Edward Lisi, Ph.D.
Career highlights
- Has held senior-level corporate and advertising agency management positions, including president of an ad agency and senior vice president of the 4th largest agency in the world. Currently running a strategic marketing consultancy, helping clients grow their businesses based on my advice.
- Has taught at least one class a semester for more than 30 years—with NO semesters off! Totally enjoy teaching and sharing my experiences in the classes I teach.
Degrees
B.S., Rider University
MBA, University of Connecticut
DBA, Northcentral University
Certifications
Certified as a Professional Direct Marketer (University of Missouri at Kansas City)
Certified in Clinical Research by the National Institutes of Health Office for Clinical Research, Training, and Medical Education
What do you like most about teaching online?
I like the wide assortment of students and the many geographies represented—sometimes even the chatter about the weather is fascinating! I also like getting to know students individually. It’s in many ways the same as an on-ground class. We get to share what’s happening in our lives through the relationship we have via the class.
What strategies do you use to keep students engaged?
I believe that each student needs to be treated fairly, so I’m pretty strict with adhering to the school’s policies around late assignments, course requirements, etc. I get a lot of students applauding the fact my courses really do provide a level playing field. I also give A LOT of feedback, often with students commenting that they never got so much feedback in any other class.
How do you bring the industry to life in class?
When I was in college, I took a few evening courses because of schedule conflicts. I learned the most from those teachers who were teaching at night and working by day in the same field that they taught. I started as a part-time teacher, because I wanted to similarly share my experiences with students. So when I provide feedback to students, I use the same approach I use with my consulting clients: If there’s anything from my personal work experience that I think could enhance the understanding of a topic, I share that experience. For example, my feedback often includes something like: “When I worked on the [client name] account, we had the same challenge and here’s how we approached it …” Students then see that theory makes a lot more sense when I can demonstrate how it’s applied.
Do you have any career advice for prospective students?
Absolutely! Here are three things I’d like to share.
- Embrace change and stay open to alternatives. Even though your studies may have focused on one field, don’t think what you learned can only be applied to that field. Many of my marketing clients have engineering degrees, and, as such, they have a very different approach to marketing problems than students with marketing degrees. My son has a degree in biochemistry and is forging a successful career in marketing software that supports pharmaceutical clinical trials.
- Be on top of innovation in your field. Know what people are doing and saying about the latest happenings in your area of interest. Reinvent yourself as often as you need to … but always be true to what stimulates you.
- Always have something that takes your mind off your work. Most of us can’t work 100 percent of the time, nor can we do anything else 100 percent of the time. By having balance via family, friends, hobbies, etc., you’ll be better at each of the parts of your life. I like creating art, and I take an art workshop each year (often in Italy). This year my wife came with me and we made a vacation out of it. Yes, I couldn’t “abandon” my work for the whole week, but I was able to keep my main focus on the workshop and our time together—and it really did serve as a “refresh” for my mind and spirit.
Want to learn more about earning your degree online with Edward Lisi? Complete the “Request Info” form on this page or call 855-JWU-1881.
Career Catalyst blog posts