Leaders, educators in dispute resolution gather at Lipscomb for third annual Professional Skills Program, Oct. 19-21
Lacey Klotz |
Since 2015, Lipscomb University has partnered with Pepperdine University to translate theory into practice through its annual Professional Skills Program in Dispute Resolution.
What started as a vision by L. Randolph Lowry while serving at Pepperdine University more than 30 years ago, has continued to bring hundreds of participants from across the globe to learn at Pepperdine each year and is now also a Southeastern staple for mediators, educators and conflict management professionals to learn from a panel of nationally recognized experts in dispute resolution at Lipscomb.
On Oct. 19-21, the Institute for Conflict Management at Lipscomb University partnered with the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine to present the 2017 Professional Skills Program in Dispute Resolution in Nashville.
Nearly 150 participants from more than 20 states gathered at Lipscomb for three days of unique educational opportunities including workshops and networking with nationally prominent faculty.
With engaging topics in mediation strategies, negotiation skills, peacemaking and conflict management, the program engaged participants in workshops led by Steve Joiner, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Leadership & Public; Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry; Denise Madigan, a mediator at MadiganADR; Doug Noll, mediator and senior consultant with Mobius Executive Leadership; and Sukhsimran Singh, associate director of the Straus Institute.
“Lipscomb’s Institute for Conflict Management provides public programs, customized services, mediation training and special skills programming throughout the year and the Professional Skills Program is a prime example of this service. For our third consecutive year, we have offered interactive workshops that address key dispute resolution processes led by some of today’s most esteemed mediators,” said Joiner.
“After founding the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine, President Lowry came to Lipscomb 12 years ago and brought conflict management with him,” said Joiner. “We are one of the few schools in the Southeast to offer these programs outside of Boston. This program and partnership with Pepperdine is a tremendous connection and we are very grateful.”
“I have traveled all over the world and what I’ve learned is that the need for this field including conflict resolution, mediation, cross cultural decision making and understanding has increased and is increasing every day,” said Signh, who led a course in cross-cultural dispute resolution and law practice. “President Randy Lowry had this vision nearly 30 years ago to start this training and teaching, and it has taken off and is creating great programs along the way.”
The Lipscomb University Institute for Conflict Management assembles the best thinkers from a wide range of fields – law, business and sociology – to examine why conflicts arise. The institute provides master’s level academic training in conflict management and also conflict resolution skills to community organizations, governmental entities, churches, corporations and individuals.
Want to sign up for a course in conflict management or attend next year’s Professional Skills Program? Visit www.lipscomb.edu/conflictmangement.