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