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B U S I N E S S P RO F I L E S 64 B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E S S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N I n 1 9 8 3 , a w e e k a f t e r g r a d u a t i n g w i t h a n undergraduate degree in economics from Bowdoin College, Laurie Lachance started her career at Central Maine Power. An up-and-comer, her talent, long hours and hard work were recognized by upper management, who urged her to further invest in her career by pursuing graduate studies. Lachance enrolled in omas College's part-time Master of Business Administration program, which the Waterville-based college had just founded. "I was working long hours, so my classes had to be at night," Lachance says. "omas College was very flexible and allowed me to stretch out my course of studies, doing it at a pace that would allow me to be fully present for my job but still move along on my master's degree." In 2012, Lachance became the first female and first alumna to be named as president of omas College. She credits this trajec- tory in large part to the institution's MBA program and its will- ingness to accommodate her schedule as a working professional. "I've long said that I would never have had the opportunities I've enjoyed in my career if I didn't have my master's degree. And omas allowed me to get my degree in a flexible format that worked for my extremely busy schedule," says Lachance, who graduated with an MBA in 1992. "It completely changed the trajectory of my career. I would never have been hired as State Economist, or as president of the Maine Development Foundation, without a master's degree, and certainly it opened the door to omas College as well." While omas College happens to have an ideal example, in its own president, of the advantages of its flexible programs for work- ing professionals, the concept's success can be seen in the number of students enrolled and the ever-expanding variety of program types. For 2016, the part-time evening graduate program has at- tracted 162 students, and 28 are enrolled in the full-time graduate program. Evening graduate students often take just one course per semester—an easy fit for the working schedules. omas College also encourages its staff to continue their education at no cost. And the college partners with Maine Development Foundation's Next Step Maine Program, which allows employers to further their employees' education, withomas offering these students their first course free. omas College is a big proponent of the role of higher educa- tion in professional development. Other examples, woven through the overall curriculum, include its Internship Program, established in 1983 to prepare students for careers; and the Guaranteed Job Program, instituted in 1999. Graduate programs focus on business administration and edu- cation, with a diverse array of concentrations that allow students to earn a graduate degree in as little as 10 months, or at their own pace. Like all of the college's offerings, academic programs are continually updated to respond to changing needs, and professors are experienced professionals in their fields. omas students have the opportunity to complete internships or field experiences for real-world preparation or application of professional advancement skills. MBA students may concentrate in human resources, healthcare management, project management, or accounting, with accelerated and part-time options. MS/Education offers general advancement to certified teachers, as well as concentrations in Educational Leadership and Literacy Education. Other cutting-edge professional development programs, such as STEAM (science, technology, en- gineering, art, and mathematics), are underway or in development. Master of Business Administration • Human Resource Management is designed for the HR profes- sional, with paths in recruitment, labor and industrial relations, human resources management, small business administration, and education and nonprofit management. In January 2016, omas College was named among the best and most afford- able small colleges for a Human Resources degree and HR study. e program was highlighted for the dual degree option available for students to earn a BS in Management and MBA in Human Resources Management. • Healthcare Management is designed to build on existing capa- bilities and develop specialized skills in healthcare management. Pathways include healthcare informatics, physician relations, health office management, hospital service coordination, and healthcare supply, logistics and procurement. is program gets students into a booming field: the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are over 303,000 positions available in healthcare management, with an average salary of $84,000 for those with advanced degrees. e field is expected to grow by 22% by 2020. • Project Management leverages national employment forecasts that indicate there are currently more than 1.2 million vacan- cies for careers in project management, with a median salary of $89,000. According to a recent survey by e Economist, 90% of executives cite project management skills as essential to long- term career success in business. omas College is a Registered Education Provider with the national Project Management Institute, and can prepare students to take the Certification Exam—an impressive credential as a new MBA graduate. Project Management skills include the ability to identify and apply theories and processes related to project selection and ini- tiation, apply relevant project planning principles to real-world project management situations, manage project execution and control, use project management principals to the project close and integration, demonstrate ethics and professional respon- sibility, communicate and negotiate with internal and external resources, lead and manage complex and global projects, and test skills in a real-world environment. omas College P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T H O M A S C O L L E G E Flexible programs benefit working professionals Thomas College 180 West River Road, Waterville, ME Higher Education Laurie Lachance, President Founded 1894 www.thomas.edu Thomas College offers flexibility for working professionals.