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Discover the Professional Edge

Professional Edge is one of our more recent—and impactful—differentiating programs at the Lundquist College of Business. It provides a launchpad for career-minded students, with an evolving list of tools and teachings that ready the participant for the modern job market.

Guided by industry experts, Professional Edge provides up-to-the-minute training accessible to many different learning styles and schedules. It's one of the many ways Lundquist College students may set themselves apart from the crowd, and get in front of hiring managers.

I'd like to share a few details below about how the program is organized and the great benefits available to our students, industry partners, and the UO and Lundquist College communities.

Professional Edge provides a range of opportunities to students—from foundational soft skills, which are crucial for any professional setting, to the specialized technical abilities sought after in specific industries. All Professional Edge programming is optional and free to students as a complement to their business coursework.

Recent Professional Edge topics include

• Prompting with Purpose: Generative AI at Work
• Sales essentials
• Technical crisis management
• Retail investing
• Power BI (a data visualization platform)
• Leadership and logistics
• Teamwork and collaboration skills

Responsive and Flexible Offerings

Professional Edge offers three avenues for learning: events, trainings, and immersions—starting with a short time commitment and building to a greater time investment that concludes with portfolio work examples and the awarding of advanced microcredentials that serve to validate competencies.

• Events allow students to sample different professional subjects while emphasizing active learning of emerging skills.
• Trainings enhance skills and cement expertise through sessions centered around a single subject. Successful completion is recognized with a microcredential, which can be added to a resume and LinkedIn.
• Immersions are seven-week deep dives that combine skills training with company-sponsored real-world project execution, paving the way for future employment opportunities. Participants also earn advanced microcredentials.

Professional Edge programming is developed in concert with the industry leaders responsible for hiring the next generation of business leaders. One aspect of the program I particularly like is how flexible and responsive we can be to changing industry dynamics and emerging technologies. In this way, we are able to answer the call of employees seeking specific skills and knowledge in their hiring. I also appreciate how participants leave with tangible tools that may be applied immediately to their work in the classroom—and also carried into their careers. Additionally, the program offers adaptable, adjustable options for all students.

Integrated and Expanding

We believe the Professional Edge suite of programming is so valuable, it has become compulsory training for student club leadership, the Oregon Consulting Group, and admission to the Lundquist College of Business Honors Program. Adding this requirement opens some of our most sought-after experiences to more aspiring students who are highly motivated to apply knowledge and lessons learned beyond the classroom.

Companies we have partnered with for Professional Edge—including Lithia Motors and Target—are already seeing the benefits.

Trish Dorman, senior associate director, student engagement and programming, who has a background in delivering high-quality student experiences on campus, leads Professional Edge, and we recently welcomed Jessie Johnnes as assistant director of student engagement for Professional Edge. Collette Niland, associate dean for advising and student experience, has also been instrumental in envisioning and guiding the program to become core to the Lundquist experience.

In the year ahead, we will be seeking to expand Professional Edge even further to give our students a running start in the job market. Eventually, we aim to open up the curriculum to individuals in the wider business community and employers looking to build on employee skill sets and competencies.

Intrigued? We hope you'll consider imparting your knowledge to eager students by joining us as a Professional Edge subject matter expert or event trainer, or learn more about our short sessions and events by reaching out to Trish Dorman or me.

Thank you, and Go PRO Ducks!

Bruce Blonigen
Edward Maletis Dean, Lundquist College of Business
Philip H. Knight Professor of Social Science
University of Oregon