SLAMM – Model for Success
Based on student demand and alumni support, this past fall, the School of Liberal Arts instituted its new School of Liberal Arts management minor (SLAMM). The response was immediately overwhelming. Students flocked to the classes, ranging from innovative new courses such as leadership and philanthropy, to foreign language courses for business, as well as unique SLAMM-related courses across our many disciplines.
The excitement over the minor has confirmed what we originally believed. Many of our students want to follow their passion, pursuing majors that excite them and through which they gain disciplinary content, along with valuable skills in research, analysis, communication, and writing. They then wish to bridge these majors with a range of other, marketable skills.
What began as a discussion with SLA’s Dean’s Advisory Committee and the SLA Chairs and Directors has now truly blossomed. In this month’s newsletter you will read about some of the exciting new courses – and amazing professors – tied to the minor, as well as classes that will be offered in the future, such as financial literacy. But we are hardly finished. As reflected in a recent survey of students, not only are they delighted by the minor but they wish to see an increasing number of electives. At the same time, we are receiving inquiries about our program from other universities, wishing to establish their own versions of our minor. With the support of our imaginative faculty and the wonderful alumni who have made this possible, we see a great future for the possibilities and impact of SLAMM.