NHS graduate publishes book

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent 
 
Because technology and social media play such a large role in the lives of many people today, Dr. Josie Ahlquist of Los Angeles is determined to show its benefits as a resourceful tool and encourage digital leadership in higher education. She has co-edited and co-authored books about digital leadership in the past, but this year, the 1999 Newcastle High School graduate decided to take it to a new level. 
Although the project started about four years ago, Ahlquist said, she published a book in July of this year with Stylus Publishing titled “Digital Leadership in Higher Education: Purposeful Social Media in a Connected World” that emphasizes the importance for higher education professionals to adapt to the change in technology and use social media in a personal way to build relationships and connect with their students. According to Ahlquist’s website, digital leadership is “the act of engaging your community online with authenticity, purpose and heart.” The three parts to digital leadership are learning the basic skills of social media, creating a strategy for “purpose-driven digital leadership,” and finally, putting it into practice. 
“Digital leadership is not just some recipe or card to follow,” Ahlquist said. Each person has to define authenticity for themselves and use the different “tools” of social media in a way that fits their purpose. She thinks it’s important for people to use social media to communicate and tell their stories. 
Ahlquist said she always knew that she would one day write a book because she considers books to be a valuable source of knowledge, but it wasn’t until 2016 that the idea started becoming real. She wanted to use it as a vehicle to present media in another light. It was a long process that required a lot of time and research, she said, but the end result was well worth the effort, and her book was listed as an Amazon No. 1 new release for college and university student life. 
“It was like getting another undergrad degree,” Ahlquist said. “The journey was very difficult, but it made the book better in the end. 
Although she is the sole author of the book, she said she is grateful to all the people who worked just as hard alongside of her to get it published, and she encourages others who are doing projects alone to surround themselves with people who will help and celebrate their accomplishments with them. 
Her high school years in Newcastle were very influential in the development of who she is today, Ahlquist said, because her “bug for leadership” and interest as an educator started in high school through her involvement in student council and various sports teams. Some of her best memories of high school are from homecoming because as a member of student council, she helped lead some of the festive activities promoting school spirit. She said she appreciated growing up in a small town, where she could try out a little bit of everything with the help of teachers, coaches and administrators. 
“(High school) is where I started to find my voice and creativity in leadership,” Ahlquist said. “It was like my laboratory of ideas.” 
After graduating from high school, Ahlquist attended South Dakota State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in sociology and human development and family studies. Later, she earned her master’s degree in counseling at Northern Arizona University and a doctorate in education from California Lutheran University. Ahlquist said she realized that she enjoyed working with college students and soon it became part of her career.
“I wanted college students to see themselves as someone who could have a positive influence,” Ahlquist said. “I work to empower students in their use of tech.” 
Since moving to Los Angeles in 2005, Ahlquist is now a speaker and consultant and provides a digital leadership training series, running her own blog and podcast. She has spoken at college and university campuses across the globe to help them better engage in the online world and connect with students.
Her book is available on Amazon, Stylus Publishing and Apple Bookstore for $39.95. She said that she hopes her readers, through her book, can see that technology can be used in a “relational, connected-base approach,” and serve in areas of humanity and love. 
“I hope that they can see a new perspective in technology,” Ahlquist said.