WGU NBMBAA® Virtual Club
Join Us For Professional Development Webinars
Save the Date: Upcoming Events
- Thursday, September 21st at 2pm MT
- Thursday, October 5th at 12pm MT
- Thursday, October 19th at 12pm MT
- Saturday, October 22nd at 4pm MT
- Monday, November 6th at 11am MT
- Thursday, December 14th at 12pm MT
Annual Trivia Competition – WGU SHRM and WGU National Black MBA Association®
Presented by: WGU SHRM and WGU National Black MBA Association®
Mark your calendars and join the WGU NBMBAA® Virtual Club and WGU SHRM Virtual Student Chapter (Society for Human Resource Management) on Monday, September 21st at 2:00 p.m. MT for our semi-annual joint student chapter trivia event! Connect with peer professional organization members for a fun way to test your leadership, business, and DE&I knowledge against others.
Both faculty advisors and chapter leaders from each student club will attend. The top three student member winners will be awarded a gift certificate to the WGU for Life online store in the following amounts:
- First Place Winner: $100
- Second Place Winner: $50
- Third Place Winner: $25
Staff/faculty play for fun but are not eligible to win.
The Currency of Skills: How Market-Relevant Expertise Boosts Career Earnings
Presented by: Ronnaè Smiley, Lead Skills Architect
This presentation will explore the dynamic nature of the job market and the changing demands of employers. By understanding current and future trends, you can strategically align your skill sets to seize opportunities for career growth and increased earnings.
Ronnaè Smiley is an education professional with vast experience spanning various sectors, including higher education, government, and the corporate realm. With a commitment to lifelong learning and career development, Ronnaè has been instrumental in the creation and deployment of educational content tailored to diverse audiences, applying instructional design methodologies and learning science principles.
Rising Through the Ranks Using Emotional Intelligence
Presented by: Nisa Williams, MBA
This presentation will explore the pivotal role Emotional Intelligence (EQ) plays in personal and professional growth by delving into the significance of EQ in leadership and highlighting the important role it plays in one’s career path. Participants will be empowered to elevate their leadership journey through the transformative power of EQ.
Nisa Williams is a Certified Social and Emotional Intelligence Coach with a background in business and higher education. She holds a Bachelor's in Accounting, a Master’s in Education, and a Master's in Business Administration. As a Senior SEI Analyst for WGU and business owner for over five years, Nisa has helped busy professionals and entrepreneurs use Social & Emotional Intelligence techniques to explore the barriers to their success and overcome interpersonal challenges to become successful in their personal and professional lives.
WGU National Black MBA Association® Partner Connect Scholarship Launch
Presented by: WGU National Black MBA Association® Partner Connect Scholarship Launch
Mark your calendars and join the WGU NBMBAA® Partner Connect Scholarship Launch!
Sharpening Your Presentation Skills and Storytelling: A Must in Today’s Business World
Presented by: Charles Edwards, Jr. | Coaching Practice Lead at Jackson Spaulding
In today's fast-paced and competitive business world, effective presentation skills and storytelling are essential tools for success in every industry. This interactive presentation will equip participants with the expertise to confidently deliver impactful, effective presentations and compelling narratives that captivate audiences and drive results.
Please complete this survey prior to the presentation so we can customize the webinar to meet your needs.
Charles Edwards, Jr. developed a nose for news early in life, spending countless hours listening to public radio, the only station his Dad allowed on the car dial. This situation proved prophetic, as Charles spent the first 14 years of his career behind the microphone at Georgia Public Broadcasting and WABE, Atlanta’s first National Public Radio (NPR) station. We are delighted that he brought his wealth of knowledge, contacts and skills to our team, focusing primarily on media training and issues management work.
During his time on the airwaves, Charles was an interim news director, reporter, anchor and host. He’s a veteran of two Atlanta Snow-jams, eight political elections and countless on-air pledge drives, but he’s proudest of his multiple awards for storytelling. His team won six Associated Press Media Editors awards (APME) in 2014, earning WABE the “Pacemaker” award for overall excellence. His trophy case also includes two awards from the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ) and a Georgia APME award for best news series, a 10-year retrospective on the 911 attacks. He continues to serve as an active member of the Atlanta Press Club.
Charles graduated with a degree in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University. He was one of the founding producers of Clark’s student-run radio station, which gave him hands-on experience with all facets of broadcasting. In those days, his show focused less on news and more on music, allowing him to rub shoulders with up-and-coming music sensations like Outkast.
Charles and his wife, Matia, are both Gainesville natives, although he hails from Florida and she from Georgia. They now reside in Covington and keep their weekends busy with the activities of their two daughters, Aubree and Auria. When he escapes to the man cave, Charles tries to keep score on pro football and The Florida Gators.
Moving Mountains: Intentional Leadership in a Dynamic World
Presented by: Tommie Smith, M.B.A, Ed.D.
Leading people is challenging. Leading people through new or changing circumstances is even more challenging. As employees go through changes in their work environment, their levels of engagement are impacted by job demands and resources. The JD-R model helps leaders recognize which actions are job stressors and which enhance motivation. Adaptive leadership is a framework to help leaders prepare and encourage people to navigate changes to their work environment. This presentation aims to provide awareness around some of the job factors that increase and decrease engagement using the JD-R model and share six principles of adaptive leadership that leaders can apply to empower employees to thrive in an evolving world.
Dr. Tommie Smith is currently a Senior Instructor in the College of Business at Western Governors University. The courses he supports focus on Value-based Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, and Management. Dr. Smith holds an Ed.D. in Leadership and Professional Practice from Trevecca Nazarene University and an MBA and B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University and has over 10 years of experience teaching and leading teams at WGU. Tommie is married and has two boys and most of his personal time is devoted to chaffering the boys to various activities.
Previous Webinars
Click below to view all previous NBMBAA webinars.
Join the Club
Business Master's Degrees
Business
Master of Business Administration
The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management,...
The flexible MBA program you need, focused on business management, strategy, and leading teams:
- Time: Graduates can finish in 12 months.
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program.
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- President and CEO
- Vice president
- Executive director
- Chief strategic officer
Our competency-based model gives you an innovative learning experience you won't find anywhere else—and our MBA grads tell us they loved accelerating their program to see a faster ROI.
Business
Management and Leadership – M.S.
An online master's degree focused on change management, innovation, and...
An online master's degree focused on change management, innovation, and leading teams:
- Time: 70% of graduates can finish in 20 months.
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- President
- Vice president
- Director of operations
- Executive director
Develop a comprehensive suite of leadership skills and your confidence to navigate changing business structures.
Business
MBA Healthcare Management
Prepare for a career leading private or public healthcare organizations....
Prepare for a career leading private or public healthcare organizations.
- Time: Graduates can finish within 12 months.
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program.
Some careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- President and CEO
- Vice president
- Administrative director
- Chief financial officer
- Other executive-level roles
Healthcare is big business in today's complex economy. Steer your career with this specialty MBA.
Compare online business degrees
This program is not the only online business degree WGU offers that is designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.
Business
MBA Information Technology Management
Earn the online college degree that can move your career into IT upper...
Earn the online college degree that can move your career into IT upper management:
- Time: Graduates can finish in 12 months
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- Chief technology officer
- Director of IT services
- Senior systems administrator
- Management information systems director
- Computer and information systems manager
Learn to navigate emergencies, execute strategies, and optimize systems with the competencies within this specialty MBA.
Business
Accounting – M.S.
Become better qualified to pursue a greater variety of public and private...
Become better qualified to pursue a greater variety of public and private accounting positions:
- Time: 72% of grads finish within 24 months.
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program
Some careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- Accountant
- Accounting manager
- Internal audit manager
- Senior accountant
- Other specialized finance roles
This MAcc program is designed to prepare you for the CPA exam and also the CMA or CIA exams.
Business
Marketing – M.S.
Two online marketing master's degree options with a focus on either...
Two online marketing master's degree options with a focus on either digital marketing or marketing analytics.
- Time: 72% of graduates finish WGU master's programs in 24 months.
- Tuition: $4,530 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program
- Program Options: Students choose from two degrees to focus their marketing studies on digital marketing or marketing analytics.
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- Marketing manager
- Marketing analyst
- Marketing director
- SEO manager
- SEM manager
- Email manager
A marketing master's degree will help you prepare for a wide range of exciting marketing careers.
Business
Human Resource Management – M.S.
A SHRM-recognized master's degree in human resource management...
A SHRM-recognized master's degree in human resource management
- Time: 72% of graduates finish similar programs within 23 months.
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program.
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- DE&I Manager
- Learning and Development Manager
- HR Director
- Vice president of HR
Earn your M.S. in Human Resources and help companies create excellent cultures.
Technology
Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree
Earn both your bachelor’s in IT and master’s in IT management at a faster...
Earn both your bachelor’s in IT and master’s in IT management at a faster pace with fewer courses.
- Time: Approximately 5 years.
- Tuition: $3,735 per 6-month term for the bachelor's degree; $3,940 per term for the master's portion.
- Courses: 42 total courses in this program.
Certifications included in this program at no additional cost:
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist
- Amazon AWS Cloud Practitioner
- ITIL®*^ Foundation Certification
- PMI CAPM
- LPI Linux Essentials
This program allows students to earn their bachelor's degree in IT and move directly into a master's degree in IT management, cutting down on the total number of courses to complete.
Technology
Data Analytics – M.S.
Lead businesses with strong analysis skills:...
Lead businesses with strong analysis skills:
- Time: 70% of graduates finish within 23 months.
- Tuition: $4,055 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program.
There are many careers this degree program may prepare you for, including:
- Data Analyst
- Data Administrator
- Business Analyst
- Data Engineer
- Business Intelligence Analyst
- Information Research Scientist
- Advanced Analytics Expert
Master data mining, visualization, and SQL—and lead analytics at the business of your choice.
Health & Nursing
Master of Healthcare Administration
A master's focused on managing comprehensive, value-based care, directly...
A master's focused on managing comprehensive, value-based care, directly in line with innovations in health and healthcare.
- Time: 81% of grads finish within 24 months.
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 12 total courses in this program.
Examples of careers and jobs this degree will prepare you for:
- Managed care executive
- Director of integrated care management
- Health center manager/clinic manager
- Director of integrated facilities
Your rich experience in a health-related field can mean more when you bring a master's level of understanding to the problems that organizations need to solve.
Compare degrees
This program is not the only degree WGU offers designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.
Education
Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology– M.S.
The M.S. in Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology from WGU...
The M.S. in Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology from WGU is for instructional designers tasked with creating engaging and immersive virtual learning experiences that can substitute for on-ground instruction.
No teaching license required.
- Time: 73% of grads finish similar programs in 18 months
- Tuition: $3,975 per 6-month term
- Courses: 12 total courses in this program.
This program includes two tracks for students to choose from:
- The K-12 Learning Designer pathway
- The Adult Learning Designer pathway
Careers you will be prepared for after earning this degree include:
- Instructional coordinator
- Instructional designer
- Curriculum developer
- Instructional technologist
- Learning engineer
- Learning architect
- Instructional design coordinator
- Academic technologist
- Learning experience designer
- Distance education administrator
- Director of instructional design
- Online course designer
- Online course developer
- Corporate training
Develop training and instruction expertise to help you in the classroom, in educational settings, or in corporate world.
Technology
Information Technology Management – M.S.
A degree for experienced IT professionals ready to lead....
A degree for experienced IT professionals ready to lead.
- Time: 72% of graduates finish within 20 months.
- Tuition: $3,940 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 10 total courses in this program.
Included in your program—at no extra cost—is the opportunity to earn the valuable PMI Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification.
There are many job titles this degree can prepare you for, including:
- CIO/CTO
- IT manager
- IT director
- Information systems manager
Maximize the opportunities that your IT career path has afforded you—earn your master's and keep moving up.
Scholarships Available
Master Your Future Scholarship
Valued up to $2,500 toward a WGU master's degree!
Resiliency Grant
Worth up to $4,000 for students who are facing significant financial barriers in pursuing a WGU degree.
Alumni Master's Scholarship
Up to $2,500 for returning WGU graduates seeking a master's degree.
