MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —
The Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation director stressed leadership qualities — but not on-the-job
stress in solving crimes — in a talk with MTSU
students, faculty and staff at the Omicron
Delta Kappa True Blue Leadership Day.
MTSU alumnus Mark
Gwyn discussed culture, the climate of the country following racially
charged incidents in Ferguson, Missouri, Baltimore, Maryland, and Baton Rouge,
Louisiana, job prospects and how, in his opinion, TBI stands for “truth,
bravery and integrity” as well as the name of the agency he has served for 13
years.
The daylong event, held Friday (April 7) in the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building, brings
noted practitioners from a variety of professions to share their leadership
experiences with MTSU students and faculty.
In addition, to
Gwyn, other speakers included:
• Jeff Bivins, Tennessee Supreme Court chief justice, discussing “Civility and Humility
in Public Service: Are They Dying Characteristics?”
• Lindy Boots, human resources manager
with Becton, Dickinson and Co., on
the topic “What an HR Manager Wants You to Know About Interviewing.”
• Dusty Doddridge, assistant director
with the MTSU Career Development Center,
sharing how to write a professional resume.
• Chris Ediger, leadership consultant and
senior associate with GiANT Worldwide,
and founder of Go International. His
talk focused on “Why ‘Smarter’ Isn’t Always Better: The True Competitive
Advantage That Will Set You Apart when Competing for a Job.”
The ODK True Blue
Leadership Day highlights the core values of the "True Blue Pledge" by educating participants about
multiple aspects of leadership. ODK is a national honor society that emphasizes
both academics and leadership.
“Truth, bravery
and integrity is a lot more important than saying I’m a TBI agent,” said Gwyn,
who is in his third six-year appointment as director and also serves as
president of the Association of State
Criminal Investigative Agencies board of directors.
“My commitment to
leadership is so important,” he added. “You must have ongoing leadership
training in whatever position you hold.”
Later, he shared
how servant leadership involves an officer becoming “the best agent I can be in
law enforcement.”
Senior Lindsay Ruhter of La Vergne, Tennessee, one of a number of criminal justice majors
attending Gwyn’s session and a Rutherford County Sherriff’s Department employee
for about a year, said she “really liked the fact he (Gwyn) believed in servant
leadership and that’s what he enforces.”
Junior criminal
justice major Zach Espino of Big Sandy, Tennessee, said Gwyn’s talk
provided “good advice — something to live by. I like what he said about
culture. It is at an individual level, not the agency.”
Gwyn fielded
questions from the audience about careers in the TBI and one regarding the
recent nationwide Amber Alert
involving a teenager from Columbia,
Tennessee.
“When people come
to the TBI, they stay,” he said, citing only a 1.85 percent turnover rate. His
recommendation: apply and first work in local law enforcement, get an
entry-level TBI position or serve as a TBI intern.
Marion Gwyn, a specialist in MTSU’s Information
Technology Division and sister-in-law of Mark Gwyn, was among audience members.
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