Ginger Vaughn

This seminar focuses on three areas of executive leadership development: 1) sharpening strategic communication skills; 2) fostering high performing teams; and 3) enhancing transformational change and inclusive leadership skills.

This course examines the reasons that companies might consider social impact and corporate social responsibility as part of their strategy. We study different methods that companies use to measure social impact. We also look at one aspect of the social impact to strategy link: via “ethical consumerism.” Students will develop a social impact report as part of their learning. This seminar also incorporates intercultural and interpersonal communication skills and explores value-based communication behaviors that leaders harness in global business.

Introduction to the strategy and usage of American-style business communication. Students will learn best practices for effective business writing, oral presentations, slide design, feedback delivery, and interpersonal skills.

Students engage in an intensive learning experience to grow their leadership skills. Each student serves as the interim CEO of a manufacturing company, leading the management team responsible for strategy, marketing, financing, operations, research, and development. Students analyze financial, consumer, and operations data and develop tools to make predictions in an uncertain and changing marketplace. Keeping the company profitable - or even out of bankruptcy - is itself a challenge. In addition, the team faces difficult situations throughout the simulation that test skills learned in the core organizational behavior course and other core courses.

In this communications course designed for Engineering Professional Master's Program (EPMP) students, the approach will be experiential and interactive, with in-class exercises, analyses, and presentations. The focus will be on your practicing and refining the oral, written, and interpersonal skills you will need in your professional career. You should be prepared to participate in class. If you are a non-native speaker, you should be very proficient in speaking and writing English.

To be truly influential in their fields, engineers need to be able to communicate their thoughts and opinions to management, peers, clients, and the public. They need to communicate clearly and confidently in a variety of professional situations. This course gives you the opportunity to learn, practice, and improve essential communication skills with emphasis on oral presentations, professional writing, and interpersonal communication.