2017 Cornerstone University Magazine & Annual Report

IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES
Patti Ticknor, PGS enrollment counselor in Kalamazoo,
Mich., helps professionals thrive in their jobs by utilizing
PGS programs.
Over the years, Ticknor observed a number of Perrigo
employees attending classes at the Kalamazoo location.
Perrigo is the world’s largest manufacturer of overthe-counter
healthcare products and supplier of infant
formulas for store brands.
Ticknor reached out to Perrigo when she noted a need
that PGS could fulfill: An option for project management
education and training.
Seeking innovative solutions to a practical business need,
professors Kris Zoerman and Dave Johnson started with
CU’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) project
management concentration model. They then shaped
it into a course and offered it at the Perrigo location in
Allegan, Mich.
“The Perrigo offering is really just a continuation of the
original PGS purpose,” says Osborn. He looks forward
to seeing how PGS can help other businesses in the
community with future partnership opportunities.
WHY PROJECT MANAGEMENT?
Across business industries, project management is an
in-demand core skill because it’s so versatile. It’s also one
of the most practical areas of study because it teaches a
methodology and mindset about how to solve problems
and get work done.
It makes good business sense for a company as large
as Perrigo to say yes to project management training
for its employees. By training employees to become
Project Management Professionals (PMP is a registered
trademark certification), it increases personal and
professional effectiveness by working from a universal
language across the company, allowing Perrigo to operate
more efficiently.
Best practices in adult learning theory allow students
to shape the curriculum, making practical application a
reality from day one. Zoerman and Johnson ask students
to bring real-life examples from the workplace to the
classroom and then create opportunities to use new
knowledge to solve problems of practice at work.
Sixteen Perrigo employees enrolled in the course for
project management certification, and five went on after
the class to enter CU’s MBA program.
SERVING THE MARKETPLACE
Jeff Savage, associate dean of business for PGS, is proud
of the innovative methods his team is using to build
frameworks for adult learning in the business sector.
“Our faculty are not only successful professionals in
their day jobs but also bring practical application to the
classroom. The education our students acquire brings
value to their roles and, by extension, to the companies
for whom they work. Nowhere is this more evident than
with education and training Kris and Dave delivered to
Perrigo,” said Savage.
PGS consistently strives to discover out-of-the-box
ways to connect with employers and help bring relevant
programs to their employees.
“This represents the best of what higher education
can do in the local and global communities it serves,”
said Savage.
For more information about how
PGS programs can serve a local
business, contact James Link
at 616.949.5300 or email
james.link@cornerstone.edu.
HOW DID IT COME TOGETHER?
While project management is a body of knowledge that
has to be taught in a certain way, Zoerman and Johnson
excel at explaining the why behind project management
as a methodology. The teaching team customized course
material to fit Perrigo’s industry needs.
22
CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
FALL 2017
WWW.CORNERSTONE.EDU