Month: July 2019

One facet of the scholastic experience that can at times be discounted is the institutions multiculturalism. Attending a university that values diversity, better prepares it’s student body to take part in an ever expanding global society.

Sure, attending business school is about covering topics like- the ‘Break Even Point’, Profit Margins and the Accounting Equation, but steadfast wisdom is built when we strengthen our ability to recognize perspectives outside of our own and weave that knowledge into our daily practices.

Group polarization is a theory that states; if you’re only surrounded by those who share your same opinion, as a group you become more and more extreme. If all of your friends agree with you all the time, it’s probably time to make a few new ones. By interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences, and opinions, we can take inventory of our own judgements from a more unbiased perspective.

One of the best things about about college is that it’s a convenient spot to find multitudes of people to disagree with you! Collaborating with students who might have a different perspective, enriches your educational experience, promotes personal growth and a healthy society, strengthens communities and the workplace and enhances economic competitiveness.

UMass Boston was voted the most diverse student body – measured by ethnicity, gender, age, sociocultural background, professional aspiration and disability—among regional schools accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

A faculty member in the College of Management, teaching Computer and Information Systems shared: ” In spite of the diverse student body in this relatively large class, practically everyone was involved in class discussions. In the end, the class was unified in spirit and enthusiasm. On the last day of class, students on their own, brought in food to share and we had a going away party, of sorts. I was very pleased. In addition, considering this is a gateway course into the program, and in spite of varying degree of completion in the MBA program, they insisted on a group picture- very fun.”

We encourage you to continue to explore ways to progress on the path to further education in scholastic, professional and personal environments!

 

 

“Networking is gaining visibility for yourself or your organization, and not just when you need a job or a favor,” says Debra Fine, a former engineer turned speaker and trainer.  It’s about building and maintaining long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with people you meet throughout your career. According to a study by human-resource advisors Drake Beam Morin, 64% of  people surveyed said they found their new jobs through networking.

Not only does it aid in obtaining that newest, desirable role, networking can help you to enhance your skill set, connect with mentors and clients and gain access to the necessary resources that will advance your career.

In a perfect world, your organization would ensure that your employee development is at the forefront of their strategic plan. In reality, we exist is in what Carter Cast, author of  “The Right (and Wrong) Stuff: How Brilliant Careers Are Made,” refers to as “the era of do-it-yourself career development.” Cast details that the responsibility falls to you, to propel yourself forward.

As you invest your time with your colleagues,  and more importantly professionals outside of your field, you will build connections with varying experts. In addition you will continue to develop the soft skills which in today’s professional arena are imperative.

Opportunities such as Speed Networking at the Pioneer  on July 30th, offer a chance to practice these skills. This fun 3 hour event will allow you to introduce yourself and what you’re about to everyone around you as well as meet and connect with other professionals…can’t beat that!

As always, life-long learning and immersing yourself in the growth mind-set is never a bad thing. We encourage you to visit the UMass Boston College of Management website for further information on our graduate programs which will assist in surrounding you with peers and colleagues looking to expand their networks to include you.

At the present time, there are approximately 7,718,013,622 people inhabiting the planet, with this number growing exponentially each minute. As we know, the resources afforded to us are limited and continue to decline. The need for environmental awareness and management increases by the second.

Though this is the case, there are many things that we all can do personally and within our places of business to prioritize environmental awareness.

To enhance and support efforts to propel sustainable practices forward, The College of Management at UMass Boston offers MGT671 Introduction to Environmental Management for the Fall 2019 semester. This course takes a deep dive into the details of creating competitive advantage by implementing environmentally sound practices in support of business goals and the welfare of our surroundings and each other. We encourage you to explore this and all of our course offerings to develop hands-on experience and the skills to implement environmentally aligned business goals.

 

“The essence of life is to serve others and do good.”- Aristotle

76% of career advisors agree that professional candidates with volunteer experience on their resume are more likely to get their preferred job. In addition, volunteerism improves health by strengthening the body, improving mood, and lessening stress in participants.

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals between the ages of 35 and 54 are the most likely to volunteer their time and those who volunteer regularly have a 27% better chance of gaining employment. 92% of human resource executives agree that contributing to a nonprofit can improve an employees leadership skills.

Managers say that skills-based volunteering experience, especially international, builds vital skills:

Collaboration: 93.8%

Communication: 97%

Emotional Intelligence: 89.3%

Grit: 80%

Innovation: 70%

Leadership: 90.3%

Problem Solving: 90.3%

There are more than 1.8 million active nonprofits in the United States alone (the ability to volunteer is endless). If volunteering feels like a good fit for you, be sure to approach the opportunity strategically by taking a quick inventory of what you’re hoping to contribute to and gain from the experience.

In addition to investing in others, it’s beneficial to invest in ourselves by the continuation of life long learning. UMass Boston offers multiple graduate business certificates .  One such opportunity is the Health Care Management  Certificate which features Social Enterprise and Poverty Alleviation. To supplement any volunteer experience this course emphasizes blending defining elements of the business and nonprofit models. Social Enterprise aims to fill a particular social deficiency or correct a certain market failure associated with poverty. As opposed to maximizing shareholder value the way a prototypical business does, a social enterprise may retain its surplus to further its social mission.

We encourage you to explore these opportunities and to engage with your community members  as we support each other along the journey to progress.

 

“Being busy is not the same as being productive. It’s the difference between running on a treadmill and running to a destination. They’re both running but being busy is running in place”.- Peter Bregman

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? With the exception of a job interview, how often do you think about your future self? In today’s professional climate, we often fall into the trap of the daily grind. We trudge forward to instant gratification, trying to ensure that everything gets accomplished by end of business, today. We often succumb to the cycle of every day, rather than checking in with ourselves to gauge how we’re truly feeling. Though this is often the case, Hal Hershfield, assistant professor of marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business, has found that when people can realistically imagine their future selves in a clear and positive light they are increasingly able to make choices that will benefit that future self.

Here are a few tips that might be valuable to ensure that you’re living as your best future self!

In addition to these, we encourage you to check out the Masters Degree options at University of Massachusetts, Boston. Taking the first step to your future self today, will set you on a great path to move toward tomorrow.