The 2020 Pandemic Sparks Another First for D’Youville

The 2020 Pandemic Sparks Another First for D’Youville

Partnering with the Crisis Ready Institute Means Taking a Giant Step Toward Preparing Tomorrow’s Crisis Ready Leaders

Buffalo, New York – November 19, 2020 – Founded in 1908, D’Youville has always been known as the educational institute of firsts. Its history marks it as the first school in Western New York to offer baccalaureate degrees to women, and today it is the first university to offer a specialized program focused on crisis management and crisis leadership into their curriculum. 

“When Covid-19 hit, we realized that we needed to focus our attention on future generations and the needs of our students in a changing world,” states Benjamin Grant, D’Youville’s Chief Student Affairs Officer. “As an educator, I felt that we needed to do something to help support our students and their futures. That’s when I reached out to Melissa Agnes, renowned leader in crisis management.”

Designed as an easy-to-implement supplement to current higher education programs being offered, the Sustained Resilience: Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Program, available now worldwide, prepares students with important leadership skills, as well as a high-level understanding in issue management and crisis management. 

“As Covid began to affect everyone around the world, from individuals to entire industries, the biggest factor was that organizational leaders – and leaders in general – were not prepared. The leadership skills needed in 2020 were lacking. We all felt the impact, from inside our homes to the workplace, the stress was evident, and it still is,” states Melissa Agnes, Founder and CEO of the Crisis Ready Institute. “The supplemental program that we’ve developed gives students — our leaders of tomorrow — these essential skills that aren’t currently being taught anywhere.”

If anything positive can be said about this year’s pandemic, it is that it brought to light just how unprepared we are in dealing with sudden changes in the world as we know it.

Through this joint collaboration, the Crisis Ready Institute and D’Youville are offering educational institutions the opportunity to bridge the gap between an important yet missing element in leadership skills today. The Sustained Resilience: Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Program does three things. It complements existing programs for a seamless integration; it provides students with a more comprehensive understanding of leadership and its positive impact; and it ensures a more resilient world for future generations and inevitable uncertainties.

To learn more about the partnership between the Crisis Ready Institute and D’Youville, watch this short video.