Putting Leadership Master’s Degree Learning Right To Work

By Rachel Hohenwarter ‘21G

As the director of four college residence halls, I find I’m immediately able to apply what I’m learning in my leadership and organizational change master’s program classes — and the one-weekend-a-month course format works out well.

Rachel Hohenwarter '21G in front of the Clock Tower

I hadn’t considered a grad degree until I worked for a few years. I wanted to pursue my master’s degree to further my professional development as well as my leadership skills. I️ work in Residential Life as the area director for four residence halls here at Nazareth, and after each weekend I am able to apply what I️ learn in class to my job. Working with undergraduate students everyday challenges me to try new leadership strategies and approach situations with new ideas.

Each immersion weekend is very engaging, insightful, and goes by quickly. Going into each weekend felt daunting at first because there’s a lot of material to cover, but I️ feel very supported by my classmates. Within our small class we are divided into groups of 4-5 for the school year. We get to know each other well and create a support system.

Rachel's LOC group

When the entire class comes together, it’s great to see where everyone comes from. Everyone has different life experiences, careers, and reasons for enrolling in this master’s program. The program is unique in structure, meeting four weekends per semester, so it brings people from all walks of life together for a common goal. Having different perspectives allows for great class discussions and a well-rounded view of how the LOC program will enhance everyone's respective careers.

Rachel in a LOC classroom

My advice to anyone interested in applying for this program, as well as for anyone about to start their first weekend, would be to be positive and to have an open mind, since it’s not a traditional class structure. What you can expect during the immersion weekends are brainstorming exercises, class discussions, guest speakers, scenarios, reflections, and much more. The professors truly care about everyone’s experience and want to make it both educational and enjoyable. They understand that the class may have people who are newly out of college and others who may have been out of college for 30 years, and they are able to bring everyone together. I recommend this program to anyone who wants to be a better leader, gain skills to be a better team player, and even for those who have not yet defined their end career goals.