Claudia Cogliser, associate professor in management, returned as a full-time faculty member at the Rawls College in September after leaving her position as associate dean of the Graduate School. As associate dean, she served as a problem-solver for graduate student issues and led an administrative team of nine people who were dedicated to graduate education. She decided to return to the college full time to be closer her colleagues and have more time dedicated to research. Prior to her and her partner Bill Gardner, Jerry S. Rawls Chair in Leadership and director of the Institute for Leadership Research, joining the Rawls College in 2005, Cogliser worked at the University of Oklahoma and Oregon State University as an assistant professor of management and at the University of Miami as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Management. She received both her B.B.A. in Management and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the University of Miami.
What inspired you to join the Rawls College?
In 2005, Bill Gardner and I were both management professors but taught at different universities; I was at University of Oklahoma and Bill was at the University of Nebraska. We soon decided we wanted to live in the same city and teach at the same university, so we began searching for a university with two faculty positions open. After applying to Texas Tech, both Bill and I received offers. After a lot of thought, we both felt that Texas Tech was the place for us. We believed our research would be supported, our colleagues would be amazing and that the Rawls College had a bright future. We are now in our 13th year at the Rawls College and could not be happier.
What research are you currently conducting in the Area of Management?
I am currently working with a research team investigating how to lead millennials, while also beginning other projects on diversity leadership. In addition, I am working on a project that explores social network analysis and how social networks transform following an organizational change.
What do you enjoy most about the Rawls College?
The people! I have an amazing set of close colleagues both in the Rawls College and in the university. They have allowed my integrated perspective on being a good academic citizen to thrive.
Why do you recommend students consider pursuing a degree in management?
A study of employers recently noted that among the top 20 skills they wish to see in recent graduates, the top 10 have nothing to do with their technical training; instead, they all have to do with "soft" skills – the ability to communicate well and think creatively, critically and ethically. Employers are looking for individuals who can lead, collaborate, work well in a team and deal with conflict effectively. In addition to developing people skills in classes, such as organizational behavior, leadership and ethics or human resource management, a degree in management also equips our students to understand business with a number of transferable skills: an entrepreneurial mindset, effective decision making, the ability to formulate and implement business strategy and to make ethical and sustainable choices within the context of a global economy.