Ten Tips for Managing Pain

Posted on by Jeff A. Pence

September is National Pain Awareness Month. Whether caused from an accident, an illness, an injury, or simply “old age,” pain can affect us in many ways. Although the type, location, and severity of pain can vary a great deal, pain has one common thread: Nobody likes to be in pain.

The American Chronic Pain Association was instrumental in recognizing September as Pain Awareness Month. Its efforts aim to raise awareness and provide education on chronic pain and pain management to both the public and professionals.

Two of Excelsior’s course offerings, HSC 316 Mind, Body, Health and HSC 402 Managing Stress, are excellent resources for the topics of pain and pain management. There is truth in the saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  Mind, Body, Health focuses on the psychology of health and fitness and also explores how we can make positive changes in our health behaviors. Managing Stress also approaches the psychological aspects of health but continues to offer an expansive list of methods by which someone can not only reduce stress in their life, but also manage pain through both mental and physical means.

In keeping with the theme of Pain Awareness Month, here are 10 suggestions of non-pharmacologic pain management techniques from these courses, and other resources:

  1. Journaling
  • Keeping track of your actions, activities, and the level of pain associated with them can help you identify and manage your pain triggers.
  1. Exercise
  • If you are able, exercise is a great way to release endorphins (your body’s natural pain-killers) while also reaping the many benefits of physical activity.
  1. Deep Breathing and Mindfulness
  • Being “in the moment” and fully aware of our body can provide focus and establish a connection between your physical and emotional being.
  1. Eating a Healthy Diet and Staying Hydrated
  • The importance of sound nutrition and hydration should not be discounted. Our body needs the right fuel for optimal function and to support immune health.
  1. Massage
  • Besides being relaxing, a therapeutic massage can improve the flow of blood and the work of the lymph nodes. This provides oxygen and nutrients to the cells while simultaneously ridding the body of toxins through increased lymphatic drainage.
  1. Reducing Stress
  • Believe it or not, stress can actually intensify the perception of chronic pain. Identifying your stressors and eliminating them can significantly improve your overall level of pain.
  1. Healthy Pleasures
  • Doing things that we truly enjoy has been shown to provide a therapeutic distraction, which both supports and restores our recuperative powers.
  1. Sleep
  • Speaking of recuperation, the body needs adequate sleep to recharge after periods of prolonged stress, even the stress associated with chronic pain. Sleep is vital to optimize physical and mental well-being.
  1. Support Groups
  • Speaking with others who are also in chronic pain can help you to realize that you are not alone, and that help is available. They can also be a tremendous source of information for the most current and valuable treatment methods.
  1. Creative Outlets
  • Although popular methods include art, music, humor, and hobbies, the possibilities are endless. Regardless of your preferences, finding an activity that is personally rewarding can provide peace of mind while boosting physical wellness.

It is well-established that the best outcomes are achieved with compliance. In other words, finding coping strategies that you like and can stick with will give you the best results. If you are suffering from chronic pain, try some of these techniques then expand your search if necessary.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Trafficking in Persons

Posted on by Carolyn H. Grosvenor, MD, MPH

“Something isn’t right. I think the women all live together.” This comment was made by my hair dresser in reference to a nail salon where a man was the manager and none of the women spoke English.

The question, “What should I have done?” was asked by a woman who once worked as a clerk in a lingerie store. One day a teenage girl came into the store with two older men. One man browsed around while the other picked out sexy “adult” lingerie for the teenager. There was no conversation between the teenager and the men. The clerk tried to engage the girl in conversation, but the man paying for the lingerie answered instead. However, the girl did say that she didn’t attend school.

It is possible both of these women were witnesses to the practice of human trafficking. The first may have been a case of labor trafficking and the second, a case of commercial sex trafficking.

Human trafficking, trafficking in persons, and modern-day slavery are terms that refer to both sex trafficking and compelled labor. Compelled labor includes involuntary servitude, slavery, or practices similar to slavery, debt bondage, and forced labor. Although we use the term “trafficking,” human trafficking does not require movement or transport. Exploitation can occur within one’s own community. The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons explains, “At the heart of this phenomenon is the traffickers’ aim to exploit and enslave their victims and the myriad coercive and deceptive practices they use to do so.”

What can we do to stop human trafficking? One option is to try to rescue all of the captives. Or, we could try to rescue those who are at risk of being captured. I think the latter approach would be more effective in the long run. This “upstream approach” focuses on prevention. But how do we find potential victims before the traffickers find them? We have to be able identify those who are vulnerable or at risk of being trafficked. This is where taking a look at the social determinants of human trafficking comes in to play.

When I went on a medical mission trip to Nicaragua, I learned that women and children often entered brothels for economic reasons. Women who borrow money from traffickers are forced to work in the brothels to pay off their debt. Any attempt to quit is met with violence against them or their families. Desperate parents even may sell their children to traffickers. Some children are simply kidnapped and then sold. Here in the U.S., young runaways (and other homeless youths and young adults) are sought out and befriended by traffickers and then forced or sold into the sex trade. In terms of labor trafficking, people may be recruited for jobs only to find themselves enslaved in a sweat shop, on a plantation, or in a massage parlor (often a front for a brothel).

So, we know two factors that place people at risk of being trafficked are extreme poverty and homelessness. This is a problem that is best addressed at multiple levels: individual, social/cultural, institutional, community, and public policy. In other words, a socio-ecological approach is needed. For more information on how you can make a difference, read “15 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking.”

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Business Basics: Developing a Business Strategy

Posted on by William Trevor

The adoption of the word “strategy” by the business world owes a great deal to its original use by the military and some of the terminology reflects its roots. While people often talk of having, “a strategy to lose weight,” or, “a strategy to deal with a difficult co-worker,”’ in the business world we specifically mean a long-term plan that is focused on the overall mission of the organization and intended to achieve specific objectives.

What is Strategy?

In the section, “Five Ps for Strategy” in the book The Strategy Process, leading management thinker Henry Mintzberg says strategy in a business context can be used in five different ways:

  • Strategy is a plan: it provides a roadmap for the organization to get from one place to another.
  • Strategy is a pattern in terms of actions that are repeated over time; for example, Apple provides high-end products for brand-conscious consumers and uses a similar formula for each new product launch.
  • Strategy is position: for example, a Bugatti Veyron car is positioned in the premium end of the personal motor vehicle market.
  • Strategy is a ploy: your strategy might be used to outwit the competition. Starbucks, for example, would saturate a part of a city with coffee shops to drive competitors out of business.
  • Strategy is a perspective: it develops from the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

 

When we talk about a long-term plan for an organization, we focus on “corporate strategy,” such as that used by Amazon to develop the mission of the overall business. Below that is the “business unit strategy” developed by Amazon Go, for example, which is the online retail giant’s physical stores. Finally, a “team strategy” is the lowest level, which ensures the team implements and delivers on the corporate and business unit strategies. For the rest of this article, however, we will focus on the corporate level.

 

Strategy as a 3-Step Process

While there are a variety of processes recommended by both practicing managers and academics, any strategy—whether business or personal—needs to answer three fundamental questions:

  1. Where are we now?
  2. Where do we want to be?
  3. How do we get there?

This 3-step process is, first, about understanding the current situation of the organization and is often referred to as a “situational analysis.”  It is about appraising current resources and strategies to gain a realistic starting point from which to develop a plan: if we don’t know where we are, how will we know where we are going? Second, a business strategy needs to establish an end-point: where do we want the business to be in three or five years’ time? Developing a strategy is about planning for the long-term. By establishing the mission, vision, and values, and developing appropriate objectives, the organization can articulate what success will look like at the end of the strategy timeframe. Objectives are a benchmark for progress, as well as a destination. Lastly, the organization develops the strategy that is appropriate to its current situation and will also enable it to achieve the objectives outlined in the previous step. Michael Porter has commented that there are three types of strategy for a business to follow: cost leadership, niche, or focus.

 

STEP 1: Where Are We Now?

Usually organizations begin the strategy process with a clean sheet (and even a start-up needs to know what the current marketplace looks like and to identify the developing trends). There are a variety of tools and methods a manager can use to assess the current situation of the organization and this list is not intended to be exhaustive.  We could, for example, look at the McKinsey 7S Framework or Porter’s 5-Forces of Competitive Industries models. Ultimately, whatever tools the organization uses, this first step is about understanding the internal, or micro-environment, and the external, or macro-environment, in which it operates. It looks at everything from customers to competitors and to new trends developing in the marketplace.

 The Situational Analysis

Three of the most useful tools that form part of the situational analysis are:

  • The 3C Analysis
  • The PESTEL Analysis
  • The SWOT Analysis

 

  1. The 3C Analysis

This first tool focuses on the micro-environment and looks at some of the key stakeholders, such as the customers, as well as the internal capabilities of the organization, from which its strengths and weaknesses can be ascertained.

  • Company: What resources do we have within the organization? How many staff do we have and what are their skills? What are the processes we are using and how are we performing against current objectives?
  • Customers: Who are they? Where are they? How do they like to be communicated with? Are our customers changing? Do we need to look to new customer groups, whether at home or overseas?
  • Competitors: How are we performing in relation to the competition? Are they bringing out new products? Do we need to respond to what others are doing in the industry?

 

  1. The PESTEL Analysis

The PESTEL Analysis has several different variants; you will often see it written as PEST, PESTLE, and even STEPS, but they all serve the same purpose in terms of analyzing the macro-environment, or the wider business environment, in which the organization operates:

  • Political
  • Economic
  • Social
  • Technology
  • Environmental
  • Legal

 Political – What is the political situation facing the organization? Could a change of government see a higher tax on one of our most popular products? The trade disagreements of the current administration saw U.S. farmers hit by tariffs in overseas markets that then required a sizeable bailout from the government.

Economic – The fluctuations of the economic cycle can cause problems for a business. Many banks, for example, were adversely affected by the Credit Crunch of 2007, which saw the closure or merger of several financial institutions and had a negative impact on businesses beyond the financial sector.

Social – Changes in society can influence spending patterns and consumer behavior. The different outlook of the burgeoning demographic cohorts of millennials and Generation-Z have driven demand for products and services that cater to different tastes and attitudes.

Technological – Technology changes at a breathtaking pace and many organizations are caught out by new technologies that challenge old way of doing things. Before the advent of the internet, for example, it would have been impossible to have imagined the creation of businesses like Google or Amazon. Amazon transformed several traditional industries, from books to consumer goods.

Environmental – Businesses need to be conscious of a growing awareness of environmental issues among consumers. In the face of consumer pressure regarding the environmental impact of single-use straws, many food service organizations withdrew them and tried to offer more sustainable alternatives instead.

Legal – Changes in the law can redraw entire industries or require significant change to practices and processes. Changes to emissions regulations, for example, caused vehicle manufacturers to make significant modifications to their products.

  1. The SWOT Analysis

Used well, a SWOT Analysis is the culmination of the situational analysis process because it encourages managers to evaluate the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organization in terms of the micro-environment and then match them to opportunities and threats in the wider business environment. That could be a matching strategy, where a business matches its strengths to a market opportunity, such as Amazon leveraging its logistics skills in new areas, or a conversion strategy in which the organization converts weakness to strengths.  As part of the business strategy process, the development of a SWOT should not be a one-off; rather it must be a task that is completed on a regular basis to ensure the organization is not caught off-guard by changes in its environment. Often dismissed as simplistic, the SWOT actually provides a powerful aid to decision-making and enables the capabilities to be matched to the opportunities and threats facing the organization.

To read more about the SWOT analysis, check out Business Basics: What Is a SWOT Analysis? [https://life.excelsior.edu/business-basics-using-a-swot-analysis/]

 

STEP 2: Where do We Want to Be?

When the organization has completed the Situational Analysis, the management team needs to decide where the organization is heading. The result of that process is the development of a set of corporate objectives. These objectives articulate the overall mission and vision of the organization, which are broader goals about the direction of travel. Microsoft, for example, had an original mission, which was, ”a computer on every desk and in every home.” Below that mission was a set of corporate objectives designed to help achieve it. There were objectives for both personal computers and business computers, but, unlike the mission, the objectives usually conform to the acronym SMART:

  • Specific – The objective should focus upon something specific, rather than a general goal. The objective might specify personal home computers, for example.
  • Measurable – There’s an old adage in business that says, “what gets measured, gets managed.” Thus, a measurable objective allows us to know when we have achieved success or how far we are away from achieving it.
  • Achievable – Setting an objective to double the amount of sales in a year, for example, may be unrealistic and so an achievable goal should consider the capabilities of the organization to reach it.
  • Realistic – This is linked to the previous element, but realistic goals should have the buy-in and the support of all the important stakeholders.
  • Time-bound – A SMART objective needs to provide a period of time in which it should be achieved. That time period should also be achievable and realistic in relation to what is required.

A SMART corporate objective might be: “To increase sales of the new Model X smartphone by 50 percent by the first quarter of 2020 in the North American market.”

 

STEP 3: How Do We Get There?

In the final step, the organization develops the strategy appropriate to the environment in which the organization operates and will enable it to achieve both its mission and stated objectives Porter has identified two forms of competitive advantage for any business: low-cost or differentiation. Either you can sell at a considerable cost advantage to your competitors in the industry, or you have a product offering that is significantly different from what is available from other players. From these two forms of competitive advantage, Porter identified three generic strategies in his book, “Competitive Advantage”

 

  1. Cost Leadership – The organization has a cost advantage, perhaps because it can buy more cheaply than the competition, or because it has access to resources that other competitors don’t have. Walmart has a considerable cost advantage because of the scale at which it can buy stock, which means it achieves sizable discounts unavailable to smaller competitors.

 

  1. Differentiation – Focusing upon specific attributes, the organization positions itself accordingly. Apple, for example, differentiates itself in terms of its design and brand. For Apple aficionados, only an Apple will do!

 

  1. Focus – Here the organization selects a specific segment of the market. It has two choices: either to have a cost focus and use its cost advantage to a specific segment, or differentiation focus and differentiate to that segment. Bugatti, for example, segment its differentiated product to the super-rich sportscar driver, knowing this market segment is small, while enjoying high profits from being so focused.

 

Conclusions

Developing a business strategy is about understanding the context in which the organization is operating and then developing objectives for where the business wants to be, before establishing the long-term plans to achieve those aims. Successful businesses like Amazon and Google research their situation on an ongoing basis and keep changing their objectives accordingly, and then pursue a strategy that enables them to fulfil their mission.

Whether the organization is a corporation or a non-profit, this business strategy process helps the organization to develop an effective strategy that should help it leverage internal capabilities to external realities. Developing a business strategy, however, should never be a one-time thing and many of the steps outlined here should be kept under constant review in a world that is ever-changing and uncertain. If you are interested in business, check out our Business Degrees.

Course Feature: NS 110 Science in Today’s World

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

NS 110 Science in Today’s World gives students an overview of current and emerging trends in science and technology so that they will be able to make informed decisions. The course introduces the scientific method and terminology used in reporting scientific results and prepares students to read accounts about scientific, technological, and medical advances in the media and teaches them how to assess the scientific conclusions presented.

Dale Emeagwali, faculty program director for biology and natural science, says NS 110 is specifically designed to cover “hot topics” of current interest to everyone, and is frequently adapted to keep up to date on science trends in the news and on social media. The course also uses online educational resources (freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets) in place of a textbook, which is an added benefit to students looking to save some money.

According to Emeagwali, specific course topics include: genetically modified foods (How do these alterations to the DNA of our food crops affect us and the environment? Should the U.S. follow other countries in labeling foods that contain GMOs?); the human microbiome (How can our gut microbes impact our health and well-being? This includes an examination of the probiotic craze.); fresh water (Our water safety and purity is something we need to understand and monitor. Discussion points examine the pros and cons around bottled or tap water.); and climate change (What does the scientific research show and how can we, as individuals, be more aware of our carbon footprint?).

Science in Today’s World is designed to meet the general education requirement for the natural sciences and should appeal to students who may be reluctant or fearful to take a science course. “This course is meant to be a welcoming and non-threatening learning environment where anyone can succeed with the help and guidance of the supportive instructors,” says Emeagwali. She also notes “the real goal of the course is to help students become wise consumers…about scientific discoveries that impact their daily lives. The students can carry the skills in analytical and critical thinking they learn here into their future studies and many aspects of their lives.”

Students have appreciated the non-threatening learning environment and informative atmosphere of the course. Comments include: “I would highly recommend this course. The course was well constructed and enhanced my understanding of science in today’s world.”, “There are some things I learned here that I never thought of in life, which has helped to respect both nature and life and appreciate the things around me.” and “It’s a good class and introduces some good resources many students may not be using; for example, TED talks.”

Faculty are equally as impressed with teaching NS 110. Stan Forrestor says, “I love teaching this NS 110. The breadth of the topics and the ever-changing nature of science and the issues that society faces create a course in which I can engage with students on many levels.” Amy Richmond says, “I love that this course helps students think critically about everyday scientific issues…Learning to think deeply about topics is a skill that will help students not only in their education but also in their day-to-day life.” Feliz Rizvanov, who has been teaching the course since it was first offered, has this to say: “I have been teaching the NS 110 course since its very inception… In this course, I did find my fulfillment: I do what I love and I love what I do.”

To learn about the ever-changing nature of science, consider signing up for NS 110 Science in Today’s World for next semester.

5 Reasons to Get an Internship

Posted on by William Trevor

Bachelor’s Degree Students – Why Enroll in an Internship Program?

Here are five reasons why taking an internship as part of your bachelor’s degree program can help boost your career prospects, build your resume, and potentially land you that dream job!

  1. It Helps You Explore a Future Career

Whether you have been thinking about a future career in cybersecurity, a role in criminal justice, or even a marketing job as a social media manager, an internship allows you to have a taste of what it’s like, without requiring you to commit to a full-time job. It gives you the opportunity to see if there are gaps in your knowledge, skills you need to improve, or even things you hadn’t anticipated. An internship might also help you to determine whether the career is for you, and if it isn’t, it might just open your eyes to other opportunities.

  1. An Internship Is a Powerful Resume Builder

An internship will help you add substance to the experience section of your resume. Many students who are new to the employment market, or even those switching mid-career, face the dilemma that they cannot gain employment without experience, and they cannot gain that experience unless someone offers them a job. So, an internship can help you overcome that Catch-22 situation and develop experience in an area in which you would like to pursue a future career. What better way to gain web programming experience, for example, than by using HTML5 to create a website for a local start-up, which gives you both the experience and something to show future employers as part of a portfolio of work.

  1. As an Extended Job Interview, It Might Land You a Job

Not only does an internship allow you to have a taste of a future career, it also allows a potential future employer to check you out and vice versa. Some employers see the it as an extended job interview and if you impress them during the few months you are there, then they may even ask you to stay, or offer you a full-time position when you have gained your diploma. Treating an internship as an extended job interview is a good way to approach your internship and will give you useful skills and experience for your future career search.

  1. Develop Your Professional Network and Gain Valuable References

Even if you don’t end up with a job from the organization that you are interning with, your new-found contacts may be able to refer you to friends and colleagues in other organizations who are hiring. If you impress them during the internship, then they may be prepared to act as a reference for you or pass your resume on to another business looking for your skills and experience. Use LinkedIn, or other social media, to stay in contact with the people you have met, so you can build a valuable professional network to help you in the years ahead.

  1. Develop Career-Relevant Skills to Smash That Job Search

In completing your internship, you are going to develop a range of skills and competencies that will benefit you in the workplace and aid you in your career. Time management, for example, is a vital skill in any role, and the ability to prioritize tasks will also benefit you in whatever future role you choose to pursue. You will probably be required to complete a project and so you will find the skills of project management invaluable in any number of jobs. The process of finding an internship, being interviewed by your supervisor, completing a resume, and some of the other activities associated with an internship will also help you in your search for a job. Ultimately, the real-world experience gained from an internship will help you stand out in a crowded employment market and enable you to smash that job search!

 

 

The INT400 Internship Program, provides bachelor’s students an opportunity to complete a 3-credit internship, whether as a traditional on-site experience or as a remote virtual internship. For more information about how the internship program can help boost your career, call Will Trevor at 518-608-8189 or email internships@excelsior.edu.

Excelsior College Celebrates Graduates at U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy Black and Gold Ceremony

Posted on by Alicia Jacobs

Excelsior Graduates Honored at Black and Gold Ceremony

On June 16, U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy hosted its annual Black and Gold Ceremony, celebrating the educational accomplishments of its graduates, including 193 Excelsior College students, in the Class of 2018. One of Excelsior College’s instructional faculty members, The Honorable M. Sue Kurita, presiding judge of El Paso County Court at Law, No. 6, provided this year’s Speaker Address.

The U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy is the senior enlisted school for the Army. It is a 42-week military course preparing Career Senior Enlisted Soldiers to be promoted to the rank of E9 Sergeants Major and Command Sergeant Major. The Sergeants Major Academy is located at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

Excelsior Teaches Courses at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy

Excelsior College offers on-site classroom courses to support associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs. A new class arrives each August and graduates in June. In addition to their military/academy academic course requirements, most soldiers also pursue voluntary education.

Excelsior College has offered advising and student support services at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy since 1994 and has provided on-site classroom courses since 2009. “More than 3,200 Excelsior College degrees have been earned by 2,706 graduates of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy since Excelsior’s partnership with the Academy began in 1994,” says Susan Dewan, assistant vice president for Student Success and Military Services at Excelsior College.

Students at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy have access to an on-campus Excelsior Military Education Representative.  Find your Military Education Representative, including their contact phone number and email address, at this Academy or across the U.S.

Course Feature: HIS 101: United States History 1

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

HIS 101: United States History is an introductory course on the early history of the United States, from pre-European contact Native American societies to the end of the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. This course introduces the major political, social, and economic trends in the American colonies and new nation from the 15th through the mid-19th centuries. The course also focuses specifically on diversity and the cross-cultural encounters that contributed to the creation of the United States. HIS 101 is also the first half of a two-course sequence; HIS 102: United States History II continues the story from Reconstruction through the recent past.

Through unique and inventive written assignments, students gain a first-hand understanding of the topics covered by stepping into the mindset of the past. Faculty program director Mary Berkery explains, “In one assignment, for example, students write a newspaper editorial in support of one candidate in the crucial turning-point election of 1800. HIS 101 uses open educational resources (freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets), including an innovative textbook called “The American Yawp,” written collaboratively by hundreds of historians.

The book works on any device, including tablets and mobile phones, and comprises 30 chapters divided into two volumes, split chronologically in 1877. Berkery notes students also go beyond the textbook to examine primary sources like letters, political cartoons, and speeches to understand American history from the perspective of those who lived it.

“This course focuses on the untold histories of marginalized groups in our founding and early republic,” says Berkery. HIS 101 considers early American history from the perspective of Native Americans, slaves, religious and ethnic minority groups, and women. This course also teaches crucial skills that will help students in future coursework and in a wide variety of careers, including primary source analysis, historical research and writing, and critical thinking, adds Berkery.

Berkery indicates that the students who would be most interested in HIS 101: United States History would be those interested in America’s origins, including America’s colonization, interaction between European, African, and Native American cultures, the Revolution, the development of an infant republic, westward migration, and the causes and consequences of the Civil War; students who would like to do upper-level course work in U.S. history, as this course provides a solid foundation in historical research, writing, and critical thinking skills; and students who are interested in courses without textbook costs.

Students have had praise for the class, saying, “If you are interested in the history of the United States and what really led up to the Civil War then this is the course to take,” and “…knowledge is power, and knowing what happened in our nation’s history is very crucial and an important piece of knowledge. You can understand the origin of things and why things are the way they are now.” They have also enjoyed the open online resources: “I really enjoyed the online textbook. ‘The American Yawp’ was interesting reading. Since it is online, I was able to read it across multiple devices.”

Course instructors have also noted how enjoyable HIS 101 is to teach, saying, “I think it is really a well-designed class. The discipline of history is well-represented with using the primary and secondary resources and an emphasis on integrating them to create responses and assignments,” and “I really like the assignments that asked students to think about what they learned and present the information in a creative way such as the assignment to write an editorial.”

If you would like to learn more about our nation’s history, consider signing up for HIS 101: United States History for next semester.

 

CPNE and Me: Andrew Lieberman, Paramedic

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Making the leap into the nursing field takes time, dedication and determination. It also requires passing of the Clinical Performance in Nursing Exam (CPNE), a comprehensive performance examination that validates a student’s competency to enter professional nursing practice.

But for United States Marine Corps paramedic Andrew Lieberman, the exam was reasonable and doable in large part to the right resources, assistance and investment from Excelsior College.

Working as a paramedic while teaching part-time in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Program at Coastal Carolina Community College in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Lieberman had designs on becoming a registered nurse, but needed to find a program that accommodated his full-time paramedic schedule. Thankfully, he found that opportunity at Excelsior’s School of Nursing, with flexible scheduling conducive to his weeks of demanding hours.

“Excelsior College gave me the opportunity to advance myself as an adult,” says Lieberman.

Once through coursework, it was time for Lieberman to master the CPNE, an 8-credit performance-based test that measures on-the-job competence over two and a half days in an acute care hospital. With the help of research materials, faculty advisement and study groups that stressed vital attention to detail, Lieberman absorbed all he could before approaching his exam at Albany, New York’s St. Peter’s Hospital in December 2017.

The Lieberman-described “extreme preparation” paid off. He passed on his first try, which ushered him toward a new realm of professional opportunity.

“It gave me a sense of freedom and accomplishment,” says Lieberman. “As an RN, I now have recruiters calling me. I’m currently weighing my options, and have now fielded offers that can more than double my salary. That’s what [passing the exam] did for me.”

While surveying his possible career directions, Lieberman has determined his next educational move: He’s in the process of enrolling in an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, then plans to continue onto graduate school. After successfully juggling the demands of full-time employment with pursuing an education to become a registered nurse, he finds no reason to quit his climb—and he doesn’t think other prospective students should, either.

It’s all about commitment, and it’s a goal that any dedicated student can achieve.

“It’s a choice,” says Lieberman. “If you made it through to the point where you are eligible for the test, then you can do this. There is never a great time to do it, because stuff will always get in your way if you let it. If you decide to start, know that it takes commitment to sacrificing now for a better tomorrow.”

 

More CPNE tips from Andrew Lieberman:

 Schedule faculty advisement

Stressed as vital to his CPNE success, faculty advisement calls helped Lieberman prepare for the competencies he’d need to master for eventual exam success—but he wishes he’d utilized these sooner. “I would’ve liked maybe an initial faculty advisement call at the time of registration for the CPNE, and at that time, [have them] spend 30 minutes explaining the examination. I think that would’ve been helpful.”

Start a study group

No one understands CPNE-prepping students better than their fellow students. That’s why finding a study group that’s relentless about preparation is essential. Lieberman found a small group of determined individuals all united in a common goal, and ones he could depend on for the strict evaluation necessary for exam success. “What was different about these people from the others?” asks Lieberman. “The difference isn’t that they were smarter or better. It’s that they looked inside and committed to completion. That’s it.”

 Get organized—and relax

Success on the CPNE requires utilizing resources and available time to eventually achieve on-the-job readiness. This takes organization, whether with resource materials or scheduling calls with faculty. But according to Lieberman, you need to know that everything at your disposal is there to set you up for exam success. “Calm yourself down, go relaxed and realize the examiners aren’t allowed to be monsters,” he says. “They want you to pass, but they can’t pass you if you can’t prove that initial RN-level of competence.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Feature: IT 390: Project Management

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

The Project Management Institute Inc. (PMI), an association of project managers providing global leadership in the subject, defines project management as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project.” As organizations and projects grow and become complex, many projects fall short of their objective. In turn, new knowledge is developed to help increase the success rate of these projects. Project management is the practice of this new knowledge, and learning project management theory is the basis for IT 390: Project Management.

Project management is important to many organizations and course instructor Perry Ram says IT 390 is appropriate for students in any undergraduate program. He notes the course would also “be of keen interest to those who have had many years of supervisory experience and would want to transfer skills to project management. Project management is applicable in almost every career.” The course provides students with project management skills, practices, tools, and templates that can help them in their professional growth.

Ram explains the course covers the 10 knowledge areas and five process groups that PMI segments project management into. The knowledge areas include: scope, time, cost, quality, human resource, communication, risk, procurement, stakeholder, and integration. The process groups include initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. The course also emphasizes ethics in project management.

Students in IT 390 learn hands-on through the phases of a project, from selection to completion. Throughout the course, they take on various roles such as project stakeholders and team members and also engage in productive feedback with each other through discussion posts. Assignments promote literary research and professional writing—skills which are valuable in academic and professional environments, adds Ram.

“Almost every student of this course has commented on how they have a new-found respect for project management and project managers. This course transforms students from being critical of project managers to becoming knowledgeably supportive of them,” says Ram.

If you’d like to become more well-versed in project management, consider signing up for IT 390: Project Management next semester. To learn about alumnus Kane Tomlin’s project management webinar series, check out the spring issue of Excelsior magazine.

The Keto Diet: Is It Right for You?

Posted on by Cortney Shaughnessy

You’ve probably heard your friends talking about the latest fad diet: the Keto Diet. It isn’t actually new. In fact, this type of diet has been prescribed for treatment of pediatric epilepsy as early as 1921. But does it also work for weight loss?

What is the Keto Diet?

The ketogenic (“keto”) diet is a high fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate diet. It is rich in meats and fats, and carbohydrate intake is limited to no more than 50 grams each day. It similar to the very low carbohydrate Atkins Diet, which gained popularity in the 1970s for weight loss.

The Keto Diet is rich in meats, fish, nuts, seeds, butter, cheese, and fibrous vegetables. Foods high in carbohydrates, such as fruits, starchy vegetables, legumes, and grains are eliminated while on the Keto Diet.

How Does the Keto Diet Work?

When you dramatically reduce your carbohydrate intake, your cells do not have enough circulating blood sugar (which comes from carbohydrates in your diet) for energy. This causes your body to release ketone bodies (broken down from stored body fat) into your bloodstream for your body to use for energy. This process is called ketosis. It usually takes 2–4 days of eating no more than 20–50 grams of carbohydrates each day for the body to use ketone bodies for energy instead of circulating blood sugar.  The result is the loss of stored body fat with minimal hunger.

How Effective Is It for Weight Loss?

Research has shown that a low-carbohydrate diet is very effective for rapid, short-term weight loss compared to traditional weight reduction diets. However, over time, traditional weight loss diets (such as a low-fat diet or the Mediterranean Diet) appear to be equally effective. Research has also shown that the Keto Diet can reduce blood sugar levels for people living with type 2 diabetes.

Are There Any Side Effects to Following the Keto Diet?

Careful diet planning is key to ensuring you are not consuming too much red meat, sodium, processed meats, or saturated fat. Some people report it is difficult to stick to on a long-term basis, since the typical American diet is at least 50 percent carbohydrates. Reported side effects from the ketosis process include nausea, fatigue, bad breath, and constipation.

Is the Keto Diet Right for Me?

If you want to lose weight, a low-carbohydrate diet such as the Keto Diet can be an effective tool for jump-starting your weight loss. Proper planning can ensure your diet remains balanced in vitamins and essential nutrients while following the very low carbohydrate phase of this diet. However, decades of research supports a balanced diet rich in unprocessed foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean meats, fish, and healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, and oils to be the most effective for health and longevity. Learn more about improving your health with a Master of Science in Health Sciences.

Interested in learning more about nutrition and health? Consider enrolling in HSC 403: Nutrition for Wellness.

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Policing Careers and Technology: How New Technology Is Changing the Policing Profession

Posted on by Lynda Holt

The world of law enforcement is very different than it was 20 or even 10 years ago. New digital technologies are transforming the world of policing, allowing agencies to prevent crimes more effectively and solve crimes faster. Now, the unimaginable is reality; from drones in the sky to computers in our glasses, technological advancements are everywhere. Here are just a few of the new technologies that are helping police do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.

  • You may be aware of cases being solved and crimes being thwarted because of what someone posted on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, and other platforms can be used to gather intelligence, locate suspects, find crucial clues, and get the word out about cases to the public. A 2013 report from The Police Executive Research Forum indicates 80 percent of police departments used social media regularly for investigations and the associated official regarded social media investigations as “critically important to the future.”
  • Augmented reality is an interactive experience wherein technological information and virtual objects are overlaid onto real-world scenes in real-time. One great example of this technology is Google Glasses or HoloLens glasses. By using these types of glasses, a foot patrol officer can get information on homes and business he or she passes, and special face recognition software can analyze people he/she passes to compare to BOLO descriptions or those with outstanding warrants. In an October 2017 news report, the multimedia company VRScout reported on HoloLens, describing how it can be used to map out crime scene layouts and evidence and immediately share them with others, allowing for better workflow and collaboration. The company cited Nick Lyall, superintendent of the Bedfordshire (United Kingdom) police, who said, “As a detective, I can also say that its ability to scan crime scenes and create a mapped 3D version will allow for a reduction in cross-contamination issues and allow for investigators to visualize in real time the scenes of major crime.”
  • According to the Department of Homeland Security, biometrics are unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, that can be used for automated recognition. Officers may soon have small handheld devices to take accurate fingerprints, DNA samples, or other biological markers at the scene of a crime, or from suspects in the field, to compare to fingerprints in the system. The databases and technology continue to improve the collection and accuracy of the samples. The FBI maintains the largest database of biometric and criminal history information in the Next Generation Identification (NGI) system. The FBI is also working on new technology in facial services, voice recognition, palm print technology, and iris scans.
  • Allied Market Research defines situational awareness systems as security systems that help in collecting, visualizing, and analyzing information related to the surrounding and remote environment to facilitate surveillance as well as security. These systems also help in threat identification, assessment, strategy planning, risk analysis, and course-of-action development, and as a result find maximum application in the military and aerospace industries. Currently in use in New York City, the Domain Awareness System (DAS) uses data from a number of outside hosts and sources to provide instant access to photos and video. Jointly built by the NYPD and Microsoft, DAS uses the largest network of cameras, license plate readers, and sensors in the world. The system gives officers instant information about calls in progress, allowing officers a quick glimpse that helps guide an appropriate response to an ongoing situation. TDAS also contains a GPS system that is installed in over 5,000 police vehicles, designed to manage patrols and assist with police safety. The NYPD reports that DAS also gives officers in the field access to 911 data, alerts in real time, and translator apps to help with community members who do not speak English. On the management front, DAS allows commanding officers access to predictive analytics and data visualization so they can efficiently and effectively place patrols where and when they are most needed.

Technology is reshaping the world of police work. From the FBI to small-town police departments, law enforcement agencies are adopting new technologies, from the use of social media to drones to facial recognition software. When used properly, these advances can assist police officers in more effectively “protecting and serving” the public.  Hear from alumni Kane Tomlin as he discusses his policing career and how technology influences it daily on Candid Careers.

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

 

 

Faculty Focus: Kathryn Saintcross

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Life is full of impactful moments, ones that take you from someplace you expected to a path of invigorating unfamiliarity. That unfamiliar path can be exciting and often delivers individuals to an ongoing series of rewarding experiences.

Just ask Excelsior College instructor Kathryn Saintcross. A faculty member since 2014, the native of Burlington, Vermont, earned undergraduate degrees in psychology, business administration, and retailing and merchandising from her hometown Trinity College and Champlain College. These degrees led her into a variety of fields, concentrating on such focuses as management, team development and training, and technical writing throughout the public and private sector, starting in 1976.

But when she decided to pursue an MBA, she elected to eschew another brick-and-mortar locale and enroll with Excelsior College.

“I can remember feeling nervous and overwhelmed as I started my first graduate course. I wondered if I would be successful earning a degree online,” said Saintcross, who now lives in New York’s Capital Region. “Like many adult learners, I was raising a family, working full-time, [plus] taking care of an elderly neighbor, and doing other volunteer work. Time was a precious commodity. Gratefully, I had a wonderful professor and I began to relax and excel in my work.”

And Saintcross understood the importance of good instruction. Over the years, she’d served as a teacher in a variety of capacities, working with everyone from young children with learning disabilities and adolescents with behavioral problems, to adult learners eager to pursue new avenues. But after earning her master’s at Excelsior (where she also served as an academic advisor), she was encouraged to extend her experience to other students—so she became an adjunct instructor.

Since 2014—when began teaching business-related Organizational Behavior and Management Concepts and Applications courses—Saintcross has been an integral part of the Excelsior experience, aiming to extend the kind of instruction that such an impact on her education. This starts and ends with the students, and she points to them as the reason she’s moved to the front of the class.

“I have enjoyed many wonderful teaching moments at Excelsior College and can only credit them to the students,” she says. “It’s great when they make connections between theoretical information and actual business practices. When I can help them gain a deeper understanding of their own styles and tendencies and how they relate to others in the business world, that’s even more exciting.”

According to Saintcross, these experiences have been numerous. The student with a full-time job, three young children, and an infant who somehow managed to always hit her assignment deadlines. The student who suffered through a chronic medical condition while protecting his family from Hurricane Irma, yet still earned an impressive grade. The student whose critical thinking and reflection allowed him to understand himself and the world around him in a whole new way. All are part of the collective experience of the Excelsior student, and all have helped to enrich an instructor intent on preparing students for the days after their degrees.

She’s helping them navigate their own shifting narratives, all while they add to her ongoing and continuously fulfilling Excelsior adventure.

“Many students have created their own impressive success stories through determination, hard work, and perseverance,” says Saintcross. “I am just there to guide, encourage, and empower them along their journey and it is an honor and privilege to do so.”

 

More from Kathryn Saintcross:

Important skills for success

In a time when texting and social media have made sentence fragments and spelling mistakes the norm, students need to understand the importance of writing skills for both undergraduate- and graduate-level coursework. “Students who have strong written English skills tend to have an easier time and earn better grades,” says Saintcross. “A common grading criterion on the grading rubrics pertains to writing style, spelling, and grammar.

Why Excelsior works for today’s students

The modern, multitasking student is often without blocks of unassailable time to accommodate stand course schedules. That’s why, in Saintcross’s estimation, Excelsior’s eight-week courses—scheduled six times per year—make incredible sense to any student. “This allows traditional and nontraditional students the opportunity to advance through their degrees rather quickly, as they do not have to wait for the longer spring and fall terms that traditional schools offer.”

An under-the-radar benefit of the Excelsior experience

With every college experience, a particular institution’s resources—whether on campus or throughout its host communities—can mean the difference between frustration or a future. According to Saintcross, this “unsung hero” at Excelsior is its Career Center. “[The center] offers all kinds of useful information and support to help students prepare for the job of their dreams. Students can even schedule a free consultation with a career counselor.”

 One thing learned as a faculty member she wished she knew as a student

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This can be hard to accept for those used to excellence, but it’s all part of a process that, success or failure, always ends in an education. “I learned it is perfectly okay to be a perfectionist in my academic endeavors, but it is not necessary,” says Saintcross. “I encourage students to do their best, but also to relax a bit and enjoy the learning experience.”