This fall, School of Business Administration Visiting Executive in Residence Kimberly Thielman will lead a Friday afternoon workshop for juniors and seniors.

4-7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24

This session is designed to help you unlock your own leadership potential. You’ll hear real stories from C-suite executives about the challenges they’ve faced, the pivotal moments that shaped them, and the career-defining choices that helped them succeed. More importantly, you’ll begin to recognize your own strengths—your “Superpowers”—and learn how to apply them both in your personal life and your career.

You won’t just listen—you’ll do. Through interactive exercises and breakout discussions, you’ll explore values, resilience, authenticity, and purpose, all while starting to define your own leadership style. You will walk away with practical insights and a clearer sense of how to lead with confidence and impact.

The program is limited to 20 students. Each student will have the opportunity to spend time in a small group with our local C-suite executives, sharing their own insights into their superpowers.

To apply
To apply for the program, please submit a 200–300-word statement of interest along with your resume. Find Your Superpower is open to all Gonzaga juniors and seniors.

Applications due:  Friday, Sept. 26
Notification of selection: Tuesday, Sept. 30

To upload your application, click here.

The School of Business Administration offers several in-person one-credit elective classes. If you are a full-time undergraduate student and have fewer than 18 credits, you can likely take one of these courses as part of your regular tuition. Classes are open to all majors.
These classes can be added by calling the Registrar at (509) 313-6592. Or by emailing Registrar@gonzaga.edu from your Zagmail account and including your student ID number and the CRN of the class. For example: Dear Registrar, I would like to register for CRN 12345. Thank you. {Your name}

BCSS 201 Business Leadership
Business leadership refers to how people in an organization set objectives and influence others to achieve those objectives. Topics include leadership styles, theories of leadership, and case studies of leaders.
Instructor: Brian Newberry, CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Nov. 1-2

BCSS 221 Excel Skills
Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet software program that allows the user to analyze and visualize data. This course will introduce students to Excel concepts that allow them to analyze and present data in a format that will inform business decisions. This project-based course will use hands-on exercises to cover practical Excel skills used every day in business.
Instructor: Jenn Klein, director of institutional assessment systems, Gonzaga University
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Sept. 27-28

BCSS 207 Resiliency
What is resiliency, what is optimism and how might we cultivate them? What role do positive emotions like awe and gratitude play in being resilient? What does resiliency look like in our work lives? How might business leaders cultivate a happy workplace? Why should they bother?
Instructor: Monica Bartlett, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Nov. 15-16

BCSS 234 Career Preparedness
Career preparedness refers to knowledge, skills, and abilities that allow workers to enter the workforce with success and create a foundation on which to build a productive career. Topics include professionalism, communication, leadership and management, critical thinking, and belonging.
Instructor: Erin Standley, Learning and Development Consultant
Nov 7-8
4-10 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday

BCSS 240 Women’s Career & Confidence Development
This course introduces how to create a development plan to reach personal and professional goals. Topics include how to find your “Why”, crush your inner critic, start your financial freedom journey, handle criticism in a new way, and enhance your interview skills. During this course, students will develop through presentations, group discussions, a written assignment, interaction with guest speakers, and reflection opportunities.
Oct. 25-26
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Instructor: Karen Cash, Avista substation engineer and consultant at Aspire Consultant Services

BCSS 266 Nonprofit Leadership
This course examines the concepts of management and leadership in nonprofit organizations. Topics include legal, financial, and organizational governance of nonprofits and well as the role and challenges of leadership in the nonprofit sector. The course examines leadership philosophies used in the nonprofit sector and how differing styles affect effectiveness and achievement of organizational mission.
Katherine Morgan
Oct. 25-26
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

BCSS 244 Life and Career – Women’s Focus
Designed for women aspiring to lead with purpose, this course offers essential tools to thrive personally and professionally. Students will strengthen emotional intelligence, align their careers with their values, manage personal finances, and cultivate the skills necessary for the workplace.
Oct. 11-12
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Instructor: Karen Cash, Avista substation engineer and consultant at Aspire Consultant Services

BCSS 262 Equity and Storytelling
Storytelling allows a leader to engage listeners by structuring information as a story instead of talking about facts. This course develops individual and collective views of equity through storytelling. Authentic leadership will be a focus of the course as storytelling is explored as a way to impact individuals, organizations, and society.
Instructor: Stephanie Elie-Martin, leadership/business consultant, SE Consulting
9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Nov. 15-16

BCSS 271 Next Level Skill Intensive
This weekend course gives students the chance to learn directly from Spokane-area organizations. Over two days, students will attend eight interactive 90-minute sessions taught by local professionals on topics ranging from practical skills like project management to personal growth skills like emotional intelligence. Each session is taught twice—once for each half of the class—so that all students experience the same content in a smaller, more interactive setting (20–25 students per group). With 40–50 total participants, you’ll gain valuable insights from community experts while connecting classroom learning to real-world applications
Facilitator: Molly Pepper, associate dean for Impact
9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Nov. 8-9