Take Five
Educating leaders
CMU continues to lead the way with one of its newest programs – the leadership minor.
The minor is the first of its kind at a public university in Michigan, and it now has more than 200 students participating, all with varying educational backgrounds and career aspirations.
“What the leadership minor does is focus on the student and their success,” says Eric Buschlen, a faculty member in the recreation, parks, and leisure services administration department. “It offers a strong road map for students to follow and work toward a goal of creating and articulating a personal leadership mission statement.”
Buschlen says he believes that the minor may be a popular choice due to CMU’s focus on creating strong student leaders.
“I really think that leadership is the backbone of this university, and students are finding that vision,” he says. •
Not so dull
CMU’s 3 Dull Guys definitely doesn’t live up to its moniker.
The sketch comedy show produced by CMU students was named the country’s Best Comedy during the College Broadcasters Inc. national conference in Washington, D.C. More than 400 entries were submitted for judging in various competition categories.
Recent grad Mike Greiner, ’07, produced the show based on the CMU improvisational troupe of the same name. The group includes junior Cameron Dodge-White and seniors Greg Ott and Matt Hays, who perform regularly on campus. •
Capitol art
The art of two CMU students is brightening the hallways of the Michigan House and Senate buildings as part of the Student Arts in the Legislature exhibition. Shown here is the work of senior Nichole Lockman, who says her piece represents “the way people see motion and color in dreams.” It’s on display in the Anderson House Office Building. Junior Michelle Snay’s work is on exhibit in the Billie S. Farnum Senate Office Building. •
Focusing on SAP
CMU has revolutionized its Master of Business Administration program, giving working professionals the opportunity to continue their careers while learning software that is used by 85 percent of all Fortune 1000 companies.
The new online MBA program is the only online program that has a management information systems concentration with an emphasis in SAP.
SAP enterprise resource planning software provides the capability to manage financial, asset, and cost accounting; production operations and materials; personnel; plants; and archived documents.
“We have been offering a wide array of SAP classes for the past eight years, but extending SAP into an MBA program is a natural and exciting evolution,” says D. Michael Fields, dean of the College of Business Administration. “Our new online MBA program allows us to offer our expertise to a larger market of working professionals.”
Get information at www.cel.cmich.edu/onlinemba. •
Rao wins district award
Seven years of visionary leadership landed CMU President Michael Rao in the spotlight this winter.
Rao received the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s 2007 District V Chief Executive Leadership Award at the district’s annual conference in Chicago.
“Receiving this award from CASE was not only a surprise but also a tremendous honor,” says Rao. “Credit for this achievement is really the university’s. My faculty and staff colleagues, students, alumni, and other supporters have been willing to make forward-thinking decisions and take calculated risks that have helped CMU become the university that I always knew it should be recognized for being.”
Rao was cited for his dedication to building alliances with corporate and community partners; lobbying legislators for more equitable higher education funding; initiating new degree programs that correspond to Michigan’s needs; expanding opportunities for scholarships, volunteerism, undergraduate and graduate research, and study abroad; and promoting fundraising activities. •
