Ed.D in Leadership Studies Instructor Dr. Hildenbrand on Fostering Connection and Confidence in Online Learning

When students enter LSU Shreveport’s Doctorate of Education in Leadership Studies program, many are surprised by how personal and connected the online learning experience feels. That’s not a coincidence! In fact, this welcoming environment is designed by faculty like Dr. Grace Hildenbrand, who brings warmth and structure into every class she teaches. 

As an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership Studies, Dr. Hildenbrand combines her background in organizational and health communication with a knack for helping students grow into confident, reflective leaders. Through thoughtful course design and genuine engagement, she creates an online classroom environment where every student feels supported, challenged, and seen. 

Meet Dr. Grace Hildenbrand 

Please tell us about yourself and your background. 
I am an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership Studies, and this is my 5th year at LSUS. I teach for the Ed.D. in Leadership Studies program for the Health Communication and Leadership Concentration. My bachelor’s and master’s degrees were in organizational communication, while I focused on health communication for my Ph.D. I study how healthcare providers can communicate more clearly and in a way that establishes a positive relationship with patients. In 2023, I received the Dr. Dalton & Peggy Cloud Professorship in Communications. I am originally from northeast Kansas and have bounced back and forth from the Midwest to the South for graduate school and my career. 

How do you ensure student success in an online environment? 
In an online environment, I emphasize clear and concise instructions along with regular and consistent interaction with students to help them be successful. I also promote a welcoming, inclusive class atmosphere and give ample opportunity for them to ask questions, whether via email, Zoom, or phone call. For our Ed.D. program, our Zoom meetings motivate and engage our students because they get to know each other well, and they share their real-world leadership experiences, which helps them to be successful in learning from one another and applying course content to their professional lives. 

What is your favorite topic to teach? Why? 
My favorite topic to teach is health communication! This is my main area of expertise from my Ph.D., so it is what interests me most. I believe research on health communication has a lot of implications for leadership because there is a lot of potential overlap between research on healthcare-provider relationships and leader-follower relationships, in addition to healthcare organizations’ relevance to organizations more generally. With health communication, it is also easy for students to see how the content is relevant, not only for their careers, but also for their personal lives, since we are all patients at some point! 

Are there any innovative projects or assignments you’ve developed for your online courses? 
One innovative assignment I developed for a few of my online courses is what I call “Reflection Journals.” With reflection journals, students work individually to respond to a prompt, such as a video, case study, or assessment that relates to the topic/reading(s) for the week. After viewing the prompt, they answer a few questions in response to the prompt, which have them engage in deep reflection on the course content as it relates to their leadership experiences and career journey. 

How has your academic journey influenced your approach to online learning? 
In my academic journey, I realized the importance of student engagement and interaction when taking online classes, so I knew this was really important to emphasize. Given that the online environment can reduce feelings of closeness between instructors and students and among students, it is essential to create a welcoming classroom environment. I was fortunate to have instructors who did a great job of creating engaging activities and promoting positive student interaction in online classes I had as a student, and I strive to emulate this in my own online teaching. 

Are there any experiences or pivotal moments during your education that have shaped your teaching? 
Times when I struggled on assignments or did worse than I expected as a student were pivotal in helping me learn the importance of being honest and encouraging when giving students feedback in my teaching today. This strategy allows students to grow and improve in their skills, while still having confidence in their abilities. 

Building the Next Generation of Leaders Through LSU Online 

The way that Dr. Grace Hildenbrand fosters confidence, communication, and connection among students is a hallmark of the online Doctorate of Education in Leadership Studies from LSUS. By combining academic rigor with real-world application, the program prepares professionals to lead with empathy and vision across industries, from healthcare to education and beyond. 

Through LSU Online, students gain access to a portfolio of programs from the LSU system, including the Ed.D in Leadership Studies, and expert faculty like Dr. Hildenbrand. 

Ready to take your next step? Explore the online Ed.D. in Leadership Studies and apply today.