Alumni Events

Life's a Project! Leveraging the Project Management Tools & Techniques to Accomplish More in Your Personal & Professional Life with Dr. John Stinnett ‘99
Aug. 30, 2022

Franklin University’s Alumni Speaker Series presented "Life's a Project! Leveraging the Project Management Tools & Techniques to Accomplish More in Your Personal & Professional Life"!

Being a project leader often means having all the responsibility and none of the authority! Therefore, the ability to accomplish more, faster and with better results requires a leader who exhibits strong emotional intelligence and can gain the respect and trust of his or her team. In this virtual program, you’ll learn the technique and real life application to help you become an effective project leader.

Dr. John Stinnett ‘99
Back by popular demand to lead this event is Franklin alumnus Dr. John Stinnett ‘99. John is Executive Director, Program Management at JPMorgan Chase. Dr. Stinnett has been in Business/IT Professional and “Real-world” project management for over 20 years. Dr. Stinnett is also an adjunct faculty since 2004 – Teaching Project/Program Management and Strategic Leadership. His other credentials include Senior Instructor for Project Management Institute (PMI) Central Ohio Chapter, PMP and PMI-ACP Certified, BA from Ohio State University, MBA from Franklin University and Doctorate from Syracuse University with a Research focus on Professional Development.

Recording coming soon!

Transformational and Servant Leadership for the 21st Century, with Dr. Tim Reymann
April 14, 2022

This virtual session focused on the development and application of several key 21st century leadership theories as highly-effective and essential practices for today’s leaders, managers and followers alike. Specifically, the importance of understanding and applying the underpinnings of transformative and servant leadership practices in the workplace will be explained in detailed models and scenarios for attendees to benefit from this knowledge in their daily organizational behaviors and activities. 

Attendees were provided with the opportunity to discuss, assess, plus, provide real-world scenarios as highly-effective leadership examples and questions. Materials provided summations of exemplary key leadership principles and practices for application.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Explain the effectiveness of transformational and servant leadership’s competencies in management.
• Demonstrate how followers are developed into leaders in today’s business operations.
• Apply the attributes and skills of emotional intelligence as a leadership practice for success.
• Discuss the range of leadership theories for narrowing into a skillset for an exemplary 21st century leader and follower.

Dr. Reymann has served as a faculty member of Franklin University for over 25 years. He has chaired the university’s Doctor of Business Administration program for the past four years and prior to that has served a Program Chair for multiple university Business Administration related undergraduate programs. Prior to joining Franklin University, Dr. Reymann served as President for multiple non-profit agencies across greater Ohio.

Dr. Reymann holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Management from Capella University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Franklin University’s Charter MBA class.

*Watch Recording Here!

Women's History Month: Stages of Leadership: Women in Leadership Panel 
March 21, 2022

The Office of Community Relations  celebrated Women’s History Month with Stages of Leadership: Women in Leadership Panel. Learn about the challenges, successes and key principles of being a leader from those who are at various points in their career. 

Panelists Include: 

• Sherry Mercurio (Moderator) - Executive Director, Community Relations, Franklin University 
• Jane Robinson - Adjunct Professor, Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff (retired), Franklin University
• Heather Cassady - Senior Project Manager, Turner Construction Company 
• Madeline Sweeney - Business Manager, Red Door Interactive 

This session had something to offer for all our alumni, whether you’re looking for inspiration to fuel your own leadership journey or ways you can better support your colleagues, mentor team members or be a resource for family members or friends.

*Watch Recording Here!

Black History Month: Stories of Success with Christie Angel
February 22, 2022

Franklin University’s Alumni Speaker Series celebrated Black History Month with Stories of Success, featuring guest alumna Christie Angel, President and CEO of the YWCA Columbus.

This virtual program will focused on Christie Angel’s success within government and public affairs, along with her current leadership as the President and CEO of the YWCA Columbus.

The session explored how Christie’s upbringing grew her passion for community service and set her on a road of helping others. Gaining insights on how to turn your passion into a career, tips on servant leadership and how to create and environment for others to be at their best!

Meet the Speaker: 

Christie Angel
President and CEO of the YWCA Columbus

Christie Angel joined the YWCA Columbus, one of Central Ohio’s most respected social justice organizations, in 2017 as Chief Executive Officer. 

Christie leverages her change management and community experience after working more than two decades in the private and public sectors of Columbus. Under her leadership the YWCA Family Center for homeless families received a $2.5 million dollar grant from the Day 1 Family Fund to provide innovative rehousing services to homeless families.  Angel is now boldly guiding the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic and the current social justice movement with the transformation of the agency’s Leadership & Social Justice Department and the launch of a new racial equity training program. 

Prior to joining the YWCA Columbus, Angel was principal of government relations and public affairs for Calfee Strategic Solutions and was the deputy chief of staff and external affairs and services director to former Columbus Mayor Michel B. Coleman where she served as a chief advisor to then Mayor Coleman on government relations, business, non-profit and community matters. Christie also worked in the corporate government and community relations field for a Fortune 10 telecommunications company and a boutique consulting firm. 

Christie is an active and engaged member of Columbus’ civic and business communities, serving on the boards of Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County.  She’s also a member of the Columbus Chapter of the Links, Inc. and the International Women’s Forum. 

Watch Recording Here!

ENERGY, Chad Willett
January 25, 2022

The Alumni Engagement Series hosted national known speaker Chad Willett as he helps kickoff the new year with his program on "Energy."

This keynote address will help you begin feeding the "Dog of Courage" and the "Dog of Creativity" more often, more regularly, and more consistently. As a result, you will have increased energy levels, a more positive mindset, and increase your risk-taking abilities to begin unleashing your inner creativity and innovation in 2022 and beyond!

Watch Recording Here!

Instead of just adding mindfulness to the list of things we need to do to be healthy, you can find ways to apply it to the obstacles related to taking better care of yourself. Learn how to apply mindfulness-related insights and strategies to eating healthier, exercising more often, and getting better sleep.

3 Key Takeaways: 

• Learn a flexible, doable way to approach mindfulness practice
• Explore mindfulness as a tool for supporting other self-case efforts
• Identify a mindful habit to test in your own life for a healthier new year

Daron Larson is a mindfulness coach who guides people who seek deeper focus, self-awareness, and resiliency. He has practiced mindfulness daily since 2002 and brings his personal expertise and in-depth training to individuals, small groups, and organizations. His Attentional Fitness approach to mindfulness goes beyond breath awareness and trying to be calm when you’re not. Like a personal trainer, Daron provides personalized guidance, exercises, and encouragement to help people go beyond what they could do on their own.

• Speaker bio: http://speakerhub.com/speaker/daron-larson
• Website: http://daronlarson.com  
• TEDx Talk: bit.ly/TEDxColumbusDaron
• New Insight Timer Course: bit.ly/SpyMindfulness

Watch Video Here!

The Office of Community Relations is proud to bring you, Jack Slavinski, as he presents Mindset – The Starting Point for Success.

Mindset is a word and principle that has become prominent in use over the past decade or so.  However, like many words, we state them but don’t take full advantage of what the principle can do for us. 

Mindset is not just about behaviors, rather, it encapsulates beliefs, values, attitudes, and THEN behaviors.  When we intentionally choose the mindset we must have in diverse contexts and situations, it can dramatically impact our development, performance, and results orientation. 

Often mindset is portrayed as simply growth, fixed, positive, or negative. Reality is we adopt and experience thousands of types of mindsets.

This session will focus on motivational strategies and methods that we can all use to more intentionally (consciously) and proactively choose the kind of mindset we need to stay positive, be more resilient, adapt, and flourish in our respective roles.

Mindset, without question, is the starting point for success for us individually, for our teams, and for our organization.

Watch Video Here!

Jeff Young, the LinkedIn Guru, takes us through “LinkedIn: What’s New on LinkedIn and Why Should You Care?” Jeff’s seminar will give key insights on how to use your LinkedIn most effectively.

You have a LinkedIn account, but they have changed everything – NOW WHAT? LinkedIn LOVES to change things!

• Where did the “Introduction” button go?
• What’s all this business about hashtags?
• How do you find what you need on LinkedIn?
• Where did they move all my stuff?

If these are questions you have asked yourself, then come to a presentation where you can get answers and learn some excellent tips and techniques from a well-known LinkedIn expert. The final 15 min will be an open Q&A to see how you can best leverage LinkedIn for maximum results.

Meet Jeff Young:

As a Professional Networker and #TheLinkedInGuru (Teacher), Jeff Young has provided nearly 200 free LinkedIn workshops in the last 3 years. He has been on LinkedIn since May 13, 2004 (one of the first 600,000 members to join). He does not provide one-on-one training or consulting.  His focus in on free seminars.

Jeff is a former Director and Account Manager with Intellinex, an eLearning venture of Ernst & Young, LLP and has helped manage and mentor thousands of people in many different organizations. Since his retirement from OCLC, where he worked as an Enterprise Project Manager, Jeff has been deeply involved in community service by volunteering for and helping manage several local non-profit organizations.

Most recently, Jeff has been devoting his time to being a Professional Networker, teaching Networking and LinkedIn and he has trained thousands of professionals in how to maximize their networking skills and best utilize networking tools. Please see the links in Jeff's Featured Section for a schedule of his presentations and tips on how to use LinkedIn.

Watch Video Here!

Gary Lewis, Police Chief of Bexley, presents "Community and Servant Leadership." 

As we honor black history month, Chief Lewis will take us through his journey of a career as a public servant. Chief Lewis will share significant insights, for anyone in any industry, on how to be a leader at any level, how to ‘manage’ upward, crisis communication, along with his personal experiences leading up to being the first African American Police Chief of Bexley.

Chief Lewis has a unique story and a versatile background that not only shares how to create opportunities and manage the responsibilities that come with them, but also will allow the audience to take away tangible insights and skills for their career.

Gary D. Lewis Jr., is the Chief of Police in Bexley, Ohio and was sworn-in as the city’s first African-American Police Chief in September 2022.

Previously, Lewis served as the Assistant Vice President of Operations and Chief of Police at the University of Louisville. His portfolio consisted of e.g. Operations, Marketing, Police Department, Physical Security & Access Control, Dispatch, Emergency Management, and Fire and served in that capacity from August 2018 to September 2022.

Watch Video Now!