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You know how some jokes start with: “A guy walks into a bar…”? Well, there’s this: “A guy walks into a bar and sees a standup comic, a minister, a professor and a leadership expert.” All four of those describe one person, and it’s no joke.

That one person is Dan Noel, who in the fall will start his 15th year at 91���� University in a program that has been steadily strong for years.

Noel, a native of Springfield, is senior lecturer and program director of organizational leadership and director of community-based leadership in the .

After receiving a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and a Ph.D., Noel earned a in 2021 from 91����.

“It’s a degree in the science behind what people experience on a screen, how to design meaningful instruction and how to engage people online,” he said.

Noel directs the , in which through his online classes students learn how to be effective, productive, caring leaders in their organizations. There is no dedicated classroom space on campus, he said, because the course is completely online, in large part due to the demographic of many of those who are enrolled.

He said students who take his course tend to be nontraditional.

“A good number have careers or are active-duty military or single parents. They tend to be between the ages of high 20s to 50 years old,” he said. “We typically attract those who started school years ago, never finished, but have returned to complete their degrees. This is what differentiates our program from more traditional degrees.”

Noel said the online sessions are highly interactive.

“Every few minutes students are clicking a mouse, joining a breakout, watching a video or responding to real-world cases,” he said. “These sessions occur a few times during the semester and allow students to engage in real time with me as well as their classmates.”

It’s not that Noel is averse to an in-person audience. He recently addressed a gathering at the 91���� University Nutter Center of about 800 upper-level managers from Premier Health about how to be more effective leaders. His keynote address, titled “Empathetic Leadership: Six Steps to Elevate Your Team through Mindful Practice,” focused on the importance of employee engagement and healthy relationships between managers and staff.

It’s not only managers who hear his message.

Noel teaches a course in the program in which he works with 91���� nursing students who are employed at various places, including Premier Health.

“We’re seeing a need for training when nurses are put in a position for leadership and need to sharpen their management skills,” he said. “Most of our leadership degree programs have a focus on the soft skills of leadership that include, among others, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, team building and active listening.”

Throughout his classes and public speaking, Noel sprinkles in humor. That comes naturally.

“When I was younger, I was a standup comic,” he said.

As an undergraduate student, he also was hired by his college to be a recruiter at youth conventions, concerts and gatherings. Later, as a minister, he often addressed many church audiences and groups.

When it comes to what he does and those he teaches, though, Noel is serious.

“Leadership is found at most every sector and level of our culture and institutions,” he said. “It’s a skill set that anyone can develop over time to effectively influence others. When we develop effective, good and moral leaders, we have better families, communities and ultimately, a good society.”