The MSC program fit the bill for me. So many other programs – MBAs especially – focus on numbers instead of the human aspect of the working world. I knew the focus of the MSC program would be important in my current job and any job I might have in the future. Course work in leadership, interpersonal communication, speech, and cultural diversity all helped give me a deeper understanding of business and organizational culture. And the diversity of the students in the program made the education all that more interesting.
We came from all these different areas, and we learned a lot from each other. Suzanne Male MSC ’99 Deputy Commissioner Department of Environment City of Chicago Most senior managers need a blend of quantitative and qualitative skills to succeed. Once you get past the numbers it’s the qualitative side that differentiates the people who are entrusted with high levels of responsibility. Leadership, group behavior, organizational communication – these are areas that have been studied more than people think.
The MSC degree gives access to this body of knowledge. Most businesses – mine included – are experiencing dramatic change. The MSC degree provides the student professional with a foundation for understanding, interpreting, and providing leadership in these changing times. Joyce Gab Kneel and MSC ’93 Senior Vice President AT&T Broadband Balancing career, family, and school was a real challenge. However, I found that the program actually assisted me in dealing with those pressures and improved my overall performance. I constantly find myself reflecting back on the program and referring to program materials to analyze current situations, In the ever-changing world we live in and the continual advances of communications technology, the importance of good communication skills has dramatically increased in the corporate world at Nabisco.
For me, the managerial communication program fulfilled that need. Dennis J. Bel castro MSC ’94 Vice President, Business Development Sales and Integrated Logistics Nabisco Foods Groups Technology advances and increased competition have created upheaval in the consulting engineering business and presented my firm with several challenges. Effective communication is critical as the organization and each individual adapt to change and uncertainty in the marketplace. The managerial communication program has given me the skills and confidence to provide the leadership required to guide the firm through the turbulent times. Raj Gupta MSC ’91 Vice President Environmental Systems Design, Inc.
It is my responsibility to keep every employee at Ameritech informed in a rapidly changing telecommunications environment. The tools I acquired in the managerial communications program helped me grow and maintain an edge in my career, The program allowed me to enhance my skills in key managerial areas, including effective communication, marketing, leadership, and organization behavior. It also provided me with an opportunity to learn about other corporate cultures and professions and gain experience in working on high-performance teams through study groups and class projects. Constance A. Johnson MSC ’94 Director of Employee Development, Communications Ameritech I’ve seen it in many organizations: The effective leaders have the capacity to communicate at a very high level. Lots of people have the numerical skills for business, but they have no idea of what it takes to motivate, rally, lead, direct – and they stagnate.
The MSC program helped me build the skills to enhance my confidence and credibility within my organization. The program taught me how to handle challenging situations and how to feel comfortable communicating in the limelight. I know from experience that graduates of the MSC program are thrust into leadership roles because employers want to take advantage of the experience they gained from Northwestern. J. Dean Payne MSC ’01 Regional Sales Director Genzyme Bio surgery In business today we are constantly challenged by the “fires of the moment.” The MSC program has enabled me to better analyze situations, provide balanced leadership, deliver comprehensive solutions, and proactively plan for the rapid changes going on in my business and the health care industry. The program combined the best of all worlds, including a foundation in communications theory, the practical experience of my diverse classmates, and the real problem-solving environment experience from my business environment.
Ann Nicholson MSC ’98 Director Communications Strategy Baxter International, Inc.