Amy Slack wins ISU Kole-McGuffey Prize for education research

The Idaho State University College of Education has announced that Amy Slack is the 2015 Kole-McGuffey Prize Recipient. The Peter C. Kole – William H. McGuffey Prize for Excellence in Education Research is a $10,000 prize awarded annually to a graduate student in the College of Education who has completed a ground-breaking research study as part of their graduate program.

Slack’s doctoral dissertation, titled, “The Effect of Work-Life Conflict and Enrichment on Higher Education Leaders’ Career Commitment, Organizational Commitment, and Life Satisfaction,” examines the balance and integration of home and work responsibilities for leaders in higher education.

Specifically, Slack analyzed how work-family conflict and work-family enrichment impacted leaders’ families and careers. Work-family enrichment theory looks at how experiences in one role improve the quality of life in another role.

The study found that higher education leaders experience both work-life conflict and work-family enrichment simultaneously. The research indicated that work-family enrichment contributed more to higher education leaders’ career commitment, organizational commitment, and life satisfaction than work-family conflict detracted from it. The results revealed that prior research has underestimated the positive outcomes resulting from work-family enrichment.

Slack serves as the coordinator of graduate studies in the ISU College of Education. She is the ISU advisor for Kappa Delta Pi, the international education honor society and Future Educators Association. She is also actively involved in promoting diversity on campus. Slack received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Boise State University, her master’s degree in international studies from the University of Wyoming and her doctoral degree in educational leadership from ISU.

Peter and Nancy Kole, who have established this prize, have been active friends of ISU and continue to support the academic work and deserving students in the College of Education.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award and commend the Koles for valuing and generously contributing to the advancement of education research,” Slack said.