Increasing Professional Competitiveness: An Interview with Dr. Marc Johnson, the President of University of Nevada. Discussion centers on increasing professional competitiveness for faculty and students. 1. Question (Tara):
What are some key ways that college students, college graduates, and young professionals can better prepare themselves to stand out from the large applicant pool of professional competitors?
Response (Marc):
The first way for students to stand out is to be at the top of their classes. By working hard from day one in their subject area, a student will gain the knowledge to be a leader in that field. Internships, service learning, and building practical experience will also help develop a strong resume. Building academic and professional relationships with faculty and administration will provide strong references.
2. Question/Response Video:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CSGqQSUnbM]
Question:
As higher education’s capitalistic transformation continues to create challenges for economically struggling institutions to attract top faculty, how can Higher Education entice and retain nationally recognized faculty and administrators in times of limited resources?
Response:
It is important for any businesses to focus on their best product lines. Keeping the size and quality of strong departments while strengthening specialized units or discipline areas that consistently attract student enrollment and produce research will keep universities competitive in a budget short environment. The national reputation of institutional units or specific academic disciplines will attract top faculty. They will want to build their professional success at your university. Maintaining a national reputation in at least a few fields of study will draw in nationally recognized faculty to the institution.
3. Question:
What are the most helpful experiences, skills, strategies, degrees, or qualifications that helped you get to where you are today, that other professionals can practice for themselves?
Response:
After earning the necessary degrees, a variety of professional experiences can be very helpful to build leadership qualities. I am a researcher, scholar, teacher, and administrator and that all took time, patience, commitment, and hard work. It is good to pace yourself and work upwards through the ranks. It is also important to be contributing and helping others. By giving and helping, you improving your industry while you build professional skills. Soon, others will begin to ask you to lead in positions of your specialty because of your commitment and service.