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July 3, 2007
Diversity Program Shapes Tomorrow's Leaders
Forum for Leadership Excellence Program pushes College of Business students to strive for more.
Written by Kristen DeLisle
with John Davis, Gretchen Pressley and Lisa Du Bois Low
The ropes courses teaches leadership and team building skills.
What began as table talk at an ordinary luncheon turned into a movement for diversity improvement for Claudia Cogliser and students at the Rawls College of Business.
Over steaming dishes on the buffet table, the assistant professor of management spoke with one of the attendees about finding novel ways of promoting diversity on campus.
Little did Cogliser know, the stranger was Juan Muñoz, special assistant to the president for diversity, and their conversation would create a leadership development program for business students now known as the Forum for Leadership Excellence.
“I just attended the luncheon to network,” Cogliser said. “I was talking about diversity and how I wanted to do something to promote diversity on campus, and Dr. Muñoz ended up having some money.”
Giving the Edge
The forum, created in the fall of 2006, is a comprehensive two-year program geared primarily towards minority students, but all business students are welcome to apply.
To be accepted, students must have at least sophomore classification, have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75. and be willing to commit themselves to forum activities for two full years.
Forum students had dinner with Randall Pinkett, winner of the fourth season of Donald Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice.”
Once admitted into the program, students participate in a variety of meetings and workshops that deal with corporate issues meant to enhance their understanding of the business world, such as conflict resolution and negotiation. From confidence around professional business people and team-building exercises such as a ropes course, the forum encourages these future managers and entrepreneurs to work well with others.
Also, the forum participates in bringing in special guest speakers such as Randall Pinkett, winner of the fourth season of Donald Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice.”
Pinkett spoke to the students about importance of being yourself, doing what you love and to “continue to strive to become better and better.”
Finding the Leader in Everyone
But the chief goal of the program and Cogliser’s main area of research is teaching leadership.
“Leadership is setting a vision with a direction and motivating people towards that,” says Cogliser. "The bottom line is to create a program from which students can gain direction and personal growth. It needs to be something that gives students benefits they can directly turn into good outcomes for themselves.”
Nicolas Escobar, a senior marketing, general business and management major from San Antonio, is a forum member and believes in Cogliser's passion for creating an environment that fosters leadership.
“The forum is not just another organization or club,” Escobar said. “You get as much out of it as you put into it. Cogliser really focuses on promoting leadership.
"For the forum, it’s not just about being involved and adding another club to your resume; it’s about becoming involved and getting something in return."
Related
Download the Forum for Leadership Excellence application form.
Rawls College of Business Career Management Center
Story produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing, 806-742-2136.
Web layout by Gretchen Pressley.