The Aggie Leadership Training Academy at New Mexico State University offered by the Center for Learning & Professional Development is a leadership certification program designed for NMSU personnel to develop leadership knowledge and skills needed to advance in critical leadership competencies.
“The students of ALTA are committed to improving themselves and are dedicated to the notion of life-long learning. They understand the need to not only take time out of their busy workdays and workweeks to develop their own skills but also to learn how to cultivate the talent around them. Those that take on and complete the ALTA program are determined to become the best manager, leader and colleague they can be while aspiring to become part of NMSU administration,” said Stephanie Miller, Training Central administrator and senior training specialist.
To be considered for the program, applicants must have experience as a director or department head level or above including assistant or associate positions. They must have one year or more of regular employment at NMSU with one or more regular full-time employee direct reports. Members of ALTA are expected to make department-level decisions and direct department initiatives, strategies and goals.
Those selected for the program will develop their leadership capacities to effectively interact with members of the university community and build open, dynamic and respectful working and learning environments. Conducted over a 12-month period, the ALTA program meets for multiple training sessions. During each session attendance is crititcal for the learning process as well as completing assignments for group interactions.
Graduates of the December 2019 ALTA include Jon Webster, assistant director of project development and engineering in Facilities & Services; Michelle Bernstein, Residential Education, Housing and Residential Life associate director; Jeanne Garland, civil engineering program operations director and New Mexico Alliance for Minority Participation associate director; Adrian Bautista, annual giving development office director; Michelle Lukesh, Dona Ana Community College fiscal specialist; Diana Dugas, Instructional & Research Support Information & Communication Technologies director; and Amanda Vescovo, associate director of DACC Advising Services.
“The first program of the Aggie Leadership Training Academy was in 2015 and was offered every other year through 2019. Now the program is shifting to annual offering starting this year in 2020,” said Miller.
Similar to ALTA, the Manager Certification Program is also offered through the Center for Learning & Professional Development. The Manager Certification Program is a professional development program for NMSU managers or employees who have been identified as having the potential to move into a supervisory position. ALTA focuses on strategic planning and big picture topics related to administrators, while MCP teaches managers how to implement the university’s strategic plan.
“Leaders decide where we should be going, and managers decide how to get us there. Both play vitally important roles. In MCP, we focus on departmental management with topics such as finance, human resources actions, employee development, project planning, to name a few,” said Jennifer Gabel, Training Central administrator and senior training specialist.
For more information on how to apply for MCP and ALTA contact trainingcentral@nmsu.edu.