Unique degree program at William Woods offers military-style leadership training to all its students

Fulton, MO – As part of William Woods University’s historic new partnership with the Missouri National Guard, all students who attend the university now have access to a new degree program that focuses on a quality that is always much in-demand by today’s employers – leadership.

Beginning with the 2019 fall semester, the university will offer a minor in Leadership and Military Studies, specifically designed for students who are not planning on joining the National Guard or embarking on a career in the military. Closely linked with the WWU Show Me Guard Officer Leadership Development (GOLD) program under the Leadership and Military Studies Department, the new Leadership and Military Studies minor will offer military-style leadership training to students through academic and hands-on environments. Students will learn crucial leadership skills demanded by the private sector, government organizations and the military, all designed to make them more attractive to potential employers.

“Our Leadership and Military Studies minor will provide graduates with a competitive advantage over their peers when seeking employment, offering the benefits of military training to all William Woods students,” said Scott Zimmerman, Instructor of Leadership and Military Studies at William Woods. “Graduates with the Leadership and Military Studies minor will be ready to assume leadership positions immediately upon graduation.”

The Minor in Leadership and Military Studies will be an 18 semester-hour course designed for traditional students who are not part of the GOLD program, combining instruction in both academic and hands-on environments. It will complement a number of the university’s undergraduate degree programs such as Business Administration, Management and Leadership, Communication, Cybersecurity and Criminal Justice, among others.

William Woods announced establishment of the Show-Me GOLD program in August 2018, becoming the first private college to host the program. Designed to prepare young men and women to serve as commissioned officers in the Missouri National Guard, the Show-Me GOLD program will begin being offered with the Fall 2019 semester.

For more information on the Show-Me GOLD program at William Woods, please visit https://www.williamwoods.edu/admissions/active_military_and_veterans/gold_program.html