| Not too long ago I took a class that | | | | "Should we evenly distribute the scholarship |
| discussed organizational behavior and | | | | fund so that everyone benefits? |
| strategic thinking. In this class my | | | | |
| professor conducted an exercise where | | | | "Should we give all scholarship money to the |
| students in the class were grouped into a | | | | best-rounded candidate who would make the |
| scholarship committee whose purpose was to | | | | biggest impact on the school's reputation? |
| use strategic thinking to budget scholarship | | | | |
| money to several incoming freshman. The other | | | | After listening to each representative make |
| students, including myself, represented the | | | | their point about the needs of their |
| freshman who were in the running to receive | | | | candidate, a few classmates discontinued from |
| the scholarship. | | | | the debate because they felt their student |
| | | | did not need the money as much as others. One |
| These hopefuls all had different strong | | | | classmate commented that his student came |
| points that would sustain the standards and | | | | from a financially stable household and that |
| esteem of the university. For example, my | | | | the lack of funds would not cause him to not |
| candidate was a high school senior who would | | | | go to college. Another classmate said that |
| not be able to attend college without a | | | | her student would be working and would be |
| scholarship. Music is her strong point and | | | | okay without scholarship money. With |
| should she receive a scholarship to the | | | | strategic thinking among the committee |
| university, she would contribute to the | | | | members, we were able to look over how |
| school's music program. One of the other | | | | everyone would be assisted from the |
| hopefuls is a gifted athlete who would be a | | | | situation. Our committee's final agreement |
| benefit to the school's basketball team. A | | | | left two students without scholarship money, |
| third candidate was an scholarly who would | | | | but benefited three recipients with a part of |
| grow in the academic realm. Moreover, my | | | | the scholarship money, based on their needs |
| point on why my candidate deserved the | | | | and accomplishments. |
| scholarship was among the other arguments | | | | |
| from classmates who would like the same for | | | | This process of strategic thinking lead to a |
| their candidates. | | | | group effort of brainstorming ideas, |
| | | | initiating change, and finding solutions. We |
| We had a few options to consider: | | | | were able to effectively consider the highest |
| | | | priorities of our candidates and make the |
| "Are some candidates more in need of funding | | | | most educated decisions. |
| than others? | | | | |
| | | | If you would like to learn more about CMOE's |
| "Do some candidates deserve more funding than | | | | Applied Strategic Thinking Workshop visit |
| others? | | | | their website or contact one of their |
| | | | Regional Managers at (801) 569-3444. |