Forging Ahead in a Dynamic Global Environment
Nyssa-Dawn Corria has managed costs and schedules for some of the world's largest and most complex construction and engineering projects for Bechtel Corporation. Looking to establish herself further as a woman leader within her organization and to inspire other women of color to seek opportunities within the global construction industry, Nyssa-Dawn attended our Program for Leadership Development (PLD). Due to the spread of the global coronavirus pandemic, however, HBS switched the delivery of Modules 4 and 5 from in-person to virtual formats. After completing these final modules and earning HBS alumni status, she shares her unique perspective of the in-person and virtual program formats.
How did the virtual experience differ from the in-person experience?
I was worried that the format and content of the virtual program would not be the same as being on campus. I was pleasantly surprised that the energy was there, the content was there, and the excitement from my classmates was there. The virtual session in the HBS Live Online Classroom was just an incredible experience. I could see the entire classroom in front of me and was able to really focus on and listen to what others were saying. In the virtual classroom, I could also see the blackboard much better, see the professor actually writing on it, and refer back to it during the discussions. Zoom worked well for the breakout sessions and networking.
How did the networking differ?
I was a bit apprehensive as to how we would continue to network when we were not there in person, but I met even more people virtually than I did when I was on campus. We selected a time zone for our case study group, which was really helpful. Every breakout group, whether a formal group presentation, a 15-minute session, or a two-minute icebreaker, was an opportunity to meet new people. The opportunities to connect really enhanced how I was able to interact with the rest of my classmates and brought the entire cohort a lot closer together.
Was there anything about the virtual experience that surprised you?
I was surprised at how quickly I became comfortable being on screen sharing, interacting, and learning. This is the new global environment. These virtual skills have also carried over to work, where I interact confidently with my project managers.
What would you say to a colleague who may be considering a virtual program with hbs?
I would say, go for it. You are going to get the same level of education, the same content, and the same energy from your professors and your classmates. Several of my PLD classmates debated whether to defer to an on-campus module. My question to them was, if you are running a company, are you going to stop everything and say we will continue operations when things get back to normal? No, you are going to adjust. And if learning has to move from in-person to virtual, there is no better institution to learn how to do this than Harvard Business School.