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If you feel like everyone around you has been lacking manners lately, Gonzaga University has a new certificate that might help.
It’s called the Etiquette Consulting Certificate, and it’s the first of its kind offered by a university in Washington state. The two-day training is meant to give people the knowledge needed to start a business as an etiquette consultant or serve as an organization’s in-house etiquette specialist.
The university’s Center for Lifelong Learning will partner with The Etiquette Institute to offer the new credential.
When people hear the word “etiquette,” said O. Ray Angle, the institute’s president, they often think of fine dining — but that’s not what Angle’s institute teaches people. The certificate will cover a range of professional etiquette, including hosting, writing emails, giving presentations, networking, dress code and more.
“There are so many things that are just basic professional skills that people may have never been taught,” Angle said.
Angle also happens to be Gonzaga’s assistant vice president for career and professional development, and he hears a need for the skills his institute teaches from students all the time. But it’s not just students who can benefit, Angle said — his institute teaches about how to navigate generational differences, too, for people both old and young.
Since the pandemic, Angle has also adjusted the curriculum to include more on technology etiquette — also known as “netiquette.”
While COVID pushed a rapid evolution toward remote work and other new ways to use technology at work, Angle pointed out that etiquette around technology has been changing for decades. He recalled going to a workshop on “how to use email” at a conference about a decade ago.
“I thought, ‘I’ve been using email for 10 years, and nobody ever offered me a workshop.’ I went to it because I was curious, and I learned so much,” Angle said. “I think we have these tech tools, and we’re never taught the ways to use them effectively, or to recognize that they have boundaries.”
Diversity, equity and inclusion components have also been included in Angle’s curriculum in recent years.
“I know etiquette can be perceived as something kind of traditional,” said Rachelle Strawther, director of the Center for Lifelong Learning. “Ray explained that etiquette is, in its essence, about inclusion. It’s about making people feel a sense of belonging.”
Alongside the two-day certificate, Gonzaga and The Etiquette Institute will offer in-house etiquette and professionalism training for organizations. Strawther said they’re already hearing from company leaders who want to provide professionalism training for new employees.
“We do anticipate that there’s going to be a lot of interest as this rolls out,” Strawther said.