Thinking About Graduate School in 2010?

As we reflect on our accomplishments in 2009 and look forward to the next year, are you considering a master's degree in 2010?  Maybe it's for a job promotion or a bump in salary.  Maybe it's for a new set of skills or the dream job that requires an advanced degree.  Whatever the reason, a master's degree can help you in various ways throughout your life and it's something that can't be taken away.  So in 2010, consider starting a graduate degree, you'll be glad you did.

Happy New Year!

Very Quiet at GVU

With semester tests completed and faculty grades submitted, Grand View's campus is relatively quiet. Do you know what it feels like to work in a 40,000 sq. ft. building all by yourself?  Try being one of very few non-faculty members in an academic building.  Actually, it's refreshing...the peace and quiet.  It's amazing how much work I can get done when I don't have students, faculty and staff coming in and out of my office.  Also, most of my important meetings involve faculty, so those aren't consuming my day either.  But before I know it, spring classes will start and the madness will begin again, but I love it!

Have a safe and happy holidays!  I might sneak one more post in before 2010!

GV Grad Fact Friday: Spotlight on Business

Spotlight on Business: The Organizational Leader

As we developed the Master of Science in Innovative Leadership, our business advisory council, made up of representatives of about 30 central Iowa employers, stressed the importance of what they called "soft skills." Members observed that it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to find candidates for management positions who are truly proficient in the organizational, managerial, communication and team-building skills they need to move their organizations forward. As a result, Grand View developed the Organizational Leader curriculum, with significant input from those employers.

In the business track, you'll study the relationship between threat analysis and organizational failure ... become competent in conflict management, team-building, and interpersonal dynamics ... learn project management, including budgeting and resource allocation ... explore creative entrepreneurial thinking, including innovative positioning strategies for an organization ... and understand of the role of leadership in shaping organizational culture and social responsibility.

You'll be equipped to contribute innovative strategies and new perspectives to your organization, whether it's a for-profit company, an entrepreneurial endeavor, a government agency, a not-for-profit organization or a military unit.

Courses in the business track stress the competencies strong leadership requires:

• Change: Failures and Successes
• Leadership: Applied Systems Thinking
• Project Readings
• Resource Management
• Motivation
• Team Building and Conflict Management
• Strategic Thinking and Sustainability
• Leadership: Accountability and Social Responsibility
• Leading for Change III: Innovative Leadership Capstone

Semester Break

I can't believe how fast first semester flew by and just like that....it's quiet around here.  Final grades were due to the University by noon today and our registrar's office is working extremely hard to entry the grades so the students can find out if the late night cramming paid off!  Considering it was the graduate school's first-ever semester...I think it went well and judging by the students' feedback, they thought so, too.  Although the students aren't around, allowing the faculty to take a much needed break, the University administration and staff will be hard at work over the holiday break.  Many of us say we get twice as much work done when the students aren't around.  So this won't be my last post of 2009!!

Winter in Iowa

Well, I guess we'll have to wait until next year to start the tradition of having a holiday dinner on the final night of graduate class.  Because of the winter storm, the professors decided to cancel the final presentations and have the students post their final work on Blackboard.  So, obviously my holiday dinner had to be canceled, too. That's Iowa for you.

GV Grad Fact Friday

Since our program is so new, it's fun starting new traditions.  Next Tuesday, the graduate students will gather for their final presentations and I decided that a holiday dinner would top of a successful semester in the classroom.  New Tradition: Holiday Dinner prior to the last Fall semester class.  I like the sounds of that!

The Other Really Good Viking Football Team

As I write this post, the Minnesota Vikings are 10-1 with hopes of making a playoff run to the Super Bowl.  But there's another Viking team that was an even bigger surprise than Brett Favre playing like a NFL MVP.  The Grand View Vikings football team recently completed its second year of football....ever.  Not only did they improve from a two-win season, they were one win away from being the conference champs and playing in the NAIA football playoffs. The team lost their final game, but finished with an 8-3 record and 11 players received all-conference honors.  Coach Woodley was the conference coach of the year and his son, Joe, was the top assistant coach of the year.  The entire GV community is extremely proud of the team.