Dear Marietta College Community,
As part of the College’s ongoing commitment to adapt and innovate amid a changing higher education landscape, we are excited to announce the College will merge the McDonough Center for Leadership and Business with the Department of Business & Economics to create a new department that better prepares students to succeed in both the non-profit and the for-profit business world.
The combined departments will maintain the name McDonough Center for Leadership and Business. The College will begin a national search for a dean of the new program soon and this individual will be in place before the two programs are officially one department starting on July 1, 2022.
The combining of these two programs makes sense as we work to ensure the courses and majors within this combined program meets the expanding needs of today’s business world and for leadership challenges of the future. This reorganization makes a strong statement about our commitment to enhancing our academic areas to ensure greater opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff.
Marietta’s Office of Academic Affairs took the lead more than a year ago to review the potential merger. That research resulted in finding alumni from each program who had positive experiences and are excited for potential growth, as well as faculty who are encouraged about the possibilities and looking forward to forging new partnerships.
I spoke with our Provost, Dr. Janet Bland, throughout the review process and she has communicated to me many times that the integration of these two programs opens the door to growing both programs, and capitalizes on our strengths to provide a value proposition that helps distinguish our graduates in a world that is always changing.
I want to thank everyone who has been involved with this merger as they have worked hard to get us to this critical point, and we are excited about the potential for this new program.
Currently, the B&E program offers 11 majors in Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, International Business, Land & Energy Management, Management, Marketing, Public Accounting, Sport Management and Supply Chain Management. Marietta also offers a minor in Business.
Since the McDonough Leadership Program welcomed its first cohort of students in 1987, the curriculum has emphasized strong leader development locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. With the merger, the College plans to seize on an opportunity to present leadership in a broader scope that will be appealing to all majors at Marietta College.
While the majority of Leadership students graduate with a certificate in the program, McDonough also offers a major in Global Leadership. Students can also minor in Leadership Studies. The Leadership Program is also known for embedding multiple service opportunities into its curriculum that translate into students completing thousands of volunteer hours in the greater Marietta community. We are confident that component of the program will grow even more through the merger.
Students currently enrolled in majors, minors or certificate programs in either area will not see their degree programs impacted by the merger.
This is a proud day in Marietta College’s history and we are excited about the future.
Bring Forth a Pioneer!
Bill Ruud
President and Professor of Management