For Dean Marley, Collaboration Key
September 19, 2007
As the newly-appointed Dean of Graduate and Professional Programs (GPP) at Emmanuel, Dr. Judith Cox Marley views her position as one that involves bridge building. For her, generating opportunities through partnerships plays a significant role in continuing education programs, as it combines a quality educational experience with the practicality of access. It is through this appreciation for collaboration that she anticipates to further GPP's success by continuing to build engaging and distinctive educational formats.
Arriving at the College in July after spending the last four years as the Assistant Dean at Boston University's Metropolitan College, the continuing education unit of the university, Dr. Marley will be responsible for providing strategic leadership for all graduate and professional programs. She will conduct internal program assessments, lead the curricular review process, exam the marketplace, and develop a vision and framework for partnerships for new and innovative degree programs.
Dr. Marley's track record for establishing valuable partnerships is quite noteworthy, especially her recent work at Boston University in which she created a model for Preferred Educational Partnerships, which expanded collaboration with employers. Working with faculty and staff on outreach and engagement efforts for partnerships with companies, not-for-profit organizations, and community colleges, her model earned her department the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) 2007 Creative Partnership Award and was presented at the association's conference on workforce and economic development.
"My job at Boston University was to be a bridge to the employer community," said Dr. Marley, who will also serve as an Associate Professor of Education. "The partnership models we established were very important to work force development. It's these elements of bridging that really interest me."
The nature of the existing degree programs within GPP played a major role in Dr. Marley's decision to join the Emmanuel community, as she was attracted to their focus on service professionals in business. A graduate of St. Mary's High School in Lawrence, MA, a Sisters of Notre Dame (SND) institution, Dr. Marley's interest in service was cultivated at a young age, and her appreciation and understanding for the mission of the SNDs, as well as the vision of Emmanuel College President Sister Janet Eisner, SND, further fueled her desire to join the ranks of the College.
"Through the years, I have volunteered and work with the Sisters in some community-based efforts, and the idea of degree programs for service professionals, coupled with a fine dynamic college led by the Sisters of Notre Dame seemed like an interesting fit for me," she said. "One of the most attractive things for me has also been Sr. Janet's leadership. Her work with the Colleges of the Fenway and just the efficiency and opportunity for partnerships played a big role in my decision to come to Emmanuel."
Taking into consideration Emmanuel's unique relationship with Merck Laboratories-Boston, Dr. Marley already sees great potential for future growth and partnered enterprises between the College and local businesses.
"The idea of innovation in teaching and connection to industry is a natural," she said. "Having Merck, which represents a significant growth industry in this region, on this campus is a wonderful opportunity, but I would also see the same opportunity for us in other avenues of the Longwood Medical area, especially considering our strong tradition with nursing and teaching. I see those as wonderful bridges as well.
"Our proximity is probably one of the biggest treasures Emmanuel has because Boston is such a hub for strong companies," she added. "Companies in this area value and promote innovation and I think the elements of tradition and innovation here make a job like mine really exciting."
Another avenue Dr. Marley would like to explore for the College's Graduate and Professional Programs is the concept of educational formats that are even more responsive to students' desired career paths. Citing examples common among students exploring the human resources track of the management degree, as many such students tend to be interested in designations such as the senior professional in human resources (SPHR) or the certified employee benefit specialist (CEBS), she believes such offerings could provide students with even greater value from their academic experience.
"One of the things I hope to do here is to look at not only what we're teaching but how it might combine with interests our students have around earning credentials in addition to academic credentials; earning designations or certifications that relate to degree programs," she said. "Thinking about what we teach on a theoretical level and how those courses also map to earning a designation is really a win-win for industry and students. It prepares them to take competitive exams while also mobilizing their careers."
Throughout her career, Dr. Marley has had the privilege of often finding herself in the position of being present at the dawn of a new venture. As the first hire in the Metropolitan College, for instance, she had the benefit of starting initiatives and developing her office as she deemed fit. While she has viewed such experiences as "special privileges on an individual level," she's quick to point out that her success has come through an appreciation for the types of collaboration she now seeks for the interest of Emmanuel.
"I think anyone that has worked with me has found that my commitment to community is always first," she said. "Anything I've been able to successfully mobilize has been through collective talent. I've always been in roles that nicely combined tradition and transformation."
And as time goes on, many linked to the College's Graduate and Professional Programs may find that Dr. Marley's vision for her role within the program doesn't simply involve building bridges, but also guiding those who seek to cross them.
"The role of the dean is to be the spokesperson for the best things that happen in the classroom," she said. "If you don't have someone in that role it's hard to bring people together to talk about teaching and learning."
"The greatest opportunity of a dean is being able to bring many voices together and establish a vision," she added. "I see my role as one that brings together elements in order to make a student's experience all that it can be."
