An online Master of Arts in Communication & Leadership Studies from Gonzaga provides students with a fulfilling program that gives them the tools they need to succeed. Alumna Heather Gray talks about her experiences and achievements with a COML degree from Gonzaga.
“When I initially enrolled in the M.A. in Communication and Leadership Studies program, I had no true idea what my actual intentions for the degree were. However, my life has been unfolding for at least a decade like a road map; leading me to where I am today, so I knew at some point the light bulb would turn on and I would figure it out.
This past May, exactly 3 years after the receipt of my degree, that light bulb turned on. And it was bright. This year, I found myself back in a leadership role within my franchise businesses.
Currently, I have 3 upper management and 9 clinic managers who report directly to me and then they have around 160 employees who report to them. Without my degree from Gonzaga, I would not be nearly as prepared as I feel I am to handle the daily challenges that come with working with so many different personality and client issues.
Throughout the program, instead of just focusing upon how to lead, we were instructed on servant-leadership. There is a quite a difference I am learning. Since learning about servant leadership and reading up on the topic further, I have decided to incorporate servant leadership into my leadership style toward those I directly impact and in turn am seeing the same leadership mentoring occurring with those that my mangers have a direct impact upon. Yes. I am using the communication aspect of my degree as well. Also a very important tool as I go through the daily ups and downs. However, the servant leadership aspect of the degree has had the most immediate impact and quite possibly the longest lasting effects.
I wanted an intense, yet functional degree and that is exactly what I received. The M.A. Communication and Leadership Studies degree and Gonzaga are a true blessing. I knew it was a blessing then, but now I am seeing the truly lasting impact.”
Heather Gray
COML, 2011
Co-Owner, Massage Envy Spa
To learn more about the Master of Arts in Communication & Leadership Studies online degree from Gonzaga, and our many other programs, visit Gonzaga online.