InterMission - An Action-Learning Expedition

Course Code
MO 330

Hours
3 hours
Type
Elective
Offered
Winter 23
Prerequisites
(BBA Sophomore or Junior or Senior) or Ross Minor or (Non-Ross Sophomore or Junior or Senior)

InterMissions - An Action-Learning Expedition --- InterMission is a self leadership course for students adrift in a sea of expectations who are exceptional at fulfilling goals set by others but find themselves too busy to reflect on whether they are the right thing to do. In our lifetime, we will spend about 80,000 hours working. What will that mean to you? Do you care about a balance between doing well and doing good? How will you live your values when hard choices get in your way? The goal of the course is to help you authentically lead yourself and others -- everyday, in ways large and small. To achieve this goal, InterMission explores personalized pursuits of purpose, perspectives on leadership styles and giving voice to your values in service of a meaningful career. The skills you cultivate will then be applied to when, how and with whom you want to make an impact. Modern movements of social justice, sustainability and the changing role of business in society demand these perspectives and skills. The course includes a one-week wilderness expedition in Utah's Canyonlands with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). The wilderness expedition is strenuous and has an incremental cost. The action-learning expedition is a capstone experience of the course, blending stunning landscapes with a unique self-leadership challenge, and an opportunity to integrate and apply course teachings. InterMission has 10 classroom sessions of 90 minutes each and 7 intensive days on the wilderness expedition, which runs at the conclusion of winter term before summer internships. The classroom sessions will utilize and apply three rigorous, science-based frameworks developed at Harvard Business School, Virginia's Darden School and Michigan's Ross School. The frameworks will be further supported by case studies. The classroom sessions produce an integrated course deliverable, the myInterMission workbook. You will be challenged to be more authentic, build purpose-centeredness, and improve teamwork and collaboration by embracing change and growth. The course is taught by a Professor who has been a Peace Corps volunteer, corporate executive, social intrapreneur and current social impact executive.

InterMission is a leadership and life course for students adrift in a sea of expectations who are exceptional at fulfilling goals set by others but find themselves too busy to reflect on whether they're the right thing to do. 

We explore the implications of an erosion of high quality connections with others, how the scarcity of time impedes our ability to think about anything else and the lack of space to reflect on what matters most. Our learning model moves from perspectives to purpose through practice.

We transition from the classroom to the field on a one-week wilderness immersion in Utah's Canyonlands with the National Outdoor Leadership School.