Beyond the Syllabus: Unbounded Perspectives in the MSIM

If you were to ask me what my favorite course from my time in the MS in Innovation & Management (MSIM) program was, I'd tell you it was Jane Seminara's "Unbounded Perspectives" seminar. It’s more than a class. It’s an experience that stays with you long after the semester ends. 

In a graduate program built on rapid innovation, strategic thinking, and real-world problem solving, Jane’s seminar offered something radically different: a pause. A space to discuss new ideas. A stillness we didn’t know we needed. It became a cornerstone of my personal and professional development not because it taught me how to build a business, but because it reminded me how to better understand myself and the people around me. 

A Classroom That Looked and Felt Different 

From the very first session, it was clear this would be unlike any other class in the MSIM program. There were no case studies to analyze and no pitch decks to present. Instead, there were films, poems, and discussions that asked us to be open and honest. 

We watched 12 Angry Men and explored the dynamics of groupthink, integrity, and moral courage. We viewed The Imitation Game and sat with the weight of difference, what it means to be brilliant and isolated, valuable and yet misunderstood. We read poetry that lingered in our minds long after class ended. And there were moments of silence that weren’t awkward, but powerful. Jane created a space where slowing down wasn’t seen as weakness. It was a form of strength. 

Each week, the classroom transformed into something more than a space for learning. It became a mirror that reflected who we were beneath our LinkedIn profiles, resumes, and transcripts. 

From Strangers to Something More 

One of the most unexpected gifts of Jane’s class was the way it brought us together not just as students, but as people. We all came into the MSIM program with different goals, cultures, and experiences. And while we collaborated on projects and shared lectures throughout the year, it was Jane's "Unbounded Perspectives" seminar that we truly began to connect. We shared personal stories, fears, and memories. We spoke openly about failure, identity, and the quiet moments that shaped us. For many of us, it was the first time in an academic space where we didn’t feel the need to perform. That shift created a powerful sense of trust and closeness. The classroom evolved into a community. 

Jane’s Quiet, Powerful Leadership 

Jane never lectured us on leadership, but she showed us what it looks like. Through the way she held the room, the way she listened, the way she made every student feel seen and heard, she taught us that real leadership begins with presence. With empathy. With the courage to ask deep questions and the patience to sit with the answers. 

Her class reminded me that reflection isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. That to lead others, we must first be willing to sit with ourselves. That some of the most meaningful work we do won’t be listed on a resume. It will be in how we listen, how we show up, and how we respond when it’s easier to look away. 

What I Carry With Me 

I still think about our "Unbounded Perspectives" class often, and about how it made me feel. How it challenged me to be honest with myself and shifted the way I interact with the world around me. Jane’s seminar made me a better collaborator, a more compassionate teammate, and a more thoughtful leader. In the midst of a fast-paced, high-pressure graduate program, her class brought us back to what matters most: being human. 

To Future MSIM Students 

If you have the chance to join the MSIM program and participate in the "Unbound Perspectives" seminar with Jane Seminara, take it. Be open. Be present. Say the thing you’ve been afraid to say. Listen deeply. Let yourself be moved. And when the semester ends, carry what you learned not just in your mind, but in how you lead, how you speak, and how you see others. 

Because in the end, Jane didn’t just teach us how to think. She reminded us how to be.