When Carla Jenkins-McDonald encounters a frustrated student at her desk in the Undergraduate Center for Student Advancement in the College of Business and Economics, she doesn’t flinch. She knows she can help that student stay calm and resolve the situation.
That’s because Carla has been using Lehigh’s BEST Program to take professional development classes at Northampton Community’s College’s Center for Business and Industry that have greatly enhanced her workplace skills. “I’ve been taking the courses for personal development and growth,” Carla said recently. “They have helped me in many aspects of my work, including problem-solving skills, and have given me a broader view on the scope of the workplace.”
Carla takes courses as her schedule allows. “The course in effective interactions was particularly helpful. For example, I learned to have more effective meetings; how to keep people on track so you can achieve what you need to.”
Lehigh is committed to investing in its faculty and staff. The university encourages employees to develop their workplace knowledge, skills, and abilities. The Build and Enhance Skills through Training (BEST) program supports the costs associated with enrolling in noncredit educational programs.
- The BEST Program offers a training subsidy of 75 percent - up to a maximum of $500 - of the cost of employee enrollment in noncredit programs.
- Your department is responsible for the balance of the cost.
- Programs or courses must be job-related, and your supervisor must approve the expenditure and time away from work.
- You must work 75% or more of a full-work schedule to take two seminars per semester; greater than 50% (exempt) and 53% (nonexempt) to take one course per semester.
- Programs that are supported include those similar to offerings from Northampton Community College’s Center for Business and Industry. You can research additional classes elsewhere that may also be eligible for support. Just remember that they must be non-credit courses.
Deb Snyder has been in her role as a researcher in the Development office for twelve years after starting at Lehigh as a temp. She enjoys conducting research that helps the university form deeper relationships with alumni who support the institution.
When she was considering ways of furthering her career, she did a bit of research, too. She decided to earn a management certificate encompassing six courses also at NCC’s Center for Business and Industry. “It was nice to have people from different companies and organizations in the same room,” Deb noted. “People brought things to the table that you also might be dealing with in your own workplace.”
“I’m not currently a manager,” she said, "but I was able to look at the situations we discussed through a supervisor's eyes as well as ask myself what I would do if I had the opportunity to be a supervisor."
Deb’s courses included project management as well as classes that delved into managing employees. “It gave me a new perspective,” she said. "I learned to see some work issues from another point of view and realize that things cannot be taken personally."
Both Deb and Carla recommend that any Lehigh employee interested in career development at the university consider using the BEST Program benefit to take professional development classes.
“Whether you’re looking to possibly move to a supervisory or leadership role in the future or not, take something,” Deb said.
- Read the External Training Through The BEST Program policy
- Learn more about external training resources
- Download the BEST Program Application
- Contact Mary Jo McNulty, Human Resources Associate, at 610-758-3894.