NASA engineer is Alabama’s first certified Black woman winemaker

Rada Griffin works long days as a senior software engineer and subject matter expert for NASA, providing support to the project that’s going to put the first woman on the moon in 2024.

“It’s a big responsibility for us to ensure that everything goes perfectly,” she said. “And then, whenever I can find the time, I do my thing with wine.”

Griffin, based in Huntsville, Alabama, juggles three lives in one. On weekdays, she’s a contractor for NASA. On weekends she hosts wine and food pairings – and sometimes flies to Napa Valley, California, to check the progress of her first vintage. In 2019, after honing her wine skills in a series of online classes authored by an instructor in the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, she launched Anissa Wakefield Wines, becoming the first certified Black woman winemaker in Alabama.

Read the full story on the Cornell Chronicle website.

Johnson offers a new degree via eCornell: the Master of Science in Business Analytics

The Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, in collaboration with eCornell, is launching a new, online, STEM-certified degree program, the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA).

Johnson’s MSBA is designed for working professionals who seek to build a career in analytics with the skills employers say they desire most: a comprehensive understanding of the language and concepts of business, strong communication and teamwork skills, and the ability to apply the tools of data science to real problems and real data. In this hands-on program, students will collaborate in diverse teams and build a portfolio of data analytics projects as they learn to use essential analytics tools like Excel, Python, R, SQL, and Tableau to collect, visualize, and analyze data to optimize business decisions and evaluate results.

“Success in business analytics requires technical skills, creativity, and critical thinking,” says MSBA program director Vishal Gaur, Emerson Professor of Manufacturing Management, professor of operations, technology and information management. “Our first goal for students in the MSBA program is to excel at these skills by learning from their Cornell University professors who have deep expertise across a wide range of fields. Working with data also poses new challenges and requires awareness of its limitations with regard to bias, fairness, privacy, and ethics. So our second goal for our students is to become careful about the implications of analytics for society and to be aware of the incredibly transformative power of data, so that they can be responsible and effective problem solvers.”

The MSBA degree program offers students a flexible curriculum that allows them to specialize in a concentration aligned with their professional goals. The four concentrations include:

● Marketing Analytics—designed for students seeking careers in fields such as digital marketing, marketing analytics for consumer and business-to-business products, and product marketing.

● Finance Analytics—designed for students seeking careers in fields such as corporate finance, fintech, lending and credit analytics, banking and investment analytics, and fraud detection.

● Operations and Supply Chain Analytics—designed for students seeking careers in fields such as retailing operations, supply chain analytics, revenue management, manufacturing, and digital businesses including marketplaces and gig economy firms.

● Business Analytics—designed for students seeking careers in fields such as healthcare, human resources, and education.

“Data-driven problem solving is at the heart of the Cornell MSBA,” says Mark Nelson, Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean of Johnson. “Our program features an extensive business core, a choice of specialized concentrations, an emphasis on communications and collaboration, and an applied, hands-on curriculum to instill creative and resourceful problem solving. We designed the program this way because our research with practicing business-analytics professionals and employers indicated a pressing need for talent that combines those capabilities.”

All courses will be taught by Johnson faculty and faculty in the broader Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. Faculty and industry practitioners will also serve as mentors for the capstone projects.

Instruction for the first intake of the 16-month MSBA program will begin online on May 16, 2022, and run through August 2023. The degree program includes two one-week, intensive summer residency sessions, the first in Ithaca, New York in summer 2022, and the second in New York City in summer 2023. It also entails a substantial capstone project which will unfold over the duration of the program and culminate in industry-ready final deliverables.

Applications for the program are now open.

Learn more about Cornell’s MSBA

This story first appeared on the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business news site, BusinessFeed.

Cornell Johnson Launches STEM Master In Business Analytics

Cornell Johnson College of Business is the latest US business school to launch a Master in Business Analytics (MSBA) program.

Cornell follows other top US schools like MIT Sloan School of Management and UCLA Anderson School of Business, who offer top-ranked MSBAs.

The STEM-designated program will be taught part-time over 16-months and will be predominantly online.

Cornell Johnson MSBA: The curriculum
Demand for data analytics skills is growing. According to the GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, 37% of recruiters hired MSBA grads in 2018, compared with a projected figure of 62% in 2021.

This increase means MSBA grads are likely to be able to land roles across a wide range of industries, with the vast majority of companies implementing data into their business models.

“The need for data analytics in organizations and society is increasing rapidly,” says Vishal Gaur (pictured), program director for the new MSBA. “We have been working towards this program for the last two years, meeting with alumni and recruiters to assess the requirements from business analytics professionals.”

Cornell’s new MSBA looks to capitalize on this trend, offering students the chance to develop their analytics skills and knowledge of analytical tools.

The program is scheduled to begin in May 2022, and will run until August 2023. It will be delivered through Cornell’s award-winning online learning platform eCornell.

Teaching will be delivered asynchronously, giving students the flexibility to view online sessions at a time that suits them. But there will be some in-person requirements; Cornell’s MSBA curriculum includes two week-long residency sessions in the summers of 2022 and 2023. These will be held in Ithaca and New York City.

The program is also designed to encourage students to work together, Vishal says.

“It will be run like a residential Johnson program with small cohorts, extensive interaction with faculty and fellow students, and co-curricular activities that allow students to expand their knowledge and network outside of the classroom,” he explains.

The curriculum covers core business elements along with soft skills such as communication and teamwork. This is combined with a focus on analytics skills; students will learn to use tools like Python, SQL, and Tableau to gather, analyze, and visualize data.

Industry-focused specializations
Along with the flexible teaching delivery, the curriculum also features six elective modules covering topics like Machine Learning for Investment and Customer Analytics and Strategy.

During a specialization period, students can choose from one of four different concentrations. These include Marketing Analytics, Finance Analytics, Operations and Supply Chain Analytics, and Business Analytics.

Each specialization is designed for students aiming to launch careers in their chosen field, and so covers a range of analytics functions within that industry. The Finance Analytics specialization, for example, includes teaching on subjects including corporate finance, fintech, and lending and credit analytics.

The program also requires students to work together in teams on a variety of projects. During the program each student will work on a Capstone Project where they will seek to solve a real-world issue using a large data set and analytics tools. They’ll present their findings to MSBA faculty members.

Applications for the Cornell MSBA are now open. If you’d like to enroll in this cutting-edge program, Cornell estimates tuition will amount to around $78,000.

Industry voices come to second Rethinking Retail and Brands conference

The past 15 months have been a wild ride for the retail and consumer brands industry, with new formats, products, and purchase patterns sprouting overnight. Now, companies are looking ahead to a post-pandemic world. To help them navigate the “new normal,” Cornell is providing professionals unprecedented access to leading industry experts at its second annual Rethinking Retail and Brands live virtual conference, taking place June 15 to 18.

This year, a new conference format brings leading industry voices to the table as well as those of Cornell’s business and food retail experts. Also, session themes were designed to impact a broader range of industry professionals: from retailers and wholesalers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, consultants, and store managers; to those working in consumer packaging, supply chain, logistics, and design. And at the end of each day, attendees can now interact with faculty, experts, and peers in a virtual “conference hall.”

“The focus is on the future,” says program co-director Dan Hooker, senior lecturer in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. “Retail is a very fast-moving, rapidly evolving industry. We’re creating a dynamic space for conversation with industry experts, focusing on the most relevant topics driving today’s retail sector.”

Those topics cross four major themes: the Future of Retail, Operations and Supply Chain, Brands, and Big Thinking. Ira Kalish, Deloitte’s chief global economist, will open the conference with an overview of the “new rules” of today’s new economy. Leaders in that evolving landscape then dive deeper into specifics. Trung Nguyen, SVP of Operations at innovative delivery service Shipt, will explain the importance of refining “last-mile delivery” to create different product experiences. And Brian Choi, CEO of The Food Institute, will discuss the rise of alternatives in cuisine, dining format, and menu design with Lilly Jan—Cornell lecturer, former chef, and expert in food and beverage management.

Several Cornell alumni also will bring their expertise back to campus for the Rethinking Retail and Brands conference. Amy Oates Fitzgerald of Numerator will explore post-COVID changes in consumer behavior and trends; Kerrie Lopez, head of merchandising marketing for online retailer Thrive Market, will discuss how to make data-driven decisions in a complex, omnichannel retail environment; and Jason English from Goldman Sachs will provide Wall Street’s perspective on today’s food sector.

The final day of the conference is dedicated to providing attendees with a bigger picture of the emerging retail landscape. It culminates in a closing session with Bill Strassburg, VP of Strategic Initiatives at Wegmans. When Strassburg began his career at Wegmans in 1977, he says there were few MBAs who would consider a job in retail because there was little innovation and few opportunities for advancement. In this session, Strassburg invites attendees to share his progressive perspective on what’s in store for retail over the next 10 to 15 years.

Registration link: eCornell.

Women’s entrepreneurship institute set for major expansion

Two years ago, the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell launched their certificate program delivered through eCornell. Demand for the program was so strong that the original goal of providing free online education to 5,000 entrepreneurs quickly increased to 20,000 – thanks to a follow-on grant from Bank of America – and seats in the program were filled as soon as they were added.

On Nov. 19 – Women’s Entrepreneurship Day – the bank announced an additional grant that will allow another major expansion, more than doubling total enrollment. The institute in the coming months will add another 30,000 seats – for a total of 50,000 – while continuing to emphasize diversity, including the development of a Spanish-language component.

“We at Cornell are extremely proud of the impact the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship is having on aspiring entrepreneurs,” said President Martha E. Pollack. “The institute builds on Cornell’s commitment to the public good and on the strength of our faculty in providing practical, focused, accessible education.”

Bank of America will partner with nonprofits – including the National Urban League, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders and Prospera – to increase opportunities for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs. Those partners will offer their members access to the certificate program beginning in January 2021.

Already, more than 80% of the institute’s roughly 22,000 enrolled students identify as women of color. Registration is open to anyone worldwide, regardless of gender identity, educational background or business stage.

Students take a series of two-week online courses designed by Cornell faculty to help women develop and grow businesses, access resources and join a network of fellow entrepreneurs.

Instructors support students and moderate discussions in the six classes:

  • Creating Your Venture;
  • Laying the Legal Building Blocks;
  • Assessing and Obtaining Financial Resources;
  • Growth Leadership for Women Entrepreneurs;
  • Product Development and Digital Marketing; and
  • Communication, Negotiation and Persuasiveness.

“A human instructor is present in each course, so the students are receiving feedback on their course projects and in their discussion forums, as well as engaging and networking with each other,” said Kirsten Barker ’92, program director for the institute.

Upon completing all six courses, students earn a certificate in women’s entrepreneurship – the only one of its kind offered by an Ivy League university. To date, students have completed nearly 21,000 courses and earned nearly 2,400 certificates.

Citing a study by the consulting firm McKinsey and Company, Bank of America noted that the coronavirus pandemic has more adversely impacted the careers of women, who accounted for 46% of U.S. employment before the pandemic but 54% of job losses this year.

At the same time, the institute’s leaders say, women, and specifically women of color, represent the fastest-growing segment in entrepreneurship, but historically have lacked access to training, resources and networks.

“We’ve been amazed by our students’ resilience throughout COVID-19,” said Deborah Streeter, the institute’s faculty director and Professor Emerita in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

Responding to an institute survey about their transitions to working from home, students reported dealing with caregiving challenges that have disproportionately fallen on women, as well as disrupted businesses, longer hours in essential jobs and fatigue. Some also said they had found opportunities to bond with family and friends, expand their businesses online and improve efficiency.

After completing the program, one student proudly posted an image of her certificate to her LinkedIn page and stated “COVID-19 season has had a silver lining. I feel equipped and empowered.”

Having launched as an online certificate program serving students from across the nation – and a small international contingent representing dozens of countries – program leaders say the institute is well-positioned to grow and support more students despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

“This expansion will allow us to improve the chances that these entrepreneurs will be successful,” said Stewart Schwab, the Jonathan and Ruby Zhu Professor of Law at Cornell Law School and executive director of the institute. “That’s our goal, to give our students the tools for success.”

Bank of America expands the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell

CHARLOTTE, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As part of Bank of America’s $1 billion, four-year commitment to advance racial equality and economic opportunity, today – Women’s Entrepreneurship Day – the company announced a further expansion of the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell. Due to the program’s success, Bank of America will add 30,000 seats – bringing the total enrollment of small business owners to 50,000 – and will work with Cornell to develop a Spanish language curriculum and hire Spanish-speaking teaching assistants to more effectively support Hispanic-Latino entrepreneurs.

The Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell is the only Ivy League program offering a certificate in women’s entrepreneurship, and at no cost. Since its launch in 2018, the institute has enrolled more than 20,000 individuals, primarily women, of whom 86% identify as women of color. Registration is open to anyone worldwide, regardless of gender, educational background or business stage.

As part of the program expansion, Bank of America will partner with several nonprofits, including the National Urban League, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders and Prospera, to create more enrollment opportunities for Black and Hispanic-Latino entrepreneurs.

The challenges that women entrepreneurs face have multiplied over recent months. According to a recent McKinsey study, while women made up 46% of U.S. employment pre-coronavirus, they account for 54% of overall job losses year to date – with women of color the hardest hit.

“With women bearing much of the economic brunt of the pandemic – and particularly women of color – our further investment in the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell has never felt more important,” said Anne Finucane, vice chairman at Bank of America. “Amid the unforeseen challenges and events this year, we must continue to invest in women entrepreneurs to drive economic growth, because when women-owned businesses thrive, our communities flourish.”

“We at Cornell are extremely proud of the impact the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship is having on aspiring entrepreneurs,” said Martha E. Pollack, president of Cornell University. “The institute builds on Cornell’s commitment to the public good and on the strength of our faculty in providing practical, focused, accessible education.”

Through coursework that draws on curricula from across Cornell’s schools, the instructor-led classes and limited class size provide women the opportunity to learn new skills, connect with a vibrant network of entrepreneurs and social innovators, and access the resources they need to manage and scale a successful business. These courses include Creating Your Venture; Laying the Legal Building Blocks; Assessing and Obtaining Financial Resources; Growth Leadership for Women Entrepreneurs; Product Development and Digital Marketing; and Communication, Negotiation and Persuasiveness.

Investing in women

Bank of America’s investment in women as they make meaningful contributions within the company and in communities around the world includes a focus on being a great place to work for its female employees, improving the financial lives of female clients, and advancing women’s economic empowerment worldwide. The company has several long-standing partnerships, through which it has helped more than 30,000 women from 85 countries grow their businesses, including:

  • Tory Burch Foundation Capital Program: Since 2014, Bank of America has committed $100 million in capital to the Tory Burch Foundation Capital Program, helping women business owners gain access to affordable loans. To date, more than 3,400 women have received nearly $57 million in loans through community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to help them grow their businesses.
  • Global Ambassadors Program: A partnership between Bank of America and Vital Voices, the Global Ambassadors Program pairs women entrepreneurs with senior women executives for a week of one-on-one mentorship and workshops designed to build business acumen. To date, the program has impacted more than 400 women from 85 countries – helping mentees grow their businesses and organizations through more than 8,000 hours of training and mentorship.
  • Cherie Blair Foundation: Since 2013, Bank of America has partnered with the Cherie Blair Foundation on its Mentoring Women in Business program, which has matched more than 2,700 women in developing and emerging countries to online mentors, including more than 500 mentors from Bank of America.
  • Kiva: Through a partnership with Kiva, Bank of America has committed more than $2 million in funds to women business owners, assisting more than 17,200 women entrepreneurs from 45 countries.

Recent Bank of America announcements focused on racial equality, diversity and inclusion, and economic opportunity include:

Bank of America Environmental, Social and Governance
At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.

www.bankofamerica.com

Contacts
Eliza Murphy, Bank of America
Phone: 1.347.603.6845
eliza.murphy@bofa.com

eCornell gives high school students an analytic edge

A collaboration between eCornell and the nonprofit National Education Equity Lab is giving high school students in underserved communities the opportunity to develop skills in business analytics while also gaining the confidence to recognize they can excel in college, even in the Ivy League.

The partnership has resulted in eCornell’s first certificate course aimed at high school students. Pre-college Analytics and Spreadsheet Modeling is a four-week pilot course that launched June 24 with a class of 132 students, who are learning how to organize and analyze data in Excel and use that information as a decision-making tool.

This course follows a “buy one, give one” model, whereby 60 students recruited by eCornell each pay $150 to enroll, which helps offset the costs of 72 students selected from Equity Lab’s network of partnering underserved high schools across the country. All of these schools receive Title 1 federal funding because of their high concentrations of poverty and families in need.

“Highly talented, motivated students in our lowest income communities – who tend to be largely students of color and first-generation students – are often unable to demonstrate that they’ve got what it takes to be a successful college student,” said Leslie Cornfeld, founder and CEO of Equity Lab. “Research shows that current college admissions metrics can mask talent, particularly for low-income students. Education, we know, is the number one lever for social and economic mobility, and the future success of our country.”

Equity Lab works to advance educational and life opportunities for highly talented, low-income students and students of color by collaborating with philanthropic, nonprofit and academic institutions such as the Common Application, the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Harvard University. Equity Lab and eCornell were brought together by Steven Carvell, vice provost for external education strategy, at a crucial time. COVID-19 has created an enormous surge in the need for innovative online education models, especially in communities that the Equity Lab targets, which have been hit hardest by the pandemic.

“These are the families that are on the front lines in our country right now. They are not only the essential workers. They are suffering the highest levels of unemployment, food and housing insecurity, and illness,” Cornfeld said. “And in the midst of this crisis, these students leaped at the opportunity to take this course.”

While some teenagers might blanch at the idea of spending a month of their summer vacation learning about spreadsheets, most of the slots Cornell made available to the Equity Lab students were filled within 24 hours of posting.

“These students don’t get opportunities like this very often, and they are determined to take full advantage of it,” said Cornfeld, a former federal civil rights prosecutor who served as an adviser on education equity issues for former President Barack Obama’s administration.

Knowledge of data analytics is essential for anyone hoping to join the 21st-century workforce, and it’s also a practical tool for managing personal finances, according to Donna Haeger, professor of practice in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, who created and teaches the course.

“I always tell students that understanding how to make decisions with data is becoming just as important as reading and math,” said Haeger. “Businesses are really challenged right now to find qualified individuals who know how to model and make decisions using data. It doesn’t matter what industry you choose to enter. Data is everywhere.”

Haeger previously created a professional development certificate course in business analytics for eCornell. She modified those materials for a high school audience by simplifying the terminology and using age-appropriate examples. Rather than investing in a diversified portfolio, students solve problems like organizing a bake sale or buying clothing for a sports team. Haeger worked with eCornell to develop explanatory videos that are incorporated into the modules. And she added a weekly hourlong synchronous group session, so students can ask her questions directly and feel more connected.

“This course is a great equalizer. Everybody is able to jump in and try it for the first time. And it’s low risk for them,” Haeger said. “I think people are really intimidated by terms like ‘big data’ and ‘business analytics.’ I try to demystify all of that and make sure the students have a really positive experience. They realize, ‘Wow, I can do this.’”

The Equity Lab team has also been meeting with the students in weekly sessions to track their progress. Their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, Cornfeld said. While the material is difficult, it has given them a chance to prove to themselves, and to higher education institutions, that they are able to meet the challenge.

For Donovan Blount, a rising senior at Rockaway Collegiate High School in Queens, New York, the certificate course is potentially life-changing.

“Opportunities like this are important for students like me because most students who grow up in low to average income neighborhoods cannot afford prestigious classes,” he said. “So a free, informative class like this can open up doors of opportunity that we did not know were even possible.”

Law School’s new online master’s teaches language of law

Cornell Law School has launched a new master’s program designed to help full-time business professionals develop a deeper knowledge of the legal issues and concepts shaping their fields.

Offered primarily online with two summer visits to Cornell’s Ithaca campus, the 20-month Master of Science in Legal Studies (MSLS) program has begun accepting applications for an inaugural cohort of students starting in January.

“This program teaches people the language of law,” said Sital Kalantry, clinical professor of law and faculty director of the MSLS program. “It’s for business professionals who want to know the key concepts of U.S. law, how to navigate potential opportunities and pitfalls for their business, and when to look for additional resources.”

From startups to multinational corporations, Kalantry said, candidates who could benefit from the program include those involved in contracts and business development; finance; regulatory compliance; human resources; corporate governance; risk management; cybersecurity; immigration; intellectual property; and privacy.

“The MSLS is designed to be useful to almost anyone who’s interacting with the law in any number of contexts,” said Eduardo M. Peñalver ’94, the Allan R. Tessler Dean of Cornell Law School. “It’s like an MBA for law.”

From its inception, the program – the first of its kind offered by an Ivy League institution – was designed to be conducted online in collaboration with eCornell, the university’s distance learning platform since 2000. The flexible program allows full-time professionals to work at their own pace from wherever they are, while devoting 15-20 hours a week to their master’s studies.

In contrast to some programs, Kalantry said, MSLS students will not simply sit in on classes with others training to become practicing lawyers or be limited to adjunct faculty. Instead, full-time members of the Cornell Law School faculty and other leading lawyers have developed and will teach courses tailored specifically for business professionals and nonlawyers.

A small cohort of students will interact with each other and with faculty through online discussions, office hours and e-mail, Kalantry said. They’ll complete a capstone final project similar to a thesis.

Examples of the program’s core courses include:

  • Introduction to the U.S. Legal System;
  • Working with Business Contracts;
  • Navigating the Intellectual Property Landscape;
  • Employment Law;
  • Criminal Liability of Organizations; and
  • Cross-Border Transactions.

Electives focus on finance, health care, technology and privacy.

“We will give students an understanding of the legal regulations relevant to their business, where to find them and why they say what they say,” Kalantry said. “We think it will make them more effective in their jobs.”

Additional courses in persuasive communication and legal research will be taught on Cornell’s Ithaca campus during two intensive one-week summer sessions, providing training in fundamental legal skills that apply to many other contexts, Kalantry said.

Those sessions also will enable MSLS students to meet and network with their classmates and professors in person, and connect them to the campus, where they’ll be invited to participate in graduation ceremonies and whose alumni network they’ll join.

Admission to the first MSLS cohort is being offered on a rolling basis; the next monthly application deadline is July 15.

Online program offers skills for digital transformation

Rapid advances in digital technologies have the potential to transform how every industry, business and organization operates. To help technology leaders prepare, Cornell has developed a Digital Transformation certificate program.

In this program, participants will learn how to find and produce new and streamlined disruptive business ideas through digital auditing and a rapid ideation process, as well as pitch ideas and develop plans to rigorously test and evaluate each opportunity to ensure market suitability.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for business leaders and entrepreneurs to build new ventures and transform industries and organizations enabled by these technologies,” said faculty author Karan Girotra, professor of operations technology, information and management at Cornell Tech and at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

“Digital technologies lend themselves to rapid iteration, low-cost development and experimentation, and businesses need to learn a new way to build products enabled by these technologies. It’s a key skill set for any digital era builder.”

This program consists of seven two-week courses, including:

  • Preparing for Digital Transformation;
  • Rapid Ideation;
  • Generating Opportunities for Digital Disruption;
  • Developing and Pitching Ideas;
  • Value Creation and the Business Model Canvas;
  • Prototypes and Pilots; and
  • Experimentation Planning.

Participants who complete the program will receive a Digital Transformation Certificate from Cornell Tech and 70 professional development hours. Visit the eCornell website for more information.

New certificate program develops key negotiation skills

Negotiation is a powerful tool, and can help people steer their personal and professional lives toward success.

Yet according to a survey by LinkedIn, more than 40% of U.S. employees say they don’t feel confident in their negotiation skills, and 25% say they’ve never negotiated for themselves in the workplace.

Recognizing that a lack of negotiation skills can stifle a career, Cornell has developed a new online certificate program. Negotiation Mastery will help professionals improve negotiation abilities through the introduction of practical tactics and tools, peer exercises and expert instruction.

“The ability to effectively negotiate is critical,” said Allan Filipowicz, co-author of the program and associate dean for executive education at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. “It increases a person’s chance of getting the job or salary they want, making a business deal that benefits them and much more. It’s a lifelong skill.”

“This program will teach you how to advocate for yourself to get better deals, while at the same time enhancing personal or business relationships,” said Tony Simons, program co-author and professor at the School of Hotel Administration.

Available online through eCornell, this program consists of six three-week courses:

  • Introduction to Negotiation
  • Integrative Negotiation
  • Psychology of Negotiation
  • Preparing for a Negotiation
  • Power Dynamics and Ethics in Negotiation
  • Complex Negotiation

Upon completion of the program, participants will earn a Negotiation Mastery certificate and 60 CEUs. To learn more about this program, visit the eCornell website.