Return to:
Grand Canyon University
Kaitlin Patterson
Class of 2011, master’s degree in business administration
Class of 2011, master’s degree in leadership
Grand Canyon University
As an undergraduate student, Kaitlin Patterson studied psychology research with a business option. She first became interested in Grand Canyon University for graduate school after watching a university representative’s keynote speech at a leadership conference she attended. It was then that she found out about the Ken Blanchard College of Business. Co-developer of the Situational Leadership theory and model, Ken Blanchard has long been a figure of admiration for Patterson and this affiliation sparked her interest. Upon further research, Patterson found that Grand Canyon University offered a dual Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Leadership program, which suited her interests perfectly.
Despite the distance from her home in Ontario, Canada, it was a quick decision for Patterson to apply to the business school partnered with the Ken Blanchard Companies. This partnership enables GCU to provide students with a unique educational experience based on Blanchard’s leadership and values-based management concepts. Patterson knew almost immediately that this was the right environment for her. “I applied in June, flew to visit the campus in July after my mom said we should check to make sure it was a legitimate campus, and I moved in August,” she said.
As a graduate student in the dual MBA and MSL program, Patterson must complete 66 credit hours of course work covering a wide variety of topics, from finance to leadership and innovation. In all of its courses of study, the Ken Blanchard College of Business places an important focus on ethics training and organizational development. Patterson particularly appreciated that the program encouraged students to apply their knowledge to real-world situations and offered them mentoring relationships with leading industry professionals. “The speaker series, ‘Developing Yourself as a Leader,’ enhances the M.S. experience,” she said. “Our strategic management capstones also help us develop business plans and ideas. It’s a great way of finishing the program.”
The dual MBA and MSL program is offered both on campus and online. While Patterson considered her learning preferences and opted to attend classes on campus, she has had the opportunity to take some introductory business courses online. Additionally, she noted that virtually all courses in the program are scheduled in the evening, making it an ideal degree path for working individuals who cannot attend classes during the day. But perhaps the most important aspect of her educational experience has been the networking opportunities Patterson has found through the Ken Blanchard College of Business at GCU. “I work part time in the dean’s office, and they have helped me out immensely in terms of networking and career prospects,” she said. “They’ve given me lots of recommendations in Phoenix and San Diego with Ken Blanchard companies and elsewhere.”
As for what makes Grand Canyon University a high-quality university, Patterson noted the school’s commitment to expanding the opportunities they offer their students, both on-campus and online. “GCU has grown a lot, and I’m happy to see what they’re doing,” she said. “I like what they stand for, and they offer a variety of new programs. You can’t get a Master of Science in Leadership back home.” Patterson is scheduled to finished the program in December of 2011.
