It’s just one of many tools she acquired in a new “Social Work Leadership and Management” course at the Touro Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) for students interested in human service, government and nonprofit leadership.

“I look at it every day to remind myself to remain humble, be an effective listener, grow in my position and help my team,” says the 2023 alum.

The list was a gift from Founding Dean Emeritus and Professor Steven Huberman, who created and teaches the course, and mentors select fellows in a follow-up seminar that further prepares students for management responsibilities.

“Many of our students had aspirations to be change agents and directors of their own agencies or start up their own organizations,” explains Dean Nancy Gallina. “It was critical to give students who want to go in that direction an opportunity to receive a structured curriculum on management and leadership.”

The course covers financial management and budgeting, supervising employees and volunteers, resource development and programming, leadership styles, management theories and practices, ethical and moral dilemmas, performance improvement, creating positive organizational cultures and marketing. Students design a new and innovative project.

Last spring, 40 students had completed the course and six of the 40 had completed the fellowship, which involves seminars with leaders and hands-on experience creating special initiatives in the field that apply what is learned in the classroom.

As a fellow, Kouamenan developed and ran groups for high school students in the Bronx who wanted to talk about their problems—from bullying to their uncertain futures. Eventually, she would like to earn a doctorate and develop a nonprofit to help orphan children in West Africa.

“I use what I learned in the classroom every day. It’s been helpful in guiding me and giving me the tools I need,” she says.