Atlanta leaders share insights with
Georgia State students
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

October 2006

Contact: Wanda Cooley, AYSPS Office of Academic Assistance,
404-651-3504, wlc@gsu.edu

Class offers opportunity to test leadership theory against the real world experiences of successful Atlantans

ATLANTA — An unusual class exploring leadership theory and practice will open up the classroom and bring Atlanta leaders from businesses, nonprofits, and government to the Georgia State campus this spring semester, to share their perspectives and help students test academic theory against the real-world experiences of men and women who have made it to the top.

“Policy Leadership,” is a collaboration between Michael Mescon, dean emeritus of Georgia State’s Robinson College of Business, and Harvey Newman, professor of public administration and urban studies at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and director of Faith and the City, an initiative at Columbia Theological Seminary.

“We’ve invited these individuals to talk candidly about how they run their organizations,” explained Dr. Newman, “to present various points-of-view and many leadership styles.” Class assignments and projects will be based on insights gained during their conversations with “real-world” leaders.

“The quality of leadership makes the difference for success in any arena — education, governments, nonprofits. It is about imagining, planning and then carrying out an organization’s ongoing goals. And not all leaders approach the task in the same way. Thus, the collaborative approach to teaching leadership skills.”

"PAUS 4911: Policy Leadership,” CRN 16294, will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. during spring semester, 2007, in room 400 GCB. Topics will include how to identify and accomplish goals, leadership theory, styles and effectiveness. For further information, call the Andrew Young School Office of Academic Assistance at 404-651-3504.

Harvey Newman has taught public administration and urban policy studies for more than thirty years. His classes on “Global Cities” and “Introducing the City” are among the most popular in the department’s undergraduate curriculum. He currently serves on the Fifth U.S. Congressional District Task Force on Multicultural Initiatives, is a representative to the Atlanta Regional Council of Churches, and recently was a member of the Coalition to Remember the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot. To build bridges between academic institutions and prepare better leaders who understand the urban environment, he has developed joint degree programs between the Andrew Young School, the Interdenominational Theological Center and Columbia Seminary. He is author of Southern Hospitality: Tourism and Atlanta’s Growth, was nominated for Georgia Author of the Year and was contributing author to a number of important books about Atlanta and the South, including Alligators in the Swamp, Southern Journeys, and American Urban Politics: The Reader. His articles on urban policy issues have been widely published in such journals as the Urban Affairs Review, Tranportation Journal, Journal of Nonprofit Leadership, the Atlanta History Journal and Georgia Historical Quarterly.

Michael Mescon’s best-selling books about business, Showing Up For Work and Other Keys to Business Success, and Memos to Management, provide insights into creating a successful organizational culture, and he is co-author of Business Today, one of the most successful business textbooks, as well as over 300 other articles and books. He has received many awards during his long career, including Entrepreneur of the Year from Ernst & Young/Venture Magazine, the Commitment to Education award from Georgia Council on Economic Education, and the National Award for Excellence from the U.S. Small Business Administration. He is founder of The Mescon Group, an organization design consulting firm, and has served on the board of numerous nonprofits.

Photo: Harvey Newman (left), professor of public administration and urban studies at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, and Michael Mescon, dean emeritus of Georgia State’s Robinson College of Business, will teach a dynamic “Policy Leadership” seminar at Georgia State this spring.