By Daniela Elazari, student in the M.S. in Human Capital Management program
While I started out as a registered dietitian focusing on nutrition behaviors, I have spent the last 10 years developing and integrating well-being programs at Columbia University. In recent years, I’ve become interested in how deeper, systemic strategies can support employees, especially as my own life has been enriched by the family support programs and work/life integration practices offered in my workplace. I realized that while the well-being programs I oversee at Columbia are rooted in science, promote health, and foster a positive workplace culture, there is even more I could do to support my colleagues. I turned to the School of Professional Studies (SPS) M.S. in Human Capital Management (HCM) program for just that.
The HCM program offers me the opportunity to deepen my understanding of how well-being and other human capital practices integrate into a broader total rewards strategy that aligns with business objectives. Coupled with the yoga, nutrition, and mindfulness practices I have been integrating into workplaces, these HCM strategies offer employees the potential to flourish in work and in life. In my first semester, between my Introduction to Human Capital Management and Transforming Total Rewards classes, I have learned about motivation, fairness, development, and leadership. These concepts, paired with tactical strategies, are the exact foundational knowledge I was seeking and look forward to building on.
I wouldn’t have been able to go back to school without the flexibility SPS offers. The HCM program makes it possible to balance work, family, and coursework, with part-time and full-time options and evening classes online or on campus. As a part-time, online student, I can work during the day, be present with my kids in the evening, and log on to class at night.
Women’s careers often stall at the stage I am in now as a mid-career parent because there is a scarcity of free time for professional development and networking. But I'm feeling motivated by this opportunity and how a degree from SPS and all the connections I’m making can support my next steps and future career, kids and all.
About the Program
The M.S. in Human Capital Management at Columbia University prepares graduates to be world-class HCM strategists able to address changing needs in building and motivating talented, engaged workforces in the private, public, academic, and not-for-profit sectors.
The program is available part-time, full-time, on-campus, and online. Learn more about the program here.
