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Good afternoon,

In the world of higher education, collaboration and thought partnership often serve as the cornerstone of success. This spirit inspired the OE team’s recent visit to two highly regarded institutions: Georgia Institute of Technology and Clemson University.

Led by Sonia Alvarez-Robinson, Ph.D., the team at Georgia Tech welcomed Candace Reynolds, Nick Sengstaken and me to the campus. We shared ideas on how to align our work with our universities’ strategic plans, and how to use data to evaluate internal performance.

Next, we visited Clemson University, where the Institutional Excellence team, led by Lisa Knox, shared how their office was founded at the intersection of enterprise risk management, strategic planning and operational excellence. The Carolina OE team also facilitated a workshop demonstrating our approach to solution design, creating a practical roadmap for addressing one of the Clemson team’s major challenges.

I can’t stress enough how grateful we are for our partners across the country and for the ability to connect with passionate higher education change-makers and leaders. The best part about establishing a network of thought partners is that they are always just a phone call away.

Finally, I am excited to announce the promotion of Nick Sengstaken to senior transformation manager.  Throughout his time as a transformation manager, Nick has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead complex projects and deliver significant results across various domains, including process improvement, solution design and change management.

Nick’s key accomplishments include leading projects such as the overhaul of course setup waitlists, the development of the credit-bearing certificates structure, and his leadership in the Generative AI Chancellor’s Working Group. His work has not only driven tangible improvements but also garnered praise for his strategic thinking, facilitation skills and ability to lead teams to success.

“Nick expertly navigates campus stakeholders on the design team through both technical and cultural challenges, encouraging innovative thinking. His application of solution design strategies has transformed the numerous projects we’ve worked on together, most notably enriching the student experience,” notes Lauren DiGrazia, assistant provost & university registrar.

Please join us in congratulating Nick on this well-deserved promotion!

Please feel free to share this email with your colleagues. You can also visit our website to learn more about Operational Excellence, request to meet with a member of the team during , read my previous updates, and submit feedback. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at wernoski@email.unc.edu. I read every email.

Best,
Rick

 


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