A business professional can have an impressive resume and strong technical knowledge, but that only scratches the surface of what it takes to be successful. Success also depends on something harder to measure – the human skills needed to communicate an idea, collaborate with a team, navigate conflict, understand others, and adapt to different situations.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook 2026 survey, communication, teamwork, and critical thinking rank among the most sought-after skills in today’s job market. Around 99% of employers consider communication extremely important, yet only about 55% believe recent graduates are proficient in this skill.
The Georgie G. Snyder Center for Human Skills in Business is designed to bridge that gap.
The Snyder Center’s Expanded Mission
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into the workplace, a human-centered approach is more important than ever. To stay current with advancements in business education, the center evolved from primarily a business communication and writing center into a broader resource dedicated to helping students develop the interpersonal skills, professionalism, critical thinking, teamwork and emotional intelligence that can set them apart.
Through this expanded mission, the center gives students opportunities to strengthen skills that complement their technical knowledge and prepare them for the realities of today’s business environment.
Dino Villegas, Rawls College associate dean for undergraduate programs, says the center’s expanded mission reflects a fundamental shift in how students must prepare for the workplace.
“The ability to work with others in a professional context, think differently and strategically, and communicate ideas clearly—in real time and under pressure—are essential robot-proof skills in an AI-driven context. The Snyder Center now plays a vital role in developing these abilities.”
Turning Human Skills into Credentials
In response to needs identified by Rawls College faculty and industry recruiters, the center developed exclusive microcredentials students can earn to demonstrate their proficiency in skills employers value. Upon completing each microcredential, students earn a digital badge that can be displayed on social media and professional resumes. Since the program’s launch in spring 2024, the center has awarded 118 microcredentials.
Students can currently earn five different microcredentials, with a sixth option launching in spring 2027.
- Business Presentations
- Business Writing
- Team Communication
- Emotional Intelligence in Business
- Executive Skills for Business
- Creativity and Strategic Thinking (coming spring 2027)
The most popular microcredential thus far is Business Presentations, which helps students apply emotional intelligence to strengthen their verbal communication skills in a business setting – from building professional relationships to delivering effective oral presentations. This microcredential is now a required part of the curriculum for Honors BA 1301: Foundations of Business and ISQS 4349: Information Systems Analysis and Design.
Nathan Timmons, assistant director of the Snyder Center, says he is particularly happy with the Emotional Intelligence in Business microcredential, which launched in fall 2025.
“This microcredential has generated significant interest from industry recruiters. It draws on resources already available within the college through a collaboration between the Snyder Center and Elise McCay, the Rawls Experience Hub’s embedded licensed mental health therapist,” Timmons said. “It features workshops that focus on the major components of the Goleman model of Emotional Intelligence – self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management – and provides strategies for applying these concepts as business students and future professionals.”
Building a Culture of Collaboration
The center’s expanded mission is also reflected in its collaboration with faculty and a new team problem-solving service. Through the service, students work with the Snyder Center to identify potential solutions, strengthen collaboration, and resolve disagreements before they escalate. Launched as a pilot this fall, the center designed the service to give students the tools and strategies to work through team challenges independently while reducing the amount of conflict professors have to address.
Putting Human Skills into Practice
While technical knowledge may open the door to a career, the ability to communicate, collaborate, adapt, and understand others can help professionals succeed. The Snyder Center is helping Rawls College students develop those skills and giving them opportunities to put them into practice before they begin their careers.