In the monthly newsletter In the Loop, we will be highlighting blog articles from this blog, as well as student success stories, upcoming courses and special events and programs.

We wanted to take a moment to answer a frequently pondered (if not actually asked) question: “What’s the story behind HDO’s loop logo?”

We’re so glad you asked!

HDO’s logo was originally conceived as a representation of our unique teaching approach to graduate education. Most graduate programs focus on two essential pillars: content and methodology. Content consists of the core ideas that a faculty member aims to convey to students, while methodology explores the research that validates the chosen content. And while content and methodology are necessary components of any graduate curriculum, HDO goes a step further and adds a third pillar: application. Specifically, our students learn how to employ the content presented to tackle key organizational challenges. In other words, our program “closes the loop,” connecting the what (content) and the why (methodology) with the how (application).

This three-pillared approach applies to our certificate programs and individual courses, too, where learners share real-world examples of organizational challenges and develop strategies to manage them from both our faculty and the shared experiences of their classmates.