Ohio University Fellows Join CSUSM Students for Collaborative Leadership Session
By Cyndi Cunningham
Students from Cal State San Marcos had the chance to connect with students from Ohio University during a collaborative class session that highlighted shared experience, leadership and cross-campus engagement.
The Center for Leadership Innovation and Mentorship Building (CLIMB) hosted the students from Ohio as part of its signature In the Executive’s Chair (ITEC) series. Rajnandini “Raj” Pillai, director of CLIMB and a professor of management, explained that the course brings students into direct conversation with influential leaders and creates meaningful opportunities for interaction with peers worldwide.
“CLIMB always believes in collaborating with other entities on campus as well as other universities, both domestic and international, especially when it pertains to our speaker series for the community or our signature In the Executive’s Chair class,” Pillai said.
The Nov. 4 visit included a joint class session featuring Jordan Marks, San Diego County assessor, as well as an informal conversation and lunch on campus. The Ohio University students spent the afternoon exchanging insights with CSUSM students about academics, career plans and student life.
CLIMB was established in 2004 by CSUSM’s College of Business Administration, with the mission of fostering the development of effective leaders at the individual, team, organizational and community levels. The center focuses on promoting innovative leadership and research through educational programs and mentoring opportunities.
The ITEC series brings high-level leaders from diverse industries to speak with students about topics such as communication, decision-making, ethics and professional development. Previous cohorts have included international participants, such as master’s students from Sweden who joined ITEC via Zoom.
Ohio University students also visited CLIMB over the summer. During this visit, the Raymond A. Lancaster Executive Leadership Fellow, Dan Squiller, said the experience exceeded expectations.
“The feedback from our students was uniformly positive,” Squiller said. “This first engagement and eating lunch on a sun-soaked CSUSM campus was the perfect way to kick off their week of sessions in San Diego. So, thank you for orchestrating our inclusion, handling the logistics and making us feel so welcome.”
Pillai said she hopes to continue the partnership and host the leadership fellows annually, noting that opportunities like these enrich the classroom experience and strengthen CLIMB’s commitment to developing leaders through connection, conversation and community.
CSUSM students also reflected on the value of the exchange.
“Talking with the Ohio University students during class was a really interesting experience because it showed me how, even though we go to different schools, we share a lot of the same goals and challenges,” Lysandra Lyman said. “The main difference I noticed was in the size and culture of their school, which gave them different kinds of opportunities. But overall, it made me realize how much we all relate to each other when it comes to learning, growing and preparing for the future.”
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