Leadership Springfield offers programs that are “designed to inspire, develop and connect leaders to serve the Springfield community.” There are more than 3,000 local leaders who have completed its programs, according to Hayley Cobb, Leadership Springfield’s communications director. It’s part of the national Association of Leadership Programs.

The flagship program, called the Signature Class, is a nine-month, intensive experience, designed to enhance its graduates’ professional skills and connect them more deeply with the community.

Now, Signature Class graduates can receive up to 6 hours of course credit from Missouri State. All Signature Class graduates — past and future — are eligible to receive this credit. It will be awarded with no tuition charged and can be applied toward a selection of programs that includes both graduate certificates and master’s degrees.

Carrie Richardson, executive director of Leadership Springfield, says this partnership is a longtime dream. “We have been working toward offering this opportunity for nearly five years, and we are so grateful to Missouri State’s Graduate College for their time, effort and energy into making this dream come to life!” she says. “We love working collaboratively with local community partners and are excited for the future.”

We sat down with Dr. Carrisa Hoelscher, associate dean of the Graduate College, to talk about how this partnership came about and how Leadership Springfield Signature Class graduates can take part in it.

Q&A

Academic Expressions: How did this partnership come about?

Carrisa Hoelscher: Carrie Richardson approached Dr. Julie Masterson [dean of the Graduate College] and me about it. We set up a meeting, and the next step was for us to review the Leadership Springfield curriculum. We had to sign a non-disclosure agreement to do that, which is to their credit — their curriculum is rigorous and detailed, and they take it seriously.

AE: How did you match their curriculum to specific course credits in our programs?

CH: We assessed their curriculum for its learning outcomes and identified programs with similar outcomes. The graduate programs in project management, communication and professional studies emerged as good fits. The graduate program directors [Dr. Nebil Buyurgan in the School of Construction, Design and Project Management; Dr. Erin Wehrman in the department of communication, media, journalism and film; and Dr. Jerry Masterson, director of graduate interdisciplinary programs and partnerships] were wonderful. These are folks who are willing to say “yes” and figure out how to make it happen. They talked through specific courses that might align with Leadership Springfield’s learning outcomes. Then, they supplied syllabi and learning outcomes for each suggested course, and I did a point-by-point comparison.

AE: So, once you’d identified specific course credits that could be applied for Signature Class graduates, how did you create a mechanism for applying the credit?

CH: The great thing is that we didn’t have to create it. Angela Young [registrar] helped us figure out the right policy to make this happen. We’re using the prior learning assessment policy. Dr. Jason Jolley [associate dean of the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities] is the point person on this policy, and he walked us through all the requirements. With Angela’s and Jason’s expertise, we were able to establish a process that makes sense for the university and makes sense for the students who will use the program.

How It Works

AE: What’s the experience like for a Signature Class graduate who wants to apply this course credit to a graduate certificate or master’s degree?

CH: At their Leadership Springfield graduation ceremony, they’ll receive information about the availability of this credit. If they’re interested in applying it, they’ll reach out to us at the Graduate College. We’ll connect them with the director of the program that interests them, and from there, they’ll go through the standard application process. They can get up to 6 hours of credit for Leadership Springfield curriculum, and it’s awarded when they complete the remainder of the program. So, if they pursue a 12-hour graduate certificate, they can earn the credential by taking just two, 3 credit hour classes and then receiving credit for their Leadership Springfield curriculum.

AE: Wow.

CH: I know! If you’re a Signature Class graduate, you’re potentially halfway to earning a graduate certificate in one of these fields. And your graduate certificate can then be applied toward a master’s program, which means that once you’ve earned a graduate certificate, you might be almost halfway to earning a master’s degree.

AE: That’s like a win-win-and-win-again.

CH: Yes. The people who complete the Signature Class program put so much into it. I love how this process acknowledges what they’re learning during that experience.

AE: In your role, you must have such perspective on the impact that graduate education can have.

CH: Lately, I’ve been thinking about our graduate certificates, in particular, and how they can be an on-ramp for working professionals who don’t think graduate school is for them. For example, I just heard a story about someone who’s working toward a certificate in project management. This person didn’t have a great experience at her undergraduate institution, so she didn’t seriously consider graduate school. But then, in her career, she used project management skills and found that she loved it. She wanted more training, and because she’d had great workplace experiences, she looked at graduate school with fresh eyes and new confidence. Stories like that one, where people get the chance to go deeper in a field that excites them — and get to earn a credential that quantifies their knowledge and skills — are one of the best parts of our job.

Around Campus…

On November 3, the College of Natural and Applied Sciences and the department of mathematics will host the Missouri premiere of the documentary Counted Out. This film explores numeric literacy — the ability to speak the language of math — and how it affects people’s social and economic power.

Event Details

• What: Free screening of Counted Out, followed by a panel discussion with educators including Dr. Marjorie Shavers, moderated by Dr. Patrick Sullivan.
• When: Sunday, November 3, from 3–5:30 p.m.
• Where: Alamo Drafthouse (4005 South Avenue, Springfield).
• More Information: This event is free. Please register to reserve a spot.
• Register: At the event webpage.