Jessica Kocan ’18 on Management and Leadership

The Management and Development Program (MLDP) gives students a mix of theory and practical skills presented by accomplished experts who share the secrets to success for all leadership and management endeavors.

Jessica Kocan ’18, an Asian and middle Eastern Studies (AMES) major, participated in MLDP during her sophomore fall of 2015. She elected to get involved with MLDP, because she wanted to improve her leadership skills and to be able to apply them in future internships and career paths. 

Jessica interned in Washington, D.C. this past spring with the American Enterprise Institute, a public policy research institute. During her internship, the skills on how to write professional emails and how to communicate appropriately in a workspace really came in handy. 

"From the start, I felt very comfortable communicating with my supervisor via email," says Jessica, "because during MLDP we spent time actually practicing critical communication skills for establishing professional relationships."

She felt like the program prepared her well for the workplace. When she felt overtasked, or in danger of not meeting a deadline, she made sure to let her colleagues and supervisor know in advance, and she was thanked for her initiative and sense of responsibility.

Jessica credits her experiences at the Rockefeller Center for helping her develop a better understanding of her own strengths and areas of needed growth.

-Written by Arati Gangadharan '18, Student Program Assistant for the Management and Leadership Development Program