Continuing Studies wins fourth straight award

For the fourth year in a row, the Indiana Council for Continuing Education honored the IU School of Continuing Studies with the 2006 Program of the Year award. \nThe award was given to the new certificate program, "Managing in the Life Sciences Industry."\nThe program, developed last summer in conjunction with pharmaceutical companies Baxter and Cook, helps people get into the industry and assists those already involved by improving their management skills, Program Director Ron White said. The five-course program tries to encourage development of new business in the state.\n"The idea was that this whole area of life sciences is really emerging as the new economy in Indiana," he said.\nThe award is very timely, said Lisa Herrmann, director of communication and outreach for IU Continuing Studies.\n"It's a cutting-edge, necessary program given that these (pharmaceutical) companies are moving in," she said. "With the input of Cook and Baxter, they've figured out what skills are necessary for a job in that industry."\nThe program stresses the importance of communication in companies where it might not be a focus, said Jim Shea, program director for Bloomington Continuing Studies Professional Development Programs.\n"There are a lot of folks who work in the (life sciences) industry who are promoted to manager who may or may not have all the skills they need to be a manager," he said. "You have to be able to communicate well. These companies tend to hire science, biology and chemistry majors. Communication is not a big part of those programs. You're going to be interacting with a lot of people and you really have to be able to communicate well. You may know your science well ... but you really have to know how to manage projects to succeed."\nWhite and Shea accepted the Program of the Year award Friday, March 3 at the Indiana Council for Continuing Education's two-day conference, Herrmann said. \nWhite said the IU School of Continuing Studies has won an annual award for either staff or programs for the past four years.\n"We're very honored to get the award," Shea said. "I think the reason the program is getting attention is that we've done our homework in putting the program together. We've got a lot of support from the industry."\nShea also stressed the importance of faculty in making the program a success. \n"We've had some outstanding instructors," she said. "There is a wealth of talent in this town, and it is very easy for me to find a qualified instructor in whatever area I'm looking for one."\nSurvey data collected by the continuing studies program shows that 90 percent of participants would take another class from their instructor. \n"It's really consistent with the president's initiatives and the University's direction in terms of trying to play a bigger role in economic development in the state of Indiana," White said. "(We are) trying to do an even better job of connecting with the local community and addressing the educational needs and interests of adults"