Release date: Feb. 26, 2003
Contact: Terri Thornton, 404-932-4347 or territhornton@mindspring.com
Leadership for women subject of KSU graduate-level business course
"Above and Beyond: The Leadership Lab for Women," a unique educational experience to help women learn leadership skills, is being offered this semester at Kennesaw State University. Part of the Career Growth MBA program at the Coles College of Business, it is the only course of its kind in the Atlanta area.
"There is a perception that people are either born leaders, or they're not," says Professor Deborah Roebuck. "The reality is that these skills can be taught, and learning them gives women an edge."
Roebuck chairs KSU's Department of Leadership and Professional Development, and is the author of a successful textbook on business communication skills. She and Teresa Joyce, KSU's dean of graduate studies, are team-teaching the course along with four prominent Atlanta businesswomen. The faculty includes author and technology marketing pioneer Chris Coleman, chief marketing officer of Secure Works; Teresa Owens Unser, founder and president of Resource Consulting Group Inc.; Lisa Scherrer Dugan, executive vice president of Professional Image Inc.; and T.K. Kieran, principal of NewLeaf Partners, LLC and founder of T.K. Kieran & Associates.
"These women from the business community are not just guest speakers, they are fully involved during each class period," Joyce says. "In addition, we invite panels of business leaders for 'no holds barred' question and answer sessions with the students." Upcoming panels feature representatives of Lockheed-Martin, Worldspan, Noro Moseley Partners and other leading businesses. Non-profit organizations such as the Cobb Microenterprise Council and the Board of Directors Network will also participate.
The class, taught for the first time this semester, will be offered again next year. It is open only to KSU MBA students and alumni. The curriculum includes information on leadership skills, as well as how to present and market yourself in a business environment, and locate an area of expertise. One recent class involved hands-on skills such as negotiation, conflict management and negotiating pay increases.
"This is a unique partnership between the University and the business community," says Coles College Dean Tim Mescon. "We pride ourselves on imparting knowledge that can be put to use right away, and this is a great example of that."
The course is being taught in the Burruss Building on the KSU campus. For more information on the class, contact Teresa Joyce,, dean of graduate studies at Kennesaw State University at (770) 423-6738.
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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive, residential institution with a growing student population of 15,600 from 118 countries. The fifth largest out of 34 institutions in the University System of Georgia, KSU offers 55 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Note to Editors: This semester's remaining class sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 15 and Saturday, March 29. Students will deliver research presentations and participate in a panel discussion on Saturday, April 19.
