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Muma College of Business Offers Second “Post-Crisis Leadership” Certificate Program, Beginning in October
By Keith Morelli
TAMPA (September 17, 2020) -- The immense interest and popularity of the “Post-Crisis Leadership” certificate program, held over the summer, has prompted the Muma College of Business to offer the course again, beginning on Oct. 1. The summer session drew more than 8,000 registrants. The content of the second session, which is taking registrations now through the end of the month, is identical to the first.
The only difference is that the course, which normally would cost thousands of dollars, is being offered for $250 per registrant. The first offering was free of charge and targeted managers, executives, faculty, alumni and students who were either thrown into a world of working remotely or been laid off from their jobs. The second session will have discounts for students (code: 3H3ZPY) and USF Muma College of Business alumni (code: XEX7B4). To register, click here.
The thrust of the program is to give perspectives into the world of business in the times of COVID-19 and its impact on corporate America. Coming out of the pandemic offers a variety of challenges and opportunities and the program, with seven separate modules dealing with topics such as marketing, accounting and entrepreneurship, gives informative and insightful information about how to overcome those challenges and take advantage of those opportunities.
Registration lasts until Sept. 30. However, participants will not have to stick to a strict timetable. They will have two months to complete the course and pass a final exam. They can log into the virtual platform and view the lectures and discussions at their leisure during the two-month period.
“Even though we had thousands of registrants sign up for the first offering, there were thousands on a waiting list,” said Muma College of Business Dean Moez Limayem. “This second offering is a chance for those people not to be left behind and we are confident this program will reach its capacity as well.
“This is another example of how the college continues to be a valuable resource for our community,” he said. “We are here to assist our business partners and all our friends and supporters who have given so much to us over the years. We simply could not focus solely on our own challenges here and not reach out to help them in the most relevant way possible by providing a program with immediate and lasting impact.”
Limayem said the idea to offer the certificate program came early on during the pandemic as businesses – big and small – shuttered to stem the spread of the disease. Some business leaders held on, innovating to keep revenue coming in, thereby keeping staff employed. However, some lost jobs, were furloughed or had workloads reduced. The college wants to help those people emerge stronger, equipped with the tools they will need to bring their businesses back to life after the crisis subsides.
Business faculty got together and created a program that touched on various aspects of recovery after COVID-19, insights that will assist in the economic recovery.
The result: a virtual certificate program that offers intense online instruction from a variety of educators, providing data and insights into the best ways to proceed in a shaky but determined marketplace. Those who complete the course will be better able to navigate the post-crisis landscape and lead their businesses, corporations and entrepreneurships back to success.
Many who took the first installment were not business-oriented people.
Rachel Piotrowski, who has bachelor’s degrees in international studies and anthropology from USF and who was recalled early from her Peace Corps assignment in Belize this spring because of the pandemic, was among the non-business-minded participants who was awarded the certificate over the summer.
"COVID-19 is not the first major crisis we will face, nor will it be the last,” she said in a recent interview. “The ability to adapt and respond effectively to these crises is crucial for success across a variety of sectors."