The only problem is Dowdell is a 1998 graduate of the University of Virginia. According to Dowdell’s self-submitted profile in the 2002 edition of Fitzgerald’s Legislative Manual, she spent her undergraduate years in Charlottesville, Va. majoring in government, with a concentration in minority group politics.

Prospective contestants of "The Apprentice" are asked to complete a questionnaire. The application form requests the candidates to list their level of education. Sources close to the situation said that Dowdell told Mark Burnett Productions, which produces the show, that she had not received her degree.

There is speculation that Dowdell may have completed all of the necessary coursework to earn her college degree but did not officially graduate or receive a degree because of a financial dispute with the University of Virginia.

With the thousands of applicants vying to participate on "The Apprentice", was it really necessary for the show to classify Dowdell as a "Street Smart" ? While it may be legal based on a technicality, whatever happened to the ethics that Donald Trump often refers to while in the boardroom of the show ? It's clear that corporate conflicts creates drama that translates into television ratings.

 
© 2005 Nelson Chin.
To inquire about consulting or speaking engagements, e-mail: Nelson Chin