MSLM Program Preparing Many More Leaders
One of the fastest growing programs on campus has been a fixture at La Verne for many years: the Master of Science in Leadership Management (MSLM) program.
Originally within the Public Administration Department, MSLM began evolving anew in the early 1990s. Chairwoman Carol Sawyer began transforming it with such popular features as “Class in Common,” where faculty and students meet for interactive learning sessions. “Coffee Cake and Conversation,” featuring authors presenting on a particular management topic, also was initiated; more than 50 authors have appeared on campus.
“Our biggest uniqueness is that we really focus on the human aspects of organizational life,” said Kathy Duncan, the program chairwoman. “These include management change, supervising people, being a better leader and knowing how to make ethical decisions, which are covered under our core classes.”
Now under the College of Business and Public Management, MSLM has grown from 100 students in 2002 to about 230. Growth is partly attributed to the expansion to regional campuses and work sites, such as Boeing. Many students are international, and all attend classes in the evenings and Saturdays to accommodate work schedules.
Duncan said growth also has been spurred by the sagging economy, which has prompted many to return to the classroom to protect their current jobs or position themselves for securing employment.
“We try to make our classes very interactive and tap into the collective wisdom in the room,” Duncan said. “After all, we have experienced managers in our program. We talk about being a bridge between theory and practice.”
She has succeeded, according to student Michael Spinella, payroll services manager at Disneyland.
“The program provides practical approaches to issues that arise in the business environment today,” he said. “I can take what I learned in class and apply it at work the next day.”
Arlene Q. De Los Reyes, a former student, agreed.
“I’m better able to confidently consult on topical matters that no other program would have prepared me for,” said De Los Reyes, a project manager for Kaiser Permanente in Fontana. “The kind of research and work done in an MSLM class challenges students to think in ‘think-tank’ mode. It encourages multidimensional thinking.”
More than ever, the emphasis is on enhancing people skills, Duncan said.
“In this century the soft skills have really become the required ones,” Duncan said. “Managing people on a day to day basis has become a much more important skill.”
The effort must be working. The superiors of some graduates have noticed improvements in their performance even before degrees were conferred.
“All colleges and all programs say they really care about their students’ individual success,” Duncan said. “But, we really do.”
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