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Colombian managers benefit from alliance By Deborah A. Benedetti
The individuals involved in the strategic alliance between Penn State, CREAD: The Inter-American Distance Education Consortium, and the Universidad del Valle in Colombia are, from left: Dr. Patricia A. Book, associate vice president for outreach and executive director, Division of Continuing Education; Dr. Armando Villarroel, executive director of CREAD; Dr. Carlos Alberto Franco, dean, Universidad del Valle; Dr. Samuel C. DeWald, associate professor of management development, Penn State Management Development Programs and Services; Dr. Shirley S. Hendrick, associate dean for continuing and distance education, The Mary Jean and Frank P. Smeal College of Business Administration at Penn State; Dr. Francisco Quiroga, vice president for extension, Universidad del Valle; and Hector Fabio Benavides, academic coordinator, Universidad del Valle, and former employee of Goodyear in Colombia. Dr. Wesley E. Donahue (left), director of Management Development Programs and Services, and Dr. Donald W. Turner, academic coordinator for Management Development’s program titled Stepping into the Next Century: The Human Resource Manager’s Leadership Role in Organizational Development and Transition, talk about the program during a reception honoring the Colombian managers who completed the program. Dwain Harbst—University Photo/Graphics	Forty-six managers from Colombia, South America, are better prepared for the human resources challenges they will face in the 21st century, thanks to an education program offered through a strategic alliance involving Penn State, CREAD: The Inter-American Distance Education Consortium, and the Universidad del Valle in Colombia.   Last August, the managers traveled to University Park campus to complete the final module of the seven-part noncredit certificate program titled Stepping into the Next Century: The Human Resource Manager’s Leadership Role in Organizational Development and Transition. They received their certificates at a graduation ceremony held at Penn State. Penn State Management Development Programs and Services faculty members taught the first six modules at sites in two Colombian cities: Cali and Pasto.   The program was the result of a strategic alliance arranged by CREAD between one of its members, the Universidad del Valle, and Penn State, CREAD’s host institution. CREAD is a consortium of institutions in the Western Hemisphere involved with distance education.   “One of the important benefits CREAD offers its members is assistance in matching educational resources with needs,” Dr. Armando Villarroel, CREAD executive director, said. “This alliance between CREAD, Penn State and the Universidad del Valle brought together the expertise of two universities to provide needed education and training for Colombian professionals working in human resources management. The success of this alliance will enable us to create similar partnerships for the benefit of CREAD members.”   Participants in Stepping into the Next Century were employed in colleges and universities, high schools, sugar and coffee businesses, manufacturing, health care and government. In addition to completing the noncredit certificate program, they had the option of earning credits for the program from the Universidad del Valle. The Colombian university administered the credit option, and its faculty assigned and evaluated additional out-of-class work.   The final module in the program included an outdoor session at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center’s team-building course. In addition, the managers and their family members participated in activities designed to introduce them to the culture of Central Pennsylvania.   Dr. Donald W. Turner, senior management/organization specialist at Penn State, was academic coordinator for the program, which was offered through Penn State’s Mary Jean and Frank P. Smeal College of Business Administration. Other Management Development instructors for the program were Dennis M. McCartin, John W. McKissick and Harold A. Johnson. In addition, Dr. Samuel C. DeWald, associate professor of management development at Penn State, helped organize the program, which began in April 1996 in Colombia. All course materials were translated into Spanish, and the Universidad del Valle provided simultaneous translation of the lectures by Management Development faculty members, Turner said.   “The goal of this program was to provide managers with the latest, most current theories of human resources management,” Turner said. “Our program re-frames the human resources function for the 21st century, focusing on ways to identify human resources needs, create and sustain learning in a business and organize a business to provide flexibility, speed and quality.”   Management Development Programs and Services has conducted a similar program for members of the INFOTEC group of companies in Mexico and selected programs for the Ana G. Méndez University System in Puerto Rico, according to Dr. Wesley E. Donahue, director of Management Development Programs and Services. This was Management Development’s first program in Colombia.   “The success of this alliance will help us extend our programming globally,” Donahue added. “We are grateful for CREAD’s help in arranging the alliance, and we look forward to developing similar alliances with other CREAD members in the future. To help us reach a broader audience in the Western Hemisphere, we have produced a Spanish-language version of our brochure, which outlines our programs and services, in collaboration with CREAD.”   Management Development has been presenting educational programs to businesses and organizations for more than 80 years. Donahue emphasized that “90 percent of our programs are delivered in Pennsylvania. Each year, we offer programs to 200 organizations, involving more than 5,000 participants. The alliance with CREAD offers Penn State opportunities to enhance its global perspective.” an outreach program of the The Mary Jean and Frank P. Smeal College of Business Administration