Leadership Institute and CEPS Announce Two New March Offerings  

Fresh off of a highly successful Leadership and Professional Development 101 program in the Fall, the first-ever certificate program offered to participants outside of the Buccino Leadership Institute, the Institute has announced a pair of new offerings.

In March, the Institute will once again partner with Dean Karen Passaro and Continuing Education and Professional Services to offer two distinct programs, each targeting a different audience:

• Leadership and Professional Development 101 – a 4-session workshop series on Wednesdays starting March 16 to April 6, from 7-9pm, and strictly for students (undergrad and graduate)
• Aspiring Professional Accelerator Program – a one-day event on Sat, March 5th from 9am to 3pm, for young professionals looking to start or advance their career, or pivot to a new career

"Our program in the Fall exceeded my expectations," said Bryan Price, Ph.D., executive director of the Buccino Leadership Institute and one of the program's three instructors. "And more importantly, they exceeded the expectations of our first 18 participants." That group of 18 ranged from college students to senior professionals in several fields.

The goal for the new programs is the same as the Fall certificate program – to provide world-class leadership and professional development skills to participants so they can become the best versions of themselves and advance their careers. 

The difference, however, is that the two programs will target two distinct audiences, one focused on college students and the other on young professionals. 

Reprising their roles co-teaching the course with Price are Michael Gordon, Esq., '06 '09, and Joe Testa '12.

Gordon is a practicing corporate and regulatory attorney at an industry-leading Fortune 500 company and an Adjunct Professor of Business Law within Seton Hall's Stillman School of Business. Gordon also serves as a Bar Examiner for the NJ State Board of Bar Examiners and is a two-time graduate of Seton Hall (undergrad and Seton Hall Law).

Testa works for a Fortune 500 company, helping to deliver world-class client service for growing e-commerce, digital payroll offerings. Like Gordon, Testa is a proud Seton Hall alumnus. He has served as the Co-President of Seton Hall's Young Alumni Club and was a two-time member of Seton Hall's Alumni Board of Directors. Testa is currently an active Pirate Mentor for the Sophomore Mentoring Program and assists with Stillman's sophomore and senior assessments.

Both programs will be delivered in-person on the South Orange campus. You can register for either program here.

Each program will provide tailored leadership and professional development that includes a leading professional assessment (either the Eq-i 2.0 Emotional Intelligence assessment for working professionals or the Strengths Finder 2.0 assessment for students), advanced resume and interviewing techniques, and virtual and in-person networking strategies.

Also included in both programs are performance psychology techniques that Price uses when coaching elite athletes, senior business executives, and general officers in the military. 

It's a unique and effective combination that received rave reviews last semester.

On the final course survey, one of the professional participants in the Fall course said:

"This course helped me learn so many things about myself and about the professional world that typically aren't taught in the regular curriculum in college. They touched upon all important topics that are necessary in the professional world, so much so that I was able to get a job through the lessons they've taught us. 

I applied some interviewing tips from one of our classes that pretty much guaranteed me the role! And it's not just any job, it's a role within the field that I have a degree in and really wanted. I'm amazed at how practical and useful everything taught in the course was. It doesn't matter if you're a college student or a working professional, anyone can benefit from this program and come out more confident by the end of it."

Another professional lost his job almost as soon as the 10-week program started, but fortunately for him, he was able to use what he learned in the program to quickly get back on his feet. 

He said, "This course helped me to build all of the pieces that I needed to confidently begin a successful job search. Between the content of the course and the super positive instructors, I was able to build a better version of me and land a new job in a third of the time than I had expected. I would recommend this course to all students and professionals looking to work on building a better 'you' and move yourself and your career forward." 

Dean Passaro also gave the program high praise. "In my 20+ years at Seton Hall, we've never offered such an excellent opportunity for developing professionals." 

She confirmed that the March 5th program is eligible for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and SHRM-approved Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for professionals looking to maintain or pursue various professional licenses or certifications, which are often paid in part or in full by employers.

Price described both programs as "the college courses you wish you could've taken, but were never offered." Price added, "Well, they're offered now."

Gordon believes now is such an important time for young professionals to acquire critical skills. "Leadership, confidence, professional etiquette, and self-awareness are skills that have always been important for a successful career, but now, more than ever, these skills are necessary as the world returns to a sense of normalcy and the pool of talented candidates gets larger and larger." 

"Our goal is to help professionals stand out amongst the crowd, make a lasting impression in the office, and maximize their success in this post-COVID economy, all while having fun and making lifelong professional connections." 

The standard rate for the one-day event for young professional on March 5th is $399 and includes the opportunity to earn CEUs and SHRM-approved PDCs. 

The cost for the 4-workshop series for students is $399, but SHU students (graduate and undergraduate) receive a 10% discount.

There is also an "early bird" discount for those who sign up prior to February 15th using the code "LPD101Early." 

For any additional information, please visit www.shu.edu/leadership101.

Categories: Education