The last time a strategic plan had been done for the center, which was established in 1980 and merged with the University in 1994, was many years ago.

“We made this a project of PMBA Cohort XV,” said Assistant Professor John J. Rivera, chairman for the PMBA program within the School of Business & Public Administration. “The endeavor became their final project in their BA613 Strategic Leadership and Ethics Course.”

The plan was accepted following the group’s presentation to the Isla Center for the Arts board, said graduate student Ione Skye Llagas.

The strategic plan took the 10-member team five weeks to develop and consisted of three phases: discovery, planning, and developing.

“The discovery phase was essentially learning everything about Isla Center for the Arts and understanding its history, where they are now, and where they plan to be as an organization in the next three years or so,” Llagas said.

The planning phase created sustainable short- and long-term goals followed by a cohesive plan. The first course of action — to increase the center’s digital presence — will begin this summer, said Velma Yamashita, director for the center.

 Isla Center for the Arts was started to provide visual arts programs that were not otherwise available on Guam as well as opportunities for exhibition and outreach, and the strategic plan continues these goals while boosting its visibility.

“[Our] initiatives support a forward-thinking roadmap for Isla Center and build a foundation for the organization to refresh,” Llagas said.

As the plan is carried out in the development phase, members of the cohort will be volunteering their time to Isla Center by serving as professional business resources to the organization and its board members.

“We hope to catch up with Dr. Yamashita after 90 days of implementing the different elements of our strategic proposal and understand what worked, what didn’t, and discuss more ways we could provide assistance,” Llagas said.

The students of the PMBA Cohort XV are expected to graduate this December. The cohort includes (pictured, from left) Christina Thai, Nicole Mesa, Kylene Hsieh, Cheery Yeban, Erica Pangelinan, Aubreeana Taylor, Christiana Tuck, Jenna Leon Guerrero, Ione Skye Llagas, and David Kamai.