MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The August episode of “Out of the Blue,” Middle Tennessee State University’s television magazine program, features a conversation about the Jennings A. Jones College of Business’ 10-year partnership with Dale Carnegie and how the program prepares students with the communication and leadership skills employers value.

Program host Andrew Oppmann, vice president for marketing and communications, spoke with Kenneth George, MTSU marketing lecturer and lead Dale Carnegie trainer, who discussed the history of the program, its role in the Jones College and the skills students develop through the 12-session course.

George said MTSU has a unique distinction as the “only university in the solar system that requires the Dale Carnegie course for its business graduates.” The program focuses on human relations and communication, with an emphasis on building confidence, strengthening relationships and understanding the perspectives of others.

The partnership also gives students an opportunity to practice those skills through an experiential approach rather than simply learning about them in a classroom.

“This is a course in how to find the value in other people,” George said.

George said employers increasingly seek candidates with strong communication, people and leadership skills, sharing the story of a student who was contacted for an interview after an accounting firm saw the student was enrolled in the Carnegie course.

The program’s intended outcomes include greater self-confidence, improved people skills, stronger communication and leadership abilities, and reduced stress. George said students can see those skills develop throughout the 12-week course through regular practice, feedback and recognition.

George also emphasized the importance of moving beyond the term “soft skills,” calling them “power skills,” “people skills” and “essential skills” that employers are looking for around the world.

The Dale Carnegie partnership is one of the defining elements of the Jones College of Business, helping prepare students not only to succeed professionally but also to become leaders who understand the importance of listening, empathy and lifting others.

You can watch the segment below:

Ways to watch, listen

• “Out of the Blue” is available anytime on the university’s YouTube channel, the True Blue TV channel, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

• It also airs on Murfreesboro cable Channel 9 daily at 6 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Sundays; WKRN+ at 7 p.m. Thursdays and noon Sundays; WNPX “The Spot – Nashville 28” at 4:30 a.m. on Saturdays; and streamed on the MTSU Jazz Network through WMOT.org at 7 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month; and on other cable outlets in Middle Tennessee, so check local listings.

• It is also available as a podcast on iTunes and Google Play and as individual interview segments on Spotify at https://spoti.fi/453hxg3.

Watch previous episodes of “Out of the Blue” at https://mtsunews.com/out-of-the-blue.

— Karli Sutton ([email protected])