MSC Blog

Stepping foot on Northwestern’s campus for the first time as a graduate student was emotionally overwhelming. It was the beginning of something I knew would be life altering, but how, I still have no idea.  While there was some intimidation as I got to know my classmates, Dr. Roloff’s jokes in Change Management quickly put us all at ease.

The Change Management course has had a profound impact on my professional life. He gave me the confidence to question processes and policies while offering solutions and practical data to support my opinions.  The lectures and papers gave me the ability to objectively dissect my work environment in a way I could never have done before.  They laid the groundwork for an organizational change project I will start implementing at the end of the year.

A quick four and a half hours later, it was off to Leadership and Decision Making, where Dr. Arnston distributed his philosophy of learning.  I expected the class to provide a hands-on “checklist” of do’s and don’ts on leadership.  I read books that I wish I had had at my disposal as an undergraduate.  For 5weeks, I was able to critique myself in group and leadership settings during the videotaping group sessions.  I have enjoyed the pleasant surprise of realizing 10 weeks later that everything I put into his class I got out of it.  Dr. Arnston’s road to leadership and decision-making was one that each student got to pave.

Now that classes are over and we toasted each other at the holiday party, I am far from the communications professional I was weeks ago.  And I look forward to the one I will become at the end of the MSC program.