Excellence -- The Goal of the Texas Council;

              Excellence — The Goal of the Texas Council
BY DANIEL M. SHEEHAN Partner, Houston Office
Presented before the 19th Annual Meeting of the Texas Council of Church-Related Colleges, Houston—April 1959
IAM pleased and honored to be on your program to discuss the expectations of the world of business with respect to graduates of today's colleges and universities, particularly its expectations with respect to graduates of the church-related colleges. It is a splendid and, no doubt, well-rewarded idea for your fine organization, the Texas Council of Church-Related Colleges, to meet as you are doing today. I understand this is your nineteenth meeting to discuss your aims and to evaluate progress in promoting excellence in education.
Very often businessmen are so preoccupied with the daily de­mands
upon their time, which are manifestly different and some­times,
perhaps, more pressing than those encountered in the academic field, that a tendency toward narrowness of viewpoint may seem evident, with an apparent reluctance to give timely consideration to the broader academic problems which are so important. There is, however, a growing awareness of the need for greater intellectual vigor in the ranks of junior management, which must comprise a reservoir to withstand the competitive impact of a newer and rapidly developing concept of business leadership. The tangible evidences of this awareness can readily be seen in the form of industry-supported scholarships, fellowships, and awards for excellence in selected fields; and in the form of participation by representatives of business in career-day programs and the holding of employment interviews for graduating students, and the like.
The two general areas which I consider important, and should like to discuss with you today, include, first, the new concept of man­agement,
which we shall call "professional management," and second, recent and gratifying indications of the increased consciousness of religion in business.
PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT
Business generally, and also the professions, are gradually de­manding
more of the college graduate.
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