NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Carly Escue, director of Middle Tennessee State University’s Executive Education housed in the Jones College of Business, knows the importance of leadership courses, especially for working professionals looking to take that next step.

Escue and recent participant of a spring leadership class, Cherie Divens, appeared on the “MTSU on 2” segment from the studios of WKRN-TV News 2, the ABC affiliate in Nashville, to talk about the opportunities and experiences offered by MTSU’s Executive Education.

You can watch the segment, part of the station’s Local on 2 programming, with program co-host and producer Laura Schweizer and co-host Stephanie Langston, below.

Divens, a mother to three and sales manager at the Courtyard by Marriott in Murfreesboro, said she thought she would sharpen skills she had previously developed on the job and while leading large teams when she opened a childcare business in her 20s.

“I learned leadership by doing — on the job, every day — but I’d never had a chance to step back and really reflect on what good leadership looks like, or how to grow intentionally in that area, and this course gave me that opportunity,” Divens said.

Divens said the skills she learned in the course were invaluable.

“I walked away (from the course) with a completely new mindset — one that’s changed how I approach everything, from recognizing employees to communicating with my team. I now see leadership as a craft I can keep improving, and the impact has been a more confident, more connected and more positive work environment for everyone,” she said.

Since participating in the leadership course at MTSU earlier this year, Divens said she has encouraged a colleague to attend one, too.

“The day after I returned, I was bubbling over with excitement —people noticed the shift in me right away. So, recommending the course was easy. I took the class alongside professionals who’d attended similar leadership programs at some of the world’s top universities, and we all agreed: MTSU’s Executive Education is second to none. If you care about building real leaders and real results, don’t wait to get in touch with Carly and her team,” Divens said.

Escue said the courses are designed to fit into working professionals’ busy schedules without sacrificing family time.

“Over the last year, I’ve seen firsthand that the Middle Tennessee working professional is juggling more than ever — careers, families, side hustles and full personal lives. That’s why we design our Executive Education programs to deliver real growth without requiring a major pause on life or business. We honor the time and energy it takes to show up, and we make sure every session is worth it,” Escue said.

To learn more about the trainings and courses offered by MTSU’s Executive Education, visit https://execed.mtsu.edu/.

For more information about MTSU’s Jones College of Business and the programs offered, visit https://jones.mtsu.edu/.

—   DeAnn Hays (deann.hays@mtsu.edu)