With his 23-year tenure as president of Florida International University (FIU) just ended, Modesto A. Maidique has already embarked on the next phase of his career: as a professor of management and executive director of the College of Business Administration’s Center for Leadership.

“We are very excited to have FIU President Emeritus Maidique join our faculty,” said Joyce Elam, executive dean of the college, who has worked closely with him throughout her twelve years leading the business school.

Maidique has conducted extensive research on leadership. That scholarship, coupled with his experiences as president of FIU, will contribute to his work as the executive director of the Center for Leadership (CFL), now housed in the new building complex.

“I am thrilled to be back doing what I like to do most: teaching and research,” Maidique said.

Classroom offers setting for this leader to reach new ones.

Maidique is no stranger to members of the business school. Beyond his presence at many of the college’s milestone events, such as the ribbon cutting for the new building complex in which he now has an office, he has given numerous presentations focused on leadership and in February of this year developed and presented the first C-level executive development program offered by the CFL.

He has engaged with students in the Chapman Graduate School’s International MBA (IMBA) program—and will continue to do so—for a series of professional development seminars each fall. Maidique challenged them to define leadership and the attributes of a good leader, and to identify the leader they found most admirable. In addition, he presented his latest research on the Behavioral Model of Leadership, which combines key leadership competencies, personality and life journey to help individuals sharpen their decision-making skills.

“Leadership education and research is an area of increasing focus within the business school and we look forward to the significant contributions that he will undoubtedly make to this area,” Elam said.