Bellevue University was built on a bedrock of innovative leadership. We can trace it back to June 1965, when Bill Brooks and other members of the local chamber of commerce decided to start a college that catered to the learning needs of working adults – a model nearly unheard of at the time for four-year institutions. Our legacy of leadership continued in 1994, when we first offered a master’s degree in leadership – believed to be the first of its kind. That program is now the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, offered through the College of Business. It remains among the most innovative of its kind, with an evolving curriculum that reflects the changing nature of leadership in our society.
With so much expertise to draw on – from faculty, administrators, advisory board members, alumni and current students – it seemed natural to focus on the topic of leadership for this issue of Innovating Business.
We feature the MS in Organizational Leadership and Professor Stephen Linenberger, who in 1996 was part of the second cohort of students to graduate from Bellevue University with a master’s degree in leadership. We talk to three members of the College of Business Advisory Board, a group of leaders who play an integral role in the infusion of relevant leadership content into all our degree programs. A roundtable of college faculty and administrators weigh in on how we prepare students to be leaders in their organizations, no matter what their degree program or industry. And of course, we feature alumni and students who share how they’re making a difference with the leadership knowledge and skills they learned through their College of Business coursework.
We know leadership isn’t a new topic of discussion in the world of business. But at the College of Business, we’re always finding new ways to talk about it.
And if you want to discuss anything about the College of Business, my door is always open, as is my inbox. Contact me.
P.S. We’d love to hear the story about your College of Business experience and where that’s led you today. It’s stories like yours that inspire others and continue to strengthen our college community. Please take a few minutes and fill out this form so we can spread the word about you and your accomplishments – you’ve earned it.