Profile of a Learning Professional
Working and the World Campus

By Celena E. Kusch

Greg Rutbell, an industrial engineer with Boeing Co., is a Nittany Lion through and through. He has been enrolled in the Penn State Management Development Programs and Services’ Supervisory Leadership Certificate Program since last year, and he is already considering a master’s degree in adult education. In many ways, he’s a model Penn Stater even down to his devotion to athletics programs, but until recently, this student had never visited a Penn State campus, let alone sat in a classroom. Rutbell does all his course work from his California home.

One of Penn State’s more than 23,000 distance learners, this Boeing engineer studies in his off-hours through the World Campus, Penn State's on-line learning program. Despite the lack of “face-to-face” contact, Rutbell claims he feels as much a part of the University community as any other student.

“Learning in the World Campus means that I’m a Nittany Lion,” he said. “I’m proud to be a student here, and hopefully, down the road, one of the Penn State alumni.”

Rutbell is definitely committed to lifelong learning and what he calls personal “continuous improvement.” He believes that today’s global economy almost demands that all workers continue their education while on the job, and he thinks the World Campus is a good way to meet their needs.

“The World Campus is a great way to learn because of the flexibility of the programs and curriculum. You can study and do the homework assignments at your own pace, on your own time. If you have downtime at work, you can spend an hour or two there, and if you have some time in the late afternoon, early evening, you can do it at your own pace and leisure then,” Rutbell explained.

“Of course, your professors are always there. If you want to call them and talk to them one-on-one concerning what the issues, concerns and opportunities are, you can always do that,” he added. “They are always there to listen to you, to point you in the right direction and to assist you in that way.”

Rutbell is now on his way to completing the On-line Supervisory Leadership Certificate, a Management Development program that offers formal training and practical approaches to build the skills, understanding and confidence necessary to fulfill supervisory roles.

Because he can continue to work while he learns, Rutbell sees the classes paying off already.

“In the classes I’ve taken through the World Campus, most of the skills in the course’s modules relate directly to my job, because most of the tools — such as project management, communications, teambuilding and problem solving — apply directly to my position as an industrial engineer at Boeing. The courses are very practical and hands-on. I will be taking several of the skills I learned in the World Campus back to my workplace,” he noted.

Rutbell is just the first in what looks to be a long line of Boeing students enrolled in Penn State’s on-line postbaccalaureate certificates and degrees. Boeing’s internal education facilities, the Boeing Learning Together Centers, have already given space to the World Campus courses in their newsletter. World Campus program literature is also displayed in their five centers located around the United States.

Rutbell also sees future possibilities for using the courses companywide, customizing the On-line Supervisory Leadership Program to tailor to specific company needs for management skills. “The program would be a great learning and communications tool for any corporation,” he added.

“Learning in the World Campus means that I'm a Nittany Lion. I'm proud to be a student here, and hopefully, down the road, one of the Penn State alumni.” Greg Rutbell

With such opportunities available to him at a distance, it might be surprising to learn that Rutbell recently visited Happy Valley. But the working professional didn’t use his vacation time for more course work; instead, he came to Penn State to teach. In between a Penn State baseball game and a retirement dinner for football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, Rutbell delivered a half-day seminar to a group of faculty from Management Development and the College of Engineering on an area that Boeing knows well—lean manufacturing and the lean enterprise.

Dr. Rich Zelonka, assistant professor for Management Development Programs and Services, first learned of Rutbell’s experience in this area during a World Campus course in project management. Zelonka suggested that this information would make an excellent lecture at the University, and Rutbell agreed. Using his on-the-job expertise, Rutbell shared recent developments in the business sector for improving production assembly, time-based strategy and office operations.

Greg Rutbell (left), industrial engineer with Boeing Co. and World Campus student, presents two large models of a Boeing 747–400 and C–17 Globemaster III to Dr. Wesley E. Donahue (right), director of Management Development Programs and Services, and Tim Kerchinski, client development manager for Outreach and Cooperative Extension. Rutbell contributed materials to Penn State’s Management Development library and donated the model airplanes during a visit to Penn State. The models are on display in the Management Development Technology Center at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.

For Penn State, the exchange has led to faculty development opportunities and increased access to resources for future Penn State students, as well as current Management Development Programs and Services clients from companies like Sony Chemicals Corp. and Invensys, who also attended Rutbell’s seminar.

Dr. Wesley E. Donahue, director of Management Development Programs and Services, remarked, “The seminar on lean manufacturing is a good example of the work we do to link and connect a number of Management Development clients and faculty to improve manufacturing performance and reduce costs.”

Rutbell’s experience shows that the new generation of working professionals who are entering higher education in record numbers might have much to learn, but they have much to give, as well.

Penn State World Campus student Greg Rutbell (photo at right) crosses the distance to teach Management Development Programs and Services faculty and students from the central Pennsylvania business community. Rutbell, industrial engineer with Boeing Co. and a Penn State World Campus student, presents a seminar on Lean Manufacturing/Lean Enterprise to, from left, Connie Caverno, Penn State DuBois Continuing Education representative; Frank Valles, coatings manager, Sony Chemicals Corp.; Jay Truxall, human resources manager, Sony Chemicals Corp.; Dr. Rich Zelonka, assistant professor, Penn State Management Development Programs and Services; Joe Olenoski, State College Area Continuing Education representative; Dr. Suzanne Wrye, director of program development, Conferences and Institutes, Penn State; John Blasdell, Penn State DuBois Continuing Education representative; and Boyd Owens, Invensys.