New business leadership program educates, advances students’ leadership skills

Northwest Missouri State University’s Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business launched a leadership program this fall that is helping business majors advance their leadership skills.

The Booth School of Business Leadership Program is a four-year elective program that is open to all undergraduate business majors and exposes them to leadership principles, mentor relationships, leadership opportunities and self-reflection related to developing leadership potential.

Dr. Laura Kauzlarich, an assistant professor of accounting in the Booth School, created and launched the program after working with a similar program at Creighton University.

“I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t do it,” Kauzlarich said. “It’s such a tremendous chance to build you résumé, your time and ability for self-reflection for learning about leadership.”

Students involved in level one of the program gain a deeper understanding of leadership and determine their strengths. This fall, students received funding to take the Career Leader assessment that identifies individual leadership skills, the results of which were discussed and explained in a workshop.

As students progress through the program through multiple semesters to level four, they develop personal leadership skills, eventually putting their skills into practice in leadership roles. The program also matches students with mentors who advise next steps and help prepare students for job interviews.

“The goal is to have somebody who has been where they are and is now where they want to be in their career in five to 10 years and can really advise them,” Kauzlarich said.

Ethan Murphy, a junior public accounting major from Omaha, Nebraska, joined the leadership program to further explore his interests, motivators and skills as a future employee in the business field.

“Many students may already have knowledge of what their strengths and weaknesses are but often don’t know what to be alert of during the interview process and their first job after graduation,” Murphy said. “The Career Leader platform has made me aware of what to be aware of while I am on a career path.”

During the first semester of the program, Amaira Peterson, a freshman international business major from Kansas City, Missouri, learned about her strengths and weaknesses as a leader as well as things she needs to work on to become a more effective leader.

“With the Booth School of Business Leadership Program on my résumé, I am going to be a more appealing candidate in the competitive business industry,” Peterson said. “By going through the program, I am going to be more prepared for the adversity that I will encounter in my career.”

For more information about the leadership program, contact Kauzlarich at LKauzlarich@nwmissouri.edu or 660.562.1891.