MSOL, MAOL, MBA, and Bachelor’s Degrees in Organizational Leadership in Kansas

Then, you’ll demonstrate your understanding of the problems individuals involved with such a project face. What would be the cost of increasing the supply pipe size across city districts? Does the city have the labor to complete such a project, or would much of the work need to be subcontracted?

A strong capstone will look good on your resume. It’s certainly going to matter a lot more than your GPA. It demonstrates to employers that you could help them solve some of the organizational problems they’re facing.

Who would those employers be? In practice, it could be any public or private sector employer looking for talented leaders. Today, in Kansas, a couple big initiatives stand out as examples of where effective organizational leadership is proving to be essential. 

Kansas’ State Transportation Improvement Program Relies on Effective Leadership at the Ground Level and Up

The State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) oversees federally funded projects that will help the state reach the goals specified in the 2020-2045 Kansas Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP).

Infrastructure is a very resource-intensive industry. You not only need to consider the needs of local communities and the businesses that use the roads, but also the capabilities of the Department of Transportation (DOT), engineering challenges, and material availability.

For example, before getting a project off the ground, the Kansas DOT must follow project selection criteria. Once the DOT selects a project, they need to figure out how it’s going to be financed by funding supplied through the STIP’s fiscal budget. So there’s an element of bureaucratic management with some basic accounting info.

If you’re a detailed-oriented person with an inclination toward construction projects, a position in the STIP program would be a good fit for you. As we outlined above, there are a lot of moving parts, but an initiative such as this will get you used to working with multiple stakeholders.

Organizational Leaders in Government and Industry are Working Together to Attract Workers to the Sunflower State

Not sure if you’ve heard, but there’s a labor shortage across the US, and Kansas is no exception.

Take the construction industry for example. Mike Gibson, Executive Vice President of Build Up Kansas, says the state’s building sector will need about 58,000 workers to replace those entering retirement. Another area that’s in need of workers is childcare.

Officials have proposed a range of solutions to this problem. The Topeka Capital-Journal cited the Kansas Policy Institute’s Dave Trabert, who suggested reducing the tax burden on businesses. Others such as Special Committee on Workforce Development’s Sean Tarwater (R-Stilwell), recommended launching advertisements on TV, social media, and other online sites to “create some excitement” over these jobs.

You could be the fresh perspective in this conversation. Use the skills you developed during your studies to put together an action plan to attract more workers to Kansas. What sort of programs would incentivize people to move to the Sunshine State? How could the cost of living remain low so as to retain them?

Universities in Kansas Offering Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Organizational Leadership

Not sure where to apply? We’ve assembled a list of all the organizational leadership programs in the state offered at the bachelor’s and master’s level.