Ahmad Zargaran of Prague, Czech Republic, earned a Bachelor of Science in 2014. He shares, “The academic degree I earned helped me a lot in my career in consulting engineering work prior to my retirement in 2019. I gained respect, leisure, seniority, and better financial rewards. I thank my friends that encouraged me to continue my education via Excelsior University. We moved to Czech Republic for retirement with my Czech-born wife. We recently bought a home here and love it. Thank you, Excelsior University staff, for helping me to gain my degree that has been long due.”
Carol Boswell, Associate of Science in Nursing, 1994
Carol Boswell of Sunriver, Oregon, earned an Associate of Science in Nursing in 1994. She shares, “My nursing career has continued since completing my ASN with Regents in 1994. The additional education allowed me to grow professionally to include working in a Level 3 NICU in California as a member of the neonatal critical care transport team. As years went by, I transitioned into community-based nursing care, with an emphasis on children/family care. During the COVID pandemic, I worked full time as a community immunization nurse. I am currently employed with a large health care facility in occupational medicine.”
Christopher Mullins, Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts, 2001
Christopher Mullins of Port Charlotte, Florida, earned a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts in 2001. Dr. Christopher Mullins completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts at Excelsior College before his discharge from the U.S. Navy, where he served as a submariner. He has subsequently completed a Master of Science in Physical Education with a specialization in Health Education and Health Promotion from Mississippi State University, an Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership, and a Doctor of Education in School Leadership, both from Saint Leo University. Dr. Mullins has a Florida professional teaching certificate with endorsements in educational leadership (all levels), general science (5-9), social sciences (6-12), health (K-12), and exceptional student education (K-12). He currently works as the lead middle school science teacher and middle school mathematics tutor at Mid Cape Global Academy in Cape Coral, Florida.
Boyi Bokar Sr., Associate of Science in Nursing, 2010
Boyi Bokar Sr., of Durham, North Carolina, earned an Associate of Science in Nursing in 2010. He shares, “I earned my associate degree in Nursing in 2010, passed the NCLEX Exam and acquired my first nursing job with a teaching hospital, the University Of North Carolina Hospitals at Chapel Hill. In 2013, I enrolled in Winston-Salem State University as an undergraduate and graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. In 2016, I joined the VA Health System as a staff nurse in an inpatient acute psychiatric unit. Years later, I enrolled in the online Psychiatric Mental Health master’s program at Maryville University as a part-time student. At the same time, I maintained my full-time employment, and in 2022, I graduated with a master’s in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. Now, I am a board-certified Nurse practitioner working with the Marion, Illinois, VA Medical Center.”
Margaret Hartmann, Bachelor of Science in Sociology, 2013
Margaret Hartmann of Cresco, Pennsylvania, earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology in 2013. She shares, “I was just recently elected to the board of directors for the Monroe County Habitat for Humanity. I am also active in the PA League of Women Voters as well as the Monroe County League of Women Voters.”
Jimmy Briggs, Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts, 1999
Jimmy Briggs of Spanish Fork, Utah, earned a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts in 1999. He shares, “Since my degree was very general (Liberal Arts), the greatest benefit from completing it was using it as a launch pad to a master’s program, which I completed in 2004. After I retired from the U.S. Army in 2009, both degrees helped me to get a job in the corporate world as a technical writer, which I am still doing today and has been a very successful second career.”
Technology Trends in Electrical Engineering
From the first telephone wires to cell phones, innovations in electrical engineering have revolutionized how we connect and live. As the demands of modern society grow and change, electrical engineering continues to evolve, too, improving our efficiency, safety, energy management, automation, and connectivity. New technologies are always being introduced, but let’s check out some of the most recent developments that have helped advance society.
What Are Some Recent Innovations in Electrical Engineering?
Advances in electrical engineering help increase the economy, improve safety and health care, solve global challenges, and make for a more connected future. Here are a few of the new technologies in the field.
Smart Grids
Smart grids use digital communication and automation to manage electricity generation, distribution, management, and consumption. Traditional power grids are limited in their ability to adapt to real-time changes. Instead, smart grids use sensors, smart meters, and advanced communication systems to adjust to fluctuating energy needs. These grids incorporate renewable energy sources more effectively, as well, promoting a sustainable future. Smart grids also allow households and corporations to generate their electricity, meaning consumers don’t have to rely on traditional power companies—and may even be able to sell surplus electricity back to the grid.
Energy Storage Systems
Energy storage systems (ESS) hold on to and later provide energy when renewable sources like solar and wind aren’t producing power. They promise a source of continued supply and a longer lifespan. ESS can come in a variety of forms: chemical (batteries), mechanical (pumped hydropower, flywheels), thermal (molten salt), and electromagnetic (superconducting systems). Advanced batteries enhance capacity, safety, and cost-effectiveness, making energy storage more efficient. ESS is helping to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, supporting clean energy, and helping nations achieve net-zero goals.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) enhances efficiency, reliability, and innovation in electrical engineering technologies. AI uses machine learning to analyze data to proactively schedule maintenance on lots of equipment and machinery, minimizing downtime for many businesses. Fault detection systems use AI to diagnose issues in power grids; AI optimizes the energy flow to support eco-friendly solutions to supply and demand patterns. Beyond energy, AI-driven automation is helping food manufacturing industries maintain optimal food environmental conditions and is being utilized in areas like circuit design, energy forecasting, and more.
The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the totality of devices that collect, analyze, and share data. These “smart” devices can range from thermostats and smartwatches to entire smart cities. IoT is essential in building smart grids, smart lighting, and other electrical engineering projects. For example, 5G technology has increased the adoption of IoT products, boosting innovations like smart homes, temperature monitoring, machine performance, and good lighting.
Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EVs) play an increasingly significant role in the modern world, with innovations in battery technology, charging infrastructure, and power electronics. EVs have shorter charging times, improved battery lives, and efficient power usage, which, along with reduced emissions, makes them appealing to consumers. They contribute to a decreased dependency on fossil fuels, supporting efforts to fight climate change. Improvements in battery development, charging technologies, and AI and IoT integration are primed to push the EV industry further.
What’s Next for Electrical Engineering Technology?
Significant advancements are set to continue, driven by new technologies like AI and the IoT. Energy storage solutions, EVs, battery technologies, and grid stability will continue to improve, and we can expect breakthroughs in cryptography and other computer fields. As new technologies emerge, electrical engineers and electrical engineering technologists and technicians will play a critical role in shaping the future; the demand for these professionals will rise as nearly every industry adopts rapidly advancing technologies.
To take advantage of this growing and lucrative field, consider pursuing your degree in electrical engineering technology and get started on a beneficial and rewarding career in shaping the future of technology.
Spotlight on Leadership: What the ASL Chapter Councilor Means to Me
Mary Berkery, department chair, Degree Completion and Liberal Arts for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Excelsior University, was featured in the Alpha Sigma Lambda honor society’s Spotlight on Leadership blog. Mary serves as the chapter councilor for the honor society’s Sigma Zeta chapter at Excelsior University, and wrote a reflection on the importance of this community to learners.
Is It the Right Time to Get a Degree?
Determining whether it’s the right time to pursue a college degree depends on a range of factors. You should evaluate your goals, timing, financial readiness, market trends, and whether you’re even ready for school. Weighing the benefits, exploring popular college majors and programs, and fleshing out your priorities can help you make a thoughtful decision about whether now is the time to get your degree.
What Are the Benefits of Getting a College Degree?
Earning a college degree can open many doorways to personal and professional success. It can help you expand your career opportunities, increase your earning potential, and enhance your job security. Let’s explore some of the benefits of pursuing higher education.
More Job Opportunities
A college degree provides access to a broad range of career opportunities requiring advanced education, like health care, engineering, education, and more. Many employers view candidates with college degrees as more skilled and better prepared, and industries that require them continue to see significant growth.
Higher Earning Potential
Individuals with a college degree earn more over their lifetimes than those without one. Higher education often leads to higher-paying roles, with many industries offering substantial salary increases for employees with advanced qualifications, making college a prudent financial investment.
Lower Unemployment Rate
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), unemployment rates decrease as degree levels increase. Those with advanced degrees, such as master’s or doctoral degrees, experience the lowest unemployment rates. Graduates are more likely to find and retain jobs, so earning a college degree enhances job opportunities and increases job security.
What’s the Best Degree to Pursue?
Persuaded by the upside of a college degree but unsure of which direction to take your higher education? The best degree for you depends on your interests, strengths, and career plans, and it’s essential for you to research to find the program that matches your goals. However, the following are some degrees that might interest you based on current market trends and popular demand.
Computer Science
In a computer science degree program, you would study computational systems and their operation and pick up analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills. The typical curriculum covers programming, algorithms, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, computer architecture, robotics, gaming technology, and more, gaining you entry to the technology, finance, and health care industries. Computer science degree holders are in good shape financially; employment in the computer and information technology field is projected to grow from 2023 to 2033, with about 356,700 openings annually, and the median annual wage of these jobs is about $104,420, as of May 2023.
Business
In bachelor’s programs in business and/or management, students study subjects like accounting, finance, marketing, economics, statistics, and human resources. These college degree programs teach students budgeting, planning, hiring, how to manage organizations, and concepts like diversity, ethics, and politics. Students can also specialize in many different areas, like entrepreneurship, international business, and supply chain management. With a business degree, students can start careers in finance, marketing, consulting, and management, or launch their own businesses.
Health Care Administration
Emerging health care technologies like remote patient monitoring, electronic health records, and telehealth are transforming patient care, operational efficiency, and security. Students can enter this technologically advanced health care industry by pursuing a degree in health care management. In such a program, students study key areas like health care law, finance, human resources, ethics, quality improvement, and strategic planning so they’re prepared to effectively manage health care teams, ensure patient satisfaction, and navigate complex regulations. With this knowledge, they can be prepared to pursue roles like hospital administrator or health care manager.
Nursing
The BLS reported the median annual wage for registered nurses to be $86,070 as of 2023, with a robust 6% employment growth of RNs projected through 2033. Nursing students study anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, patient care, ethics, and health care policy. They learn to assess, diagnose, and treat patients, manage health care plans, and work with other professionals. A nursing degree can prepare students to work in various health care settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and schools, or in nursing leadership, education, and research.
Liberal Arts
It’s true that liberal arts graduates don’t command the same salaries as those in STEM or health care fields, but on average, they take in $20,000 more than workers whose highest level of education is high school. And liberal arts grads frequently advance into more specialized, sought-after roles, from human resources and management to public relations, advertising, and marketing.
A liberal arts degree offers a broad education across humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics, cultivating broad cognitive skills like solving problems, thinking critically, and being creative. It prepares students for diverse careers in industries like education, business, government, and the arts. For example, jobs in psychology are in high demand, so those pursuing a psychology degree are well positioned to enter the job market. Indeed, the BLS projects a 7% growth in employment of psychologists in the decade leading up to 2033, nearly double the average rate for all occupations.
Matching a Degree with Your Career Goals
When choosing a college major/degree program, you must think about your talents, skills, education, career goals, and life experiences. You should think about how these factors line up with different career paths. Don’t forget to research the job availability, salaries, and growth in employment for fields of interest. Work-life balance and job satisfaction are also important to consider. By weighing these factors, you can better decide which degree matches your long-term goals, values, and financial needs.
If you’re ready to explore college degree programs, check out Excelsior University’s many areas of study.
Leadership Followership Dynamics in Startup Evolution: A Multifaceted Study
Leah Sciabarrasi presented findings from her study on leadership and followership practices in startup evolution, examining how these dynamics evolve as companies grow; and co-led a World Cafe workshop exploring trust-building and followership during organizational change at the International Leadership Association (ILA) Conference in Chicago in November 2024. She will be chairing the ILA Followership Community in 2025, now one of the largest communities in the ILA.
- ILA Conference Presentation Oct 2024 wrap up: https://www.leahsciabarrasi.com/2024/12/20/presentation-leadership-followership-dynamics-in-startup-evolution-a-multifaceted-study/
- Global Followership Conference Presentation April 2024 wrap-up: https://www.leahsciabarrasi.com/2024/06/11/leadership-and-followership-in-startups/
- Followership Community: https://ilaglobalnetwork.org/member-communities/followership/
Top 5 Computer Programming Languages of 2025
Behind all language is the concept that systems of patterns can create meaning greater than the sum of their parts. But how do you create meaning for a machine? Programming languages were developed to answer this very question. Bridging the gap between human language and mechanical function, these technical lexicons build, change, and control the ways in which computers work. And just like you would switch the language you speak depending on what country you visit, developers use different coding languages depending on what systems they need to program.
What Is a Programming Language?
In the late 1700s, humans began to mechanize our work. Early manufacturing systems were revelatory, but the machines were cumbersome, complicated, and still required heavy physical labor to operate. As the Industrial Revolution progressed, people began to look for ways to “tell” mechanical systems what to do so they could be operated with less effort.
The earliest example of what of we would call a programming language was patented by Joseph-Marie Jacquard in 1804. The Jacquard loom was able to weave complicated designs into fabric with a series of punched paper cards featuring patterns that could be “read” by a system of pegs, springs, and weights that lowered and raised parts of the loom, controlling the threads as they moved through the machine, just as an operator might do manually. Each linked chain of cards could create a different pattern.
Jacquard’s loom changed manufacturing forever. And what’s more, its hole punch on-off system would essentially evolve into the binary code of ones and zeroes that fundamentally operates all modern computers we know today.
What Are the Most Popular Programming Languages?
Although the humble paper card continued to be used in computing up until the late 1970s, today, hundreds of different languages exist, designed to program everything from algorithms and artificial intelligence to web development. Each language has its own set of rules and structure for writing code, similar to how grammar governs spoken language. Here are five of the most popular in use today.
Python
Python is considered one of the most beginner-friendly programming languages thanks to a syntax and structure that’s similar to English. This versatile language is used for a wide range of applications, including web development, data analytics, automation, and machine learning. Free to use and modify, Python has a large community of users contributing to its development.
JavaScript
JavaScript is a core coding language of the web as we know it. This language is a structured and efficient way to write code and allows developers to create dynamically updating content like autocompleting forms, moving graphics, pop-up menus, clickable buttons, and multimedia controls.
A 2024 technology use survey from Stack Overflow, an online knowledge-sharing platform for technologists, found that JavaScript was the most frequently used programming language by tens of thousands of developers worldwide.
C++
C++ is primarily used for building high-performance, complex software applications that require fast execution and efficient memory management. This code is ideal for areas such as system software, game development, operating systems, web browsers, databases, and algorithms that need to run quickly on a variety of devices while maximizing resources.
C#
C# (pronounced “C sharp”) is a flexible general-purpose programming language used to build a wide variety of applications across different platforms, including desktop, web, mobile apps, software, and particularly video games. Introduced by Microsoft in 2000, C# is considered the primary language for building applications on the Windows operating system.
Java
Java is a programming language that can be executed within a simulated virtual environment called the Java Virtual Machine. This platform independence makes it a popular choice for mobile applications, cloud-based systems, chatbots, and other marketing tools, as well as powering enterprise-level web applications like customer management systems.
How Do You Get Started?
Having at least a familiarity with coding languages is usually a basic requirement for anyone looking to enter a computing field, and it’s common for experienced programmers to have fluency in several languages. If you are brand new to programming, there are many free online resources available for beginner coders to start learning. With any new language, it’s important to practice using it. Sites like Codecademy, freeCodeCamp, Khan Academy, and W3Schools offer interactive courses and tutorials with opportunities for you to experiment with code and test your work.
To advance in tech industries, you’ll need more than just programming language skills, and most computer and information technology occupations require well-rounded candidates with at least a bachelor’s degree. Excelsior offers a bachelor’s degree in computer science, cybersecurity, and information technology to help you crack the code to building your dream tech career!
Scoping Review: A Hybrid Delivery Model of Pain Management
Brian Pervis, department chair, School of Nursing, published the clinical article “Scoping Review: A Hybrid Delivery Model of Pain Management” in Pain Management Nursing. This research explores hybrid approaches to pain management, contributing to evidence-based practice in the field.
