From Executive to Professor to Coffee Shop Owner: DBA Alumna Fulfills Her Dreams
Dr. Leigh Hartman, a Doctor of Business Administration grad (DBA, ‘19) in the Davis College of Business and Technology at Jacksonville University, always dreamed of owning a business on a picturesque main street.
A former senior initiative portfolio executive at Bank of America and former consultant with Arthur D. Little, one of Hartman’s dreams came true after recently moving to Highlands, N.C, a charming “Hallmark-style” small town.
“When the opportunity to buy the local coffee shop arose unexpectedly, it felt like the perfect chance to turn that dream into reality. My family saw the coffee shop as a way to connect with the community in our new hometown,” she said.
That’s just one of her dreams that have come to fruition. The former Charlotte, N.C., resident is now living her “dream job” as an associate instructor of management in the College of Business at Western Carolina University, where she currently teaches Introduction to Management and Introduction to Project Management in Practice. Additionally, she’s also director of assessment for the College of Business.
Her coffee shop, Calders Coffee Cafe, has also become a particularly useful source for in-class examples when teaching her Introduction to Management course.
“It’s an excellent case study for concepts like planning, organizing, leading, and controlling,” she explained. “Additionally, it provides a relatable contrast to large corporate examples, which students may find less immediately applicable to their experiences.”
Hartman commuted to JU from Charlotte monthly while in the program and selected the DBA program in the Davis College of Business because she was impressed with the program’s curriculum.
“I was particularly impressed by the program’s well-rounded curriculum, which provides a strong foundation in theory and real-world business challenges,” she noted. “The program structure, with its cohort structure and thoughtfully sequenced courses, made it interesting, challenging, and achievable.”
The professor says completing the DBA program at JU significantly enhanced her skills as an instructor. Her first career, in project management, focused on addressing discrete, urgent, and specific challenges.
“The DBA program helped me step back and analyze business issues and opportunities from a much broader, more strategic perspective. This shift in mindset has been invaluable in enabling me to bring a more holistic approach to teaching and problem-solving,” Hartman stated.
The Davis College DBA program became the gateway for Hartman to transition into her desired second career, and she had some helpful faculty mentors along the way.
Since this time, she’s had the privilege of collaborating with Dr. John Shaw, associate professor of management and chair of the Department of Business and Communication in the Davis College of Business and Technoloy, on several articles. Hartman says it’s been an “incredibly rewarding experience” to work with him.
Shaw shared that it was a privilege to work with Hartman as co-chair of her dissertation and as a collaborator on several journal articles and conference presentations. He says what truly sets her apart is her passion for teaching and the wealth of experience she brings to the classroom.
“Dr. Hartman has developed innovative activities and resources that actively engage students while fostering critical thinking and communication skills,” Shaw explained. “Her ability to translate research into practical teaching strategies reflects her dedication to excellence in education.”
In addition to her teaching excellence, Shaw said Hartman has been an exemplary representative of the DBA program and the Davis College of Business and Technology, consistently embodying excellence, innovation, and leadership.
“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Dr. Hartman, not only as a colleague but also as someone who has enriched my professional journey.”