{"id":20555,"date":"2026-07-29T09:10:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T13:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=20555"},"modified":"2026-07-29T09:10:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T13:10:50","slug":"wilmu-one-on-one-2026-graduate-laura-ruth-reflects-on-the-b-s-in-organizational-management-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/29\/wilmu-one-on-one-2026-graduate-laura-ruth-reflects-on-the-b-s-in-organizational-management-program\/","title":{"rendered":"WilmU\u202fOne-on-One: 2026 Graduate Laura Ruth Reflects on the B.S. in Organizational Management Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20555_782c21-89{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20555_782c21-89 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20555_782c21-89\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f\"]{font-size:1.5rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-family:proxima-nova;color:#808080;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f wu-subheading wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading20555_6f1a88-8f\"><em><strong>Ms. Laura Ruth<\/strong>\u00a0was a 2026 commencement speaker representing the WilmU\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/business\/indexb.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>College of Business and Technology<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0(Undergraduate Programs).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She\u00a0is the executional excellence lead in engineering operations at GEICO, where she drives strategic alignment across engineering teams in partnership with leadership.\u00a0A\u00a0member of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sigmabetadelta.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society<\/a>, she\u00a0is passionate about leadership, continuous growth, and empowering others to reach their full potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q:\u202fCan you tell us about your\u202fWilmU\u202fjourney\u00a0and what prompted you to choose the\u00a0B.S. in Organizational Leadership\u00a0program?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My journey with Wilmington University started off on a traditional path, where I transferred my credits from Cecil College to complete my degree. However, life had other plans, and I became pregnant with my son, Tucker. I made the decision to put school on hold while I focused on my family. In 2024, my leader\u00a0at GEICO\u00a0and I sat down to talk about my career path and where I wanted to go professionally. During our conversation, we discussed the degree I had put on hold years earlier. She challenged me and asked me to reflect on my goals, strengths, and\u00a0my vision\u00a0for the future. I made the decision to return to school and pursue a degree in Organizational Leadership. That conversation became the moment my educational journey began again.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more than 20 years, leadership has been at the heart of my career, making Organizational Leadership a natural fit. Throughout my time at GEICO,&nbsp;I\u2019ve&nbsp;had the opportunity to mentor, lead teams, and drive change. Earning a degree in leadership strengthened skills by providing new perspectives and growing into a confident and more effective leader.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q:\u202fWas there a specific moment when you knew that\u00a0WilmU\u00a0was the right fit for you?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As an adult learner, balancing a full-time career, family,\u00a0and my son\u2019s travel hockey schedule was not always easy.\u00a0One of the things I appreciated most about Wilmington University was the flexibility it offered.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The moment I knew Wilmington University was the right fit for me was when I took my first class with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/directory\/business\/mary-braudis.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Dr.&nbsp;Mary Pat Braudis<\/strong><\/a>. Even though it was a virtual class, we met live each week with our cameras on,&nbsp;which made it feel like we were all learning together.&nbsp;Dr.&nbsp;Braudis has a way of making everyone feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, and she led discussions that made you think differently. I learned so much&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;not only from her, but from the conversations with my classmates. It was one class I genuinely looked forward to every week, and&nbsp;that\u2019s&nbsp;when I knew I had made the right decision to come back to school.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q:\u202fLooking back, which\u00a0course, project, or assignment had the most significant impact on you and why?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking back, the assignment that\u00a0impacted\u00a0me the most was my capstone course. This course brought everything I learned throughout the Organizational Leadership program together and\u00a0to connect\u00a0all the pieces. It reinforced the importance of aligning goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and actions to achieve meaningful results. The experience gave me a better understanding of strategic leadership\u00a0and strengthened my skills that I\u00a0utilize\u00a0in my career.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q:\u202fWhat skills or perspectives have you gained along the way that you\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0anticipate?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the biggest things I learned from this program is that leadership is about more than just learning new skills.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0about growing into a confident leader. Completing this degree helped me develop a more strategic mindset, build confidence in my communication skills, and strengthen my ability to lead others through change.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These courses also reminded me that learning never stops. I realized that leadership&nbsp;isn\u2019t&nbsp;about always having the right answers.&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;about listening, adapting, and helping others succeed. That is the type of leader I want to continue to be, and this degree has given me the confidence to keep growing both personally and professionally.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q:\u202fIf you could sum up your\u00a0WilmU\u00a0experience in one sentence, what would it be?\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My experience at Wilmington University taught me that real growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone, embrace new challenges, and continue learning to become a stronger and more effective leader.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide wu-blockquote-row is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5dc627e1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Completing this degree helped me develop a more strategic mindset, build confidence in my communication skills, and strengthen my ability to lead others through change.<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014 Laura Ruth <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q.\u00a0Now that\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0completed your degree,\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0next for you?\u202f\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m excited to continue growing in my career, take on new leadership opportunities, and expand my knowledge of artificial intelligence and technology. One of my biggest goals is to one day become an adjunct professor at Wilmington University and\u00a0have the opportunity to\u00a0give back by sharing my experiences with future students. Most importantly, I want to continue learning because I never want my personal or professional growth to stop.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q:\u00a0How do you hope to make an impact in your field or community?\u202f\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I hope to make an impact by creating an environment where people feel empowered, supported, and encouraged to grow. I want to be the kind of leader who helps others build confidence,\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0afraid to let people learn from their mistakes, and encourages them to\u00a0think outside the box. I believe that\u2019s how people develop, teams become stronger,\u00a0and real innovation happens.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q:\u00a0Can you share any words of wisdom, advice,\u00a0or encouragement for people who are thinking about taking their education further?\u202f\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t get discouraged if your journey takes longer than you expected. Life will always be busy, and there will always be reasons to put your goals on hold. Instead of focusing on how long it will take, just\u00a0take it\u00a0one class, one assignment, and one day at a time. Before you know it,\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0look back and wonder how you made it to the finish line.\u00a0Believe in yourself, because you\u00a0are capable of accomplishing\u00a0anything you set your mind to.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q:\u00a0Lastly, is there anyone you would like to acknowledge for playing a key role in supporting your journey?\u202f\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are several people who played&nbsp;an important role&nbsp;in supporting me throughout this journey. First, my husband, Don,&nbsp;who&nbsp;stepped in during our busiest moments so I could balance work, school, and family. I&nbsp;couldn\u2019t&nbsp;have done it without his support.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My son, Tucker, was my biggest cheerleader. He encouraged me every step of the way and made me feel so proud for taking this journey. Knowing he was watching me work toward my goal made earning this degree even more meaningful.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also want to thank my mom, who was always willing to read my papers, listen to my ideas, and give me honest feedback. She was my editor, my sounding board, and one of my biggest supporters.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also want to recognize my mentor, Julia Grim. At a crossroads in my life and career, she encouraged me to jump back into school with both feet, continue growing, and never look back. Her belief in me gave me confidence to take that first step, and I will always be grateful for her encouragement and leadership.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>Finally, I want to recognize&nbsp;Dr.&nbsp;Mary Pat Braudis. Her leadership, encouragement, and genuine investment in her students made&nbsp;a lasting impression&nbsp;on me. She challenged me to think differently&nbsp;and&nbsp;helped me grow as a leader, and&nbsp;she&nbsp;is someone I will always remember as an important part of my Wilmington University experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a{margin-top:0em;}.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );max-width:var( --global-content-width, 1290px );padding-left:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-right:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:0em;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0em;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a{border-top:0px solid transparent;}.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a a{color:#00843d;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a{border-top:0px solid transparent;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a{border-top:0px solid transparent;}}.wu-text-col,.wu-img-col {\tmin-block-size: -webkit-fit-content;\tmin-block-size: -moz-fit-content;\tmin-block-size: fit-content;}.wu-text-col &gt; div,.wu-img-col &gt; div {\tflex: 1;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id20555_910fe3-9a alignnone FULL wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-right-golden kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-middle kb-theme-content-width\">\n<style>.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid #f9c22b;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:var(--global-palette9, #ffffff);}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid rgba(249,194,43,0);flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid rgba(249,194,43,0);flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}.kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e figure.image-is-svg {-webkit-margin-after: 1em;  margin-block-end: 1em;}img[src$=\".svg\"] {  max-width: 220px;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20555_e87ac4-9e kb-section-dir-horizontal wu-img-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image20555_9bf42f-1b:not(.kb-image-is-ratio-size) .kb-img, .kb-image20555_9bf42f-1b.kb-image-is-ratio-size{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kb-image20555_9bf42f-1b .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image20555_9bf42f-1b image-is-svg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"230\" height=\"120\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/wilmu-cta-logo-wu.svg\" alt=\"Wilm U post footer logo\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-17727\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid var(--global-palette1, #3182CE);}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:#eeeeee;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-right:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-bottom:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-left:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96{align-self:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96{align-self:auto;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{border-top:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-right:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-bottom:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);border-left:5px solid rgba(0,132,61,0);flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}.kt-row-column-wrap &gt; .wp-block-kadence-column {align-self: stretch;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 &gt; div {  padding-block: 1em;}.kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 p:last-of-type {  -webkit-margin-after: 0;  margin-block-end: 0;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column20555_dcfefe-96 kb-section-dir-vertical wu-text-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"NoMargin has-theme-palette-3-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-45cc7450119b14a93fd068366600204f wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-size:1rem\"><em>WilmU\u2019s\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/business\/organizational-leadership.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>bachelor\u2019s degree in Organizational Leadership<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0offers a unique interdisciplinary approach to learning about innovative leadership practices and is designed to foster leadership skills that emphasize a human touch.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ms. Laura Ruth\u00a0was a 2026 commencement speaker representing the WilmU\u00a0College of Business and Technology\u00a0(Undergraduate Programs). She\u00a0is the executional excellence lead in engineering operations at GEICO,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":20556,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[1046,1085,1087,14,15,988],"class_list":["post-20555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-college-of-business-and-technology","tag-commencement-2026","tag-commencement-2026-speakers","tag-wilmington-university","tag-wilmu","tag-wilmu-one-on-one"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":68,"label":"EVENTS"}],"post_tag":[{"value":1046,"label":"college of business and technology"},{"value":1085,"label":"Commencement 2026"},{"value":1087,"label":"Commencement 2026 Speakers"},{"value":14,"label":"Wilmington University"},{"value":15,"label":"WilmU"},{"value":988,"label":"WilmU One-on-One"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Laura-Ruth-Commencement-Speaker-480x480.jpg",480,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Mckayla Imperatrice","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/author\/mckayla\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":68,"name":"EVENTS","slug":"events","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":625,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":50,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":68,"category_count":50,"category_description":"","cat_name":"EVENTS","category_nicename":"events","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":1046,"name":"college of business and technology","slug":"college-of-business-and-technology","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1603,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":22,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":1085,"name":"Commencement 2026","slug":"commencement-2026","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1642,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":1087,"name":"Commencement 2026 Speakers","slug":"commencement-2026-speakers","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1644,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":3,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":14,"name":"Wilmington University","slug":"wilmington-university","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":571,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":377,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":15,"name":"WilmU","slug":"wilmu","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":572,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":311,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":988,"name":"WilmU One-on-One","slug":"wilmu-one-on-one","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1545,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":23,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20555"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20560,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20555\/revisions\/20560"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}