 key lessons I've learned along the way:

• Great Changemakers Don't Feel Like Great Changemakers in the Moment
  When you are making the most impactful change, you may not notice it.
• Changemakers Have Big Hearts, Not Big Titles
  The most consequential changemakers aren’t the people with the fanciest titles. Often, they are the quiet ones—the individuals that go unnoticed. Watch those who don’t seek the limelight.
• People Need to Be Seen In Order to Be Motivated
  For people to want to join you in making change, they have to feel they matter.
• Sometimes You Don't Choose Change, It Chooses You
  Leading during periods of great change can be difficult. It can feel unsettled. But it’s a special a privilege and one that should not be taken for granted.
• Listening Precedes Change
  You cannot fix a system you don't understand, and you can't understand a system without listening to the people operating within it. Changemakers spend more time listening and discovering than declaring.
• Change is a Team Sport
  The best leaders focus on building a coalition of the willing, ensuring that the movement can survive long after the "leader" leaves the room.
• Changemakers Aren't Afraid of Conflict; They Embrace It
  Conflict isn't a sign of failure; it’s a sign that status quo boundaries are being pushed. Great leaders don't avoid tension—they embrace it to find even better solutions.
• Transparency is a Trust Multiplier
  In times of change, people are inherently anxious. They personalize the circumstances to their own situation. Leaders who are honest by disclosing the risks and the unknowns earn the psychological safety required to take big leaps.
• Small Victories Are a Strategic Tool
  Transformative leaders celebrate little milestones to prove that progress is possible.
• Changemakers Need Humility
  The most effective changemakers give credit and accept responsibility. There is little that cannot be accomplished if you allow others to take the credit.
• Changemaking Requires Resilience
  Change can be exhausting. Those who do it well view self-care and community-care as paramount.

My thanks goes out to our NMSE Student Organization officers—Diana Brown, Princess-Bua Bihai, Loren Nelson, Rebekah Opher, Robert Pittman, Randall Martin, and Sharon Pinkney—as well as the dedicated alumni and community partners who participated in the 2026 Changemakers Networking Symposium by sharing important insights and prompting reflections on my own journey. Also, a special shout-out to Dr. Al Gourrier for serving as the faculty advisor for this dedicated group of changemakers at The University of Baltimore.

Learn more about The University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs.