Inaugural MCOL Class Presents Capstone Projects
The first class of students in Emory & Henry College’s Master of Arts in Community and Organizational Leadership (MCOL) presented capstone projects April 19 that demonstrate the value of this program both to the students and the communities and organizations they serve.
E&H President Rosalind Reichard greeted the students and guests and spoke about Emory & Henry College’s commitment to educate and equip effective leaders for Southwest Virginia and the larger region.
Four student presentations followed Dr. Reichard’s opening, in which they described their projects and definition of leadership, reminisced on their eighteen-month journey and thanked the administration, faculty, fellow students, supervisors, family and friends for their support.
One of those students, Garrett Jackson (’99), of Abingdon, Va., spoke about his leadership project with the Abingdon Civic Academy that focused on showing workers their overall worth to the greater cause. Jackson, who currently serves as the director of planning for the town of Abingdon, said that one person’s actions can have a “snowball effect.”
“I wanted to show how each and every person within an organization is important to that organization, what they add to it, and how that adds to other people’s learning experiences,” Jackson said.
Many students aid the program taught them to understand what it means to be a leader each day. Laura Weaver (a member of the E&H Class of 2006), of Abingdon, Va. said, “It helped me organize who I want to be, how I want to be a leader, and how I can learn to be a leader even when the classes are over.”
Dr. Tal Stanley, the director of the program, reflected on the genesis of the program and offered a vision for the future of leadership in Southwest Virginia. The MCOL students then showcased their projects by individually discussing their portfolios.
The MCOL program requires students to obtain 36 credit hours over a 21-month course of study. Classes meet one night per week and one weekend a month at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Va. Students can choose one of two tracks of study: non-profit leadership or health care policy and advocacy.
To begin the application process, contact Mary Bolt at mbolt@ehc.edu or call 276-944-6136. For additional information about the program, contact Shelley Koch at skoch@ehc.edu or call 276-944-6195.
The following students make up the inaugural graduating class for the Master of Arts in Community and Organizational Leadership:
Carol W. Doss – Glade Spring, Va.
Christina B. Gilley – Marion, Va.
Monica R. Halsey – Abingdon, Va.
Allison J. Inman – Abingdon, Va.
W. Garrett Jackson – Abingdon, Va.
William B. Jones – Bristol, Va.
Joshua V. Justice – Wise, Va.
Kristina K. Morris – Abingdon, Va.
Margaret L. Murphy – Abingdon, Va.
Amy Carraux Price – Asheville, N.C.
Laura B. Weaver – Abingdon, Va.
