Northwood University lead MBA faculty relishes ‘partnership in learning’

Cedar Hill News - Colleges and Universities

CEDAR HILL – Dr. Tara Peters is passionate about helping Northwood University students find rewarding careers.

Dr. Peters - lead faculty for Northwood’s Texas DeVos Graduate School of Management - is a native Dallasite, though she grew up in Grand Prairie. Dr. Peters received a BBA in economics and finance on full scholarship from Texas Wesleyan University, an MBA from Dallas Baptist University and her Ph.D. from Union Institute & University in Cincinnati, where she studied educational leadership and systems.

In previous lives, Dr. Peters has done contracting work for Sprint and worked as principal of Ambassadors of Christ Christian Academy in Fort Worth. She’s also served on accreditation site teams for the International Christian Accrediting Association.

In 2004, Dr. Peters came to Northwood and today is division chair of the Management and Marketing Programs, a professor in the DeVos Graduate School of Management and chair of the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP), which infuses the principles and benefits of improvement into the culture of the university.

“One of the greatest things for me as a professor is I feel like I make a difference every day. The students and I have a partnership in learning,” Dr. Peters said. “Nothing happens without teachers. This isn’t just work for me. It’s a great place to be.”

In her role as lead faculty in the graduate program, Dr. Peters teaches leadership courses, in addition to supporting other faculty members and the Admissions department.

“The DeVos graduate program give us ways to bolster what we do at the undergraduate level,” Dr. Peters said. “It fills a void for what our students have been requesting from Northwood’s Texas Campus.”

Dr. Peters emphasizes the student-centered learning found in the DeVos MBA. The program – organized in a cohort model, in which a group of students goes through the entire program together – helps students learn in a unique way. Students study real situations businesses face to understand and implement the best response while considering environmental factors, constraints and risks.

Earlier this year, Dr. Peters spoke at the national headquarters for the Army and Air Force Exchange, or AAFES, during their Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration titled “Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not A Day Off.” The topic for her presentation was "What Do We Do Know? The History of Black Economic Empowerment and Diversity in the New Millennium.” The discussion centered around the historical and contemporary economic success of African-Americans in a variety of fields; her presentation highlighted the contributions of several prominent African-Americans. 

“My presentation examined the fluid landscape of the American workforce because of changing demographics,” Dr. Peters said. “It also reviewed statistical survey data addressing the views of the American worker on the success of diversity and inclusion programs in organizations; one of the key findings of the research is the need to develop diversity-related performance measures and create accountability around these metrics.”

Dr. Kevin Fegan, provost of Northwood’s Texas campus, said Dr. Peters has been integral to the success of Northwood’s MBA program. She – as well as Northwood’s students, faculty and staff – are helping create highly effective executives and managers through a unique process of personal and professional transformation.

“Northwood has always provided its undergraduate students a first-rate business education, with an emphasis on building character and developing the leader in every student,” Dr. Fegan said. “Now, Northwood – including Dr. Peters – provides this dynamic MBA learning experience that works with the demands of today’s competitive marketplace. Education is a partnership at Northwood, so our MBA program works with students to achieve their goals.”

Northwood offers this 24-month, part-time master of business administration degree (MBA), enabling working professionals the opportunity to develop the skills to advance their careers. The program is tailored specifically to current and future managers.

Northwood also will be offering a 12-month full-time program in fall 2011, along with the evening program for working professionals. The latter has cohorts starting this fall, spring (January) and next fall (August 2011). MBA informational sessions are held the first Tuesday of the month from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Hopkins Academic Building on campus at 1114 W. FM 1382 in Cedar Hill.

The DeVos MBA brings together an integrated curriculum of Marketing, Organizational Behavior, Finance, Operations and Strategy.  The program has met the criteria for accreditation approval by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Northwood’s MBA program is part of the DeVos Graduate School, which is fairly new to Dallas, yet well-established at Northwood’s Michigan and Switzerland campuses with a combined 20 years of course offerings.

Applications are being accepted. You can inquire by phone: 1-800-927-9663; by e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; or through the website: www.northwood.edu.

About Northwood University

Northwood University is committed to the most personal attention to prepare students for success in their careers and in their communities; it promotes critical thinking skills and personal effectiveness, and the importance of ethics, individual freedom and responsibility.

Private, nonprofit and accredited, Northwood University specializes in managerial and entrepreneurial education at three full-service, residential campuses located in Southern Florida, mid-Michigan and Northern Texas.  Adult Degree Programs are available in eight states with many course delivery options including online.  The DeVos Graduate School offers full-time, evening and industry specific master’s degree programs for entrepreneurs and executives in Michigan, Texas and Switzerland.  The Alden B. Dow Creativity Center on the Midland, Michigan, campus specializes in creative thinking and innovation development.  International education is offered through terms abroad and in Program Centers in Switzerland, China, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka.  Northwood University also operates the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Maine.