Many adults go back to college to gain the knowledge and skills that will help them advance in their current career or start a new one. As students engage in their program of study at Excelsior College, requirements in the majors focus on helping students acquire the career-specific skills necessary to work in a chosen profession.

Career-specific skills, however, are no longer enough for working professionals.

To meet the needs of a rapidly changing workplace, professionals today are required to constantly update their skills and adapt to a changing landscape. To ensure graduates are prepared for the future of work, Excelsior College community members, including faculty, academic support staff, and students, developed general education career competencies. These competencies define cross-cutting skills in areas such as communication, problem solving, and ethical reasoning. By focusing on these transferable skills, the general education curriculum ensures graduates are lifelong learners positioned to meet the needs of a constantly changing workplace and environment.

There is uncertainty among employees and employers about what the future of work will look like, but the increased use of automation technology will continually impact the workforce. Jobs will not disappear but will instead shift, requiring workers to possess new sets of skills. In “The New Division of Labor: How Computers are Creating the Next Job Market,” authors Frank Levy and Richard J. Murnane argue that workers of the future will need to be able to quickly process new information, solve unstructured problems, or perform non-routine manual tasks. The general education career competencies will help prepare learners to meet these kinds of challenges.

The general education career competencies encompass seven areas: oral and written communication; mathematical and scientific problem solving; information literacy; cultural diversity and expression; global understanding; ethical reasoning; and professional presence and self-awareness. These areas reflect the most important soft skills employers seek in employees. In an article in Nurse Education Today, Andrew McKrie, faculty of nursing and midwifery at Robert Gordon University, emphasizes the importance of this foundational learning for nurses, stating that this liberal arts curriculum “can influence student nurses’ sense of discernment, enhance their own responsibility for learning, support ethical regard for others, provide different perspectives on human experience and contribute to a balanced curriculum.” Today’s graduates — regardless of their area of study — need career-specific skills to enter the workplace and transferable skills to adapt to change and uncertainty in their professions and lives.

Increasingly, these foundational skills are incorporated into coursework at Excelsior College. Written communication skills, for instance, are embedded across the Excelsior curriculum, including in the core requirements for a major. However, it is not possible for courses in the majors to cover all of the necessary foundational skills when the specialized abilities needed by students to enter and advance in these professions keeps increasing. By directly exposing students to these intellectually demanding competencies, students will be able to better learn them. By integrating these requirements in a way that complements majors, Excelsior faculty members will be able to best prepare students to transfer their knowledge across courses and to their future careers.

Focus on Professional Presence and Self-Awareness

One unique component of the new competencies is the focus on professional presence and self-awareness. Surveys of employers confirm these traits are important in the people they hire. For instance, Hart Research Associates conducts a survey for the American Association of Colleges and Universities on the extent to which graduates are prepared on key skills and abilities. In the 2018 survey, skills associated with professional presence and self-awareness were identified as some of the most important traits sought by employers.

Excelsior community members defined two specific competencies in the professional presence and self-awareness category that are most appropriate for our working adult students. One competency requires students to articulate the norms and conventions of their ideal career field. By requiring students to explain and reflect on these norms, the curriculum is designed to prepare them with the skills and attitudes needed for success in their specific fields. The other competency requires students to develop a career planning strategy that incorporates their strengths, interests, abilities, and values. Through creating individual strategies, students identify the next step in their development as professionals. The revised curriculum also makes students aware of the resources available to assist them on their journey.

Competencies Present from the Start

Undergraduate students will first encounter the general education career competencies in a new component of the curriculum — the Cornerstone course. The Cornerstone is an opportunity for students to chart their career trajectory and to reflect on their mindsets and ambitions. The course was created to help students begin with a strong start as online learners at Excelsior College, and it positions students to be lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and problem solvers. Throughout the course, students learn through responding to questions without a clear right or wrong answer. Through engaging with these questions, students challenge their prior assumptions, consider society’s future dilemmas, and propose solutions to complex problems.

The Cornerstone is oriented thematically around questions about the future, says Mary Berkery, faculty program director for the Cornerstone course. “As part of that focus, the course looks at how the skills learned through general education prepare students for their academic and career futures and can positively impact society, she says. For example, one discussion asks students to consider the future value of higher education and the necessity of teaching concepts like cultural expression and global understanding.”

Once undergraduate students complete the Cornerstone course, they continue into other courses aligned with the general education career competencies and discipline-specific learning outcomes.

At the graduate level, there are nine competency areas incorporated into all programs and these competencies are steeped in general education. “We expect students to focus on their: 1) ethical decision-making; 2) ability to lead and influence; 3) oral and written communication; 4) strategic and analytical thinking; 5) technological literacy and aptitude; 6) innovativeness and entrepreneurial spirt; 7) professional-identity and presence; 8) financial acumen; and 9) awareness of global diversity and inclusion,” says Scott Dolan, dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

Near the end of their undergraduate or graduate studies, students complete a capstone experience. Capstones require students to apply their learning from earlier in their studies or lives. Students demonstrate their mastery of program learning goals and general education career competencies through the integration of what they have learned. Capstone experiences vary by program. In some programs, Capstones involve research projects requiring students to draw upon key skills related to critical thinking, oral and written communication, information literacy, and professional presence and self-awareness. In other programs, Capstones may consist of clinical experiences, requiring them to demonstrate clinical, technological, inter- and intra-personal communication skills, and the ability to integrate professional standards in this work. Regardless of the type of experience, Capstones are intended to foster deep learning and skill mastery.

Both the Cornerstone course and Capstone experiences provide students with the opportunities to engage in deep learning. The mix of general education and program-specific curriculum helps to ensure each of Excelsior’s academic programs effectively prepares students for career entry and advancement in a rapidly changing environment.

At Excelsior College, virtual and in-person internships are a way for adult students to build on their education as well as to gain experience in the workplace and explore different career opportunities. Internships can even — as they have in some instances — serve as a stepping stone into new jobs.

Excelsior’s internship program, the undergraduate course INT 400, officially began in fall 2018 with the first cohort of four students taking part in virtual internships, but the idea for an internship program started long before. Will Trevor, faculty program director for undergraduate business programs and chair of the internship committee, says the idea predates him joining the college in 2016, but he took the lead turning the idea into reality. In early 2018, Trevor and a committee of other faculty program directors and subject matter experts developed the course, making sure its curriculum followed the National Association of Colleges and Employer’s career competencies, which include critical thinking, collaboration, professionalism, and communication, among others, that help ensure career readiness.

After the successful pilot, the INT 400 course was made available over 15 weeks in the Fall I, Spring I, and Summer I trimesters. Students enrolled in the course are required to find their own internship and complete 135 hours of work during the trimester, including various academic and career-relevant activities. The interns also complete a final project relevant to their placement organization. Successful students gain 3 credits toward their degree, which is applied as elective credit. Currently, the internship is limited to students at the bachelor’s level, but a pilot may be in store for the graduate level. “The INT 400 Internship with Excelsior College is a powerful way for a student to boost their resume with an experience that adds value to their career,” Trevor says, “You can show a potential employer that you do have experience already.”

The students in the fall 2018 inaugural group took part in four virtual internships; three students were placed at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, and the fourth student worked as a social media intern at Excelsior College. Despite some challenges, such as time zone differences, all the students expressed satisfaction that the internship had provided a useful and valuable experience. The first cohort was so successful that a subsequent survey was sent to undergraduate students about their interest in the internship course. More than 800 students expressed interest in taking part in the program. Some of the successful interns from the fall 2018 and spring 2019 trimester cohorts include Ginger Hamblin, Patricia Dugger, Angela Cheek, and Tara Beers.

Ginger Hamblin Uses Her Internship to Gain Employment

Ginger Hamblin, of Fort Hood, Texas, is pursuing her liberal arts degree with an emphasis in professional and technical writing with Excelsior. After taking a few years out of work to take care for her sons with special needs, Hamblin decided it was time to head back into the workforce, and knew she needed some experience along with a degree. That’s when she decided a virtual internship with Excelsior would fit in with her plans.

Hamblin enjoys writing papers, generating documentation, and exploring new technologies; she says it lets her explore her creativity. So, it was only fitting that she found an internship where she could practice her writing abilities and develop new technical skills. After registering for INT 400 and expressing interest in interning with someone at Excelsior, she was placed with Frank Crocco, then the director of the Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL). The OWL contains a variety of interactive multimedia activities, quizzes, videos, interactive PDFs, and games designed to help writers understand important concepts about writing.

During the three-month internship, Hamblin wrote posts for the OWL’s blog, “Hoot,” created infographics, and developed posts for the OWL’s Facebook page. Crocco reviewed and edited her work, and with the aid of other Excelsior staff working on the OWL, she learned how to use the WordPress platform and Canva, an online graphic design tool website. Hamblin says the experience working on the OWL was enjoyable and beneficial because she was “able to create what I wanted to create, and then got the feedback on how it could be improved, so that I can improve my skill.” She adds that, “I don’t think any experience is good or bad, it’s just what you make of it, and I took what I could from it.”

Hamblin used her experience interning with the OWL to apply for other internship opportunities. She says she included the Excelsior internship experience on her resume and posted it on LinkedIn to show potential employers that she is able to work virtually, independently, and can succeed without being micromanaged. She soon came across GenM, a company that matches candidates with virtual apprenticeships. She was matched with two businesses: one with a naturopathic doctor in Ottawa, Canada, and the other with an entrepreneur in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Hamblin interned with the entrepreneur in Bainbridge Island, helping the businesswoman secure funding for a patent-pending product she was developing. Hamblin maintained the small company’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, wrote blog posts, and helped develop media kits. She also reached out to key influencers and donors to ask for their collaboration and donations. The best part, says Hamblin, was that before finishing the internship, she was offered a job with the company. “If I hadn’t done that [Excelsior] internship, I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now. So, I’m super happy,” she says.

Patricia Dugger Gains Real-World Experience from Her Internship

Patricia Dugger, of Havre de Grace, Maryland, is the coordinator of the fitness and wellness center on the Dundalk campus of the Community College of Baltimore County. She enjoys helping people and has an associate degree in general studies, focused in English and Psychology, from Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland. Dugger decided, however, that she needed to return to school to make a change from her current career. “My passion is in mental health. Entering this field would require specialized training that, unfortunately, would require me to come back to school so that I could actually do a complete and total career change,” she says. Dugger says she was interested in an internship because it would give her an inside look at the mental health field before she made a final decision about switching careers.

Dugger did not complete a virtual internship; rather, she was one of Trevor’s first students to complete an in-person internship. Trevor says Dugger’s internship was an important milestone in the internship program because it meant that INT 400 was flexible and customizable enough for students who wanted either a virtual or real-life experience. It could be applied to students with different lifestyles, in different parts of the country or world, and looking to fulfill specific needs.

Dugger searched websites for interning opportunities with rehabilitation and mental health facilities in her area and after several possibilities fell through, Dugger landed an internship with Key Point Health Services based out of Aberdeen. The organization is a private, non-profit mental health care facility providing treatment for a wide range of psychiatric and psychological health concerns. Computer training, counseling, academics, domestic, janitorial, ceramic, clerical, and physical education classes are offered in the psychiatric rehabilitation programs, geared toward people transitioning from the hospital back to the community.

Dugger says “What you put into your internship is what you’re going to get out. If you don’t go in with a positive attitude … you’re not going to get anything out of it. You have to actually do the work.” As for her, Dugger gained valuable experience working directly with people with mental health issues. She assisted with Key Point Health Service’s daily operations, but also helped the rehabilitation counselor in the rehabilitation programs by passing out papers and reading parts of the day’s lesson. She even filled in for a counselor one day and taught a lesson on effective communication.

As the final project part of the INT 400 course, Dugger focused her research and work around sound therapy. In sound therapy, or sound healing as it is often called, sounds produced by the human voice, music, or other special instruments are used to help improve brain wave functions. Dugger focused her project on how music can be used to treat mental health disorders. After researching, designing, and selecting appropriate music, Dugger conducted a sound therapy session for clients in an adult psychiatric rehabilitation program. Dugger gave an overview prior to starting and provided art supplies, including paper, color markers, and color pencils, to those who wished to draw while listening for added stress reduction. The overall objective was to reduce stress and to support treatment and recovery goals.

From her project, Dugger learned sound therapy works best in smaller settings and recommended that Key Point Health Services conduct any future sound therapy sessions in smaller rooms with a limited number of participants. Dugger was so inspired by her findings that she has decided to conduct a larger study on the topic, perhaps when she pursues her master’s degree in applied psychology at Walden University. She hopes to one day work in a therapeutic setting in crisis intervention.

Angela Cheek’s Internships Give Her an Edge Over the Competition

Angela Cheek, of East Moline, Illinois, is a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service, but her goal is to develop and design websites. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology with Excelsior because, she says, the online format allows her to obtain a quality education while being able to balance life, work, education, and maintain a more flexible schedule. Since she enjoys Excelsior’s online course setup, Cheek thought she would pursue a virtual internship with the College. “I felt that participating in an internship would give me valuable experiences and skills that I couldn’t get anywhere else, and use them towards my future career field in information technology,” she says.

Cheek had the opportunity and the necessary amount of elective credits available to take two internships, the first in fall 2018 with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria. The IAEA is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to prevent its use for military purposes. In this internship, Cheek created a survey she then sent to nuclear program directors at universities across the United States. “Once I collected the survey results, I analyzed the data to determine what kind of nuclear programs would be the most effective,” she says. With the results, IAEA chose a nuclear program that fit its needs based on price, materials, and other data that Cheek uncovered.

Cheek’s second internship took place during spring 2019 with Move the Mindset, an organization based in Louisiana whose mission is to promote social justice. Cheek worked with a member of the organization to develop a website that showcases Move the Mindset’s mission, campaigns, and contributions. During the experience, Cheek learned how to use the WordPress platform, which she says was somewhat of a challenge. In the end, she says she was able to create a website that was “functional and easy for someone to make adjustments later on if need be.”

“Two of the main skills I acquired from my internships are data analysis and web design and development,” says Cheek, noting that these are important skills in the IT field. She says that having participated in the internships with the IAEA and with Move the Mindset has “given her an edge” over others who are going into the same career field as her.

Tara Beers Uses Her Internship to Improve Her Resume

In spring 2019, Tara Beers, of Gambrills, Maryland, graduated from Excelsior with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is a Korean language analyst with the U.S. Navy, but in the future, she wants to be an educational psychologist. She would like to work in schools to help create a more socially and emotionally healthy environment for children, teachers, and administrators.

Originally, Beers joined the Navy because her husband was also in the Navy and his experience seemed like something she might also be interested in. A few years in, while she was pregnant and reading parenting and psychology books, Beers rediscovered a love of psychology.

“When I was little, I was always curious about what was causing people to behave certain ways … I was always curious why someone was doing that, and why someone was acting out, or why they were going out of the way for certain things,” she explains. Excelsior’s online bachelor’s program fit in with Beers’ busy schedule and was especially helpful since she has ADHD. Attending college online was a good option because there was no requirement to be in class a certain amount of time and the format allowed her to focus on her assignments one at a time.

Beers thought a virtual internship would be a good experience; it would allow her to gain credits toward her degree and also allow her to build up her resume. “I saw it as a good opportunity to … gain skills and experiences that would help me move from the job I’m in to a job in the future that would be closer to what I want to do,” she says.

During her time as an Excelsior College social media intern, Beers analyzed social media traffic and researched different methods to increase online engagement. For instance, she experimented with different blog posts, images, Facebook posts, and other content to see what resonated best with audiences. She studied the various school Facebook pages Excelsior had at the time to see whether combined pages would function better for the College. She also explored competitor institutions to see how they used social media. “My internship experience taught me the complexities of internet engagement, the positive outcomes that come from engaging others online, and helped me learn a new skill and gain connections,” says Beers.

Beers hopes to use what she learned from her internship as she progresses in her career: “In the future when I change careers, I believe the internship experience and the connections I made will help me.”

The Importance of an Internship Program

Participating in an internship will have an impact on the students beyond the trimester. “You [the student] are going to develop a range of skills and competencies that will benefit you in the workplace and aid you in your career,” says Trevor. He has identified five specific advantages he believes can be gained from an internship: it allows for career exploration, it’s a powerful resume builder, it can be considered an extended job interview, it allows development of a professional network, and it’s an opportunity to gain career-relevant skills. An internship lets students see whether they need to improve certain skills and helps them determine if a certain career is a good fit. It can also help add experience to a resume, he says.

Based on the experiences of the fall 2018 and spring 2019 cohorts, Trevor believes INT 400 has been valuable in helping students explore careers and improve their resumes, and there are plans to expand the program in the future. As evidenced by the feedback received, many students have seen much success from their internships so far. Trevor expresses enthusiasm for the program, saying that “Ultimately, the real-world experience gained from an internship will help these students stand out in a crowded employment market and enable them to smash their job searches.”

Two years at a community college, then transfer to a four-year school. It’s a well-worn formula that has become a standard path for budget-conscious learners and the first choice for a growing number of students who see the value in the small class sizes, flexible schedules, and low tuition at their local community college.

For many students, however — especially non-traditional students — the decision to transfer to a four-year school comes with its own challenges. Will they be able to afford tuition? Will they be able to apply all their credits to the bachelor’s program they choose? Will they be able to work a longer commute and different class schedule around a job and family?

Excelsior College recognizes that although many students leaving community college want to continue on to earn their bachelor’s degree, they face significant obstacles in making the transition to a traditional, four-year school. Seeing an opportunity to work with community colleges and extend its mission of educational opportunity for all, Excelsior developed the 3+1 Bachelor’s Completion Program in 1990. Providing a unique pathway to earn a bachelor’s degree, the 3+1 program lets students earn credit at their community college for an additional year after earning their associate degree and then, in consultation with Excelsior’s academic advisors, seamlessly transfer into one of Excelsior’s bachelor’s degree programs to earn the remaining 30 credits toward their degree. The 3+1 program benefits are available to students from any accredited community college nationwide, regardless of whether the institution has a partnership with Excelsior College, although students from partner schools also receive special pricing.

SUNY Broome Community College located in Binghamton, New York, has been an Excelsior partner for nearly three decades and its president, Kevin Drumm, has seen firsthand how the program benefits students. His college has been a partner of Excelsior’s since the program’s inception and is one of its most robust supporters. “We’ve had many students through the years tell us that they wish they could stay at SUNY Broome to earn their bachelor’s degree. Partnerships like the one we enjoy with Excelsior College makes this possible,” he says.

By allowing students to earn more credit at the community college level, the 3+1 program is a substantially more affordable way to complete a bachelor’s degree compared with the cost of two years at a traditional four-year school. Excelsior’s online degree programs are an added benefit to students looking for flexibility. Drumm encourages SUNY Broome students, especially those working while in school, to consider the 3+1 program. “While most students choose Broome for our strong academic programs, many also choose SUNY Broome for the cost savings,” says Drumm. “Excelsior continues this affordability dynamic upon transfer. Add in Excelsior’s common-sense approach to transferring credits, and a student just can’t lose. You get a great education at low cost … We know that our online partner colleges, such as Excelsior, play an important role in making higher education accessible to all. Without online options, these students may find it very difficult to continue their education to the bachelor’s level and beyond.”

A key benefit of the program is that Excelsior offers students transfer guides and the opportunity to work with an admissions counselor during their final year at their community college to devise a course plan that makes the best use of their time and credit. These transfer guides ensure students take only the courses they need to earn a bachelor’s degree, which in turn means even greater cost savings and a stress-free transfer into the Excelsior College bachelor’s degree program of their choice.

Columbia Greene Community College, in Hudson, New York, is another early adopter of the 3+1 program and Bill Mathews, professor and department chairperson of advising, has seen the benefits the program has had for the college’s students. “It [the 3+1 program] provides an amazing opportunity for our students to receive their bachelor’s degree while remaining at Columbia-Greene for extra credits beyond their associate degree. The partnership provides clearly stated degree requirements, professional advisement, and tremendous cost savings for our students,” he says. Columbia Greene’s most popular 3+1 degree path is the nursing program, Mathews reports, noting that the online classes are an added incentive for students balancing work and family. “Excelsior provides flexibility, which is greatly needed and appreciated by the busy working adult student,” he adds.

As of 2019, the Kentucky Community & Technical College System is Excelsior’s newest partner and was specifically attracted to the partnership because of the 3+1 program, reports Lisa Romano-Arnold, Excelsior’s regional director of government and workforce partnerships. “KCTCS makes every effort to create lifelong learning opportunities for our graduates, staff, and faculty. Our new partnership will provide additional access to higher education to help [them] achieve their educational goals of advancing their degrees, advancing their careers, and improving their lives,” says Harmony Little, career pathways director at KCTCS.

In addition to helping students on the path toward their degree, Excelsior’s 3+1 program supports the mission of community colleges and the vital educational opportunities they provide to communities all across the United States. Broome Community College books approximately $200,000 of tuition and fee revenue annually from the program based on current fall 2019 data and projected spring 2020 enrollment figures. Drumm reports, “Of the current 47 students enrolled in our bachelor’s partnership program, 45 have earned their associate degree at the college — which is, statistically speaking, a completion rate of more than 95 percent. That’s an extraordinary student success rate matched only by the top universities and colleges in the nation. How could they not be satisfied alumni with success at that level!”

From Eastern Europe to the Empire State, Elena Honovich makes a seamless transition to her bachelor’s degree with Excelsior’s 3+1 program.

Photo: Sara Forbes – SUNY Broome Photographer

Elena Honovich is one SUNY Broome graduate making the most of the 3+1 program. Originally from Moldova, an Eastern European country located between Romania and Ukraine, Honovich moved to the United States in 2012 and is the owner of a restaurant in Endicott, New York. After she observed one of her employees succeed in earning degrees at both SUNY Broome and Excelsior College, Honovich enrolled at the community college in 2017, earning an associate degree in homeland security in 2018.

Through consultation with a transfer counselor at SUNY Broome, Honovich chose to pursue the 3+1 program with Excelsior College. “I met with [a counselor] and spoke with her and told her what I wanted to do, and she told me this would be a great opportunity for me because I didn’t want to move out of the area. I own a restaurant full-time. I work and study and manage a lot of different businesses. She suggested the Excelsior program because it’s online and I could do it on my time,” Honovich says, mentioning another advantage was the ability to stay longer at the SUNY Broome campus. “While looking at the program, I saw a lot of courses I could take while still on the campus at SUNY Broome. So, I reregistered for another year and got another associate degree in individual studies, and I am now taking my last two courses at Excelsior.”

Honovich was able to transfer 68.5 credits to Excelsior College using the 3+1 program and plans to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a concentration in investigative forensics in 2020. The flexible course schedule was one reason she was able to finish her degree faster than she expected. “I’m taking compressed courses, so instead of 15-week courses, I take 8-week courses and that’s allowed me to finish up my degree in a year. I started in January and I’m done now in December as opposed to being in school for another two full years, so that’s a great benefit,” she says.

She plans on eventually pursuing a career in the federal government, a professional path she feels will make the most of her passion for criminal justice and her unique linguistic skills. “I could have applied with my associate degree to be in the local police department, but I wanted to aim higher. Plus, I know a couple diverse languages, so all my professors kept telling me I should aim for the U.S. Marshals or the FBI,” says Honovich.

Honovich is just one of many students who took advantage of the 3+1 program to complete coursework for a bachelor’s degree in 2019. Excelsior anticipates the program growing exponentially into the future as more students seeking to complete their degrees with minimal debt see its benefits.