RIP C3, GMP FTW!

Rest In Peace Center for Creative Change (C3,) Graduate Management Program (GMP) For The Win! I am very excited about two major events at Antioch University Seattle, where I graduated with a Master of Science in Management in 2006:

First, after suspending the GMP in favor of focusing on "better attended" programs, they have brought the GMP back. I knew that the C3 (now simply the GMP program, formerly a host of other degree programs besides the GMP,) was not financially sustainable without the GMP because I had been to colleges recruiting for the C3, and I knew that many of the students who joined the C3 only noticed the program because they were looking for MBA alternatives, and the other degree titles such as "whole systems design," "organizational psychology" and "environment and community" did not sound like MBA alternatives. After the GMP attracted students to the C3, the students would often change their degree title to one of the fancier-sounding ones after deciding to attend the C3, deflating the GMP official attendance numbers. There was about 75% course overlap between the various programs, so all of this degree tittle and program attendance drama was mostly semantics!

Second, all of the formerly-known-as-C3 programs have been combined under one degree title, "Management and Leadership." Since all the programs were so similar anyways, it makes sense they all simply share the same degree title. The degree title that was the most marketable, was the most transparent in what was studied in the program, described the practical application those studies, and was the easiest language to understand for perspective students and employers was indeed "Management and Leadership." (As a student I campaigned to have that "and Leadership" added to the end of the degree title because simply "Management" was too abstract, and everything in the C3 had strong "Leadership" implications.)

In general there were two categories of C3 graduates, those who liked their experience at the C3 and those who despised it. Those who liked it described an experience much like my own in the GMP with vast deep, constant, and practical learning. Those who didn't like it described something much more painful and abstract.  It is a fortunate development indeed that "organizational development" graduates will describe their degree programs as "merged into Management & Leadership" rather than what I had to do, which was describe my management degree as "merged into organizational development... here let me explain what 'organizational development' means instead of explaining why you should hire me..." You may not like the taste of this medicine, but it's exactly what you C3 (now GMP) graduates need!