The City of Redding has joined Shasta County as a partner with National University’s School of Business and Management (SOBM), initiating off-site cohorts for business programs that will result in government employees gaining access to advanced degrees.
City employees formed their first cohort last September, following in the footsteps of County employees who are now on their fourth and fifth cohorts, according to Mark Dannenberg, an SOBM faculty member in Redding.
“Many students from those cohorts have already been promoted,” said Dannenberg. “The County has been looking at these off-site programs very favorably.” Dannenberg is quick to point out that Larry Lees, chief administrative officer for Shasta County, is a National University alum. So is his administrative analyst, Mike Lindsey, and Laura Brunson, head of neighboring Butte County’s human resource department.
The cohorts are creating “some serious and beneficial bonding” between government agencies and departments, Dannenberg added. “The University’s presence is going to impact Redding at all levels of local government,” said Dannenberg.
