Professional Edge Seminar Series
Practical, Timely, Free
Free One-Hour Webinars for the Workforce
Professional Edge offers complimentary one-hour professional development sessions that allow participants to glean relevant and actionable insight from KU’s faculty and academic programs. Based on their extensive experience in a variety of fields, the faculty present engaging content on pertinent and on-point topics. Please see the schedule below for upcoming webinars.
Customized Employer Professional Development
Organizations seeking private professional development workshops, multi‑session series, or customized curricula are encouraged to partner with the Center for Workplace Excellence (CWE).
Employers may choose from CWE’s portfolio of topics or request a customized solution tailored to their workforce needs.
Learn more about employer solutions through the Center for Workplace Excellence: contact Alex Terwilliger at 785-864-7029
Upcoming webinars
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Employee Engagement, Starting Before Day One | July 15, 2026 | 11:00 am
Join Marilu Goodyear, Ph.D., and Jordan Atkinson, Ph.D., with KU School of Professional Studies and the Center for Workplace Excellence as they discuss surprising workplace research results and introduce KU's new Center for Workplace Excellence.
Employee Engagement
Have you ever wondered about the pros and cons of engaged employees? Leaders often aim to take actions that increase employee engagement assuming the impact will be positive. But what exactly is the return on investment according to research? Participants will learn ways that engagement matters and what leaders and co-workers can do to enhance the impact along with the opportunity to share what engages you at work.
Before Day One
What happens before an employee’s first day may shape far more than organizations realize. In an era when onboarding often begins through email, portals, and early touchpoints, this session examines why the pre-boarding period deserves much more intentional attention. Tune in to learn why the pre-boarding period matters and best practices organizations can use to reduce uncertainty and foster connection.
Center for Workplace Excellence
In addition to providing research-based insight into employee engagement and what you can do before employee's first day, we will briefly explore how the new center for professional development at the Edwards Campus uses social science research to craft and deliver educational programs that work for a variety of organizations and circumstances.
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High-Impact Communication for High-Performing Project Teams | August 11, 2026 | 11:00 am
Project success depends on more than plans, tools, and timelines—it depends on communication. This session explores how project teams can move from fragmented, reactive communication to intentional, high-impact collaboration that drives results. Attendees will learn practical strategies to improve clarity, stakeholder alignment, and team engagement while reducing miscommunication, conflict, and rework. Ideal for project managers, team leads, and professionals working in cross-functional environments.
We kicked off our new Student/Alumni Takeover series in the Summer 2026 semester, and we will continue to offer one Student/Alumni Takeover per semester. Join KU School of Professional Studies alumnus Steve Werninger for our Fall 2026 Professional Edge Alumni Takeover!