I’m thrilled to start Pepperdine’s Master of Science in Organization Development (MSOD) program this fall. “Designed for the experienced professional, the MSOD program prepares leaders in the art and science of managing strategic change.” The program’s flexibility allows me to continue building my consulting practice while in school. Some excerpts from my application:

“I am applying to the MSOD program to build my own capacity as a leader and facilitator of positive, meaningful change within organizations so that they can transform social, environmental and economic challenges into sustainable solutions. MSOD will expose me to organizational development theories beyond my existing scope of knowledge and experience. I’m especially attracted to the pedagogy of the program – an engaging learning environment, a tight-knit cohort and the opportunity to put the theories we learn into action on the global level.

I look forward to sharing real world examples from my own 15 years of professional experience with my peers in the MSOD program. In turn, I expect the MSOD experience to serve as a pivot point in my own career, enabling me to increase the size, scope, effectiveness and geographic scope of my work over the next 30 years.

While I am deeply committed to grassroots nonprofits in Los Angeles, I plan to use the MSOD degree to grow my own practice and serve larger, more complex organizations in the nonprofit, private and public sectors working on issues related to urban sustainability. I am particularly attracted to serving organizations to build stronger teams, enhance communication, resolve conflict and manage change.”

Having grown from various leadership programs over the years and my own self-directed learning, I’m thrilled to join a more formalized learning community that will help me increase the impact and scope of my work. Just to be clear, I will continue my consulting practice while in school. I look forward to expanding the scope of services I provide and serving many more organizations in the future.