Beyond the Matrix: How Dr. Joel Hoomans is Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders

A major highlight of the semester was mastering the Talent Assessment and Vulnerability Matrix. To someone new to this concept, I would explain it as a strategic "X-ray" for an organization that allows a leader to look past the surface and truly understand the health of their team. It is a powerful framework used to plot out where team members currently stand in their competencies and, more importantly, where the vulnerabilities lie within a department.

By using this matrix, we learned how to identify who is ready for promotion and where an organization might be at risk if a key person were to leave. It essentially bridges the gap between current performance and future succession planning. For me, this was not just a business exercise; it was a way to ensure that every individual is placed in a position where they can thrive and use their God-given talents to their fullest potential. Mastering this tool shifted my perspective from simply "managing tasks" to intentionally "stewardship of people," ensuring that the right leaders are being poured into for the long-term success of the mission.

For our final project, my classmate Ashley Mellinger and I decided to tag-team a comprehensive, two-part presentation. Because this was the very first launch of the course, Dr. Hoomans invited our class to be partners in the process, allowing us to help design the final presentation parameters to ensure it was a meaningful and professional capstone. He reached out to his extensive connections within the Roberts world and the professional business community to invite them to our session, providing us with a massive opportunity to build our networks.

The most challenging yet rewarding part of this experience was the flexibility it required. Since we were the first students to ever navigate this final, we had to be ready to adapt to whoever walked through the door. While I had prepared for a room full of high-level administrators, our audience was primarily composed of students, friends, and faculty. I realized in the moment that the raw data regarding faculty might not be as immediately applicable to my peers as it would have been to the administration.

After evaluating the room as my presentation started, I had to think on my feet and pivot. I quickly created an activity where the students evaluated a team they were currently a part of, making the complex data points relevant to their specific lives. This ability to tailor a presentation on the fly was an incredible growth opportunity. While we were pioneers in this course, I am grateful for that challenge because it developed a deep passion in me for consulting. In the future, this project will serve as an incredible networking bridge for students, and I feel honored that our class had the opportunity to help lay that foundation.

Most importantly, my time in this course reinforced that my identity is found in Christ and that the Bible is my ultimate navigation compass. Dr. Hoomans is so deeply rooted in his Christian faith, and watching the way he leads by honoring Christ first and then serving his students makes him the ultimate role model for a business professional. He pushes his students to think and lead differently by implementing faith into every business strategy. Through his guidance, I have learned that leading well means approaching leadership selflessly with a servant’s heart, just as Jesus did.

I believe integrity is about having an honest and principled heart that upholds strong moral values, and Dr. Hoomans reflects this in his lectures. By watching him, I have learned that approaching work with a servant heart, loving others, and networking with a purpose are all ways to glorify the Kingdom of Heaven. His leadership style is an exemplary example of how to be student-oriented while keeping God at the center of everything.

As a Business Administration student pursuing a Master’s in Childhood and Special Education, I am not entirely sure what my future holds, but I leave it in God’s hands to direct my path. Whether I am in a boardroom or a classroom, the lessons I learned from Dr. Hoomans and the Roberts Business Department have shaped my character and my values. To any student considering joining this department, know that they aim to instill hope and courage in you while building a generation of servant-hearted leaders. My time at Roberts is equipping me to use my gifts in a way that is glorifying to the Lord, and I am so excited to see the many avenues He will use to bless others through the career I am becoming prepared for.