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The future is bright for graduates with a liberal arts degree. With the skills needed across disciplines, they are prepared for any career possibility.
Patricia Posey will never forget the day that she passed the Clinical Performance in Nursing Exam; it was on what would have been her grandmother’s birthday: November 11.
Posey’s grandmother was the one who had encouraged her to become an RN. She told Posey to pursue the nursing path when Posey was a young girl. Sadly, she never got to see Posey reach her goal. “For years, I kept telling myself If I had just known how to do CPR, I may have been able to save her life,” Posey recalls, remembering her grandmother dying in front of her. Posey was then determined to pursue nursing. The path was not easy, however. She became a LPN and immediately knew she wanted to pursue her associate degree in nursing. Unfortunately, life threw some stumbling blocks in her way and she needed to focus on family instead of school.
Soon, however, Posey was ready to return to school and decided on Excelsior. “I decided Excelsior would be a good choice for me because it would allow me several options of obtaining my degree.” Posey took advantage of every way she could receive credit; she registered for courses, took exams for credits, and transferred in credit from her time at a community college.
She also took advantage of the resources Excelsior offered to study for the CPNE. Posey says she reviewed her study guide, watched the School of Nursing’s webinar series, “Conversations with Kim,” and other related videos, used the messaging system to ask questions, and attended a workshop.
Her biggest support, though, was her husband. No matter how much she struggled or how exhausted she was, Posey says her husband was right there, cheering her on. In summer 2018, Posey experienced a series of personal challenges when her daughter briefly went missing and then her brother, whom she had recently reconnected with, was murdered. “Without my husband—even though I was so close to finishing—I probably would have given up. I just didn’t have the energy to continue with anything at that point,” recalls Posey. He encouraged her to keep studying and to finish what she started.
And she did just that. Posey passed her CPNE on November 11, 2018 at Faxton St. Luke’s Hospital in Utica, NY. She says her associate degree in nursing means advancement in her career and she isn’t done learning, either. She plans to pursue her bachelor’s and then her master’s. She wants to become a nurse practitioner or focus on education. “Maybe one day I will have the opportunity to be a CE or CA for Excelsior College. How awesome would that be?”
Whether you have a job and are looking to make a change or are currently unemployed, job fairs can be a great way to meet with recruiters. Navigating a job fair can be difficult, though, so here are some great tips to ensure you have a successful job fair experience.
At a typical job far, a recruiter meets hundreds of job or internship seekers. The ones who are prepared and concise stand out. Walk into the room with intention and with clear objectives. The registration or welcome desk will often have a list of employers and/or layout of the fair so you can have an idea of where to start. Be sure to check this list so you know exactly where you’re going and aren’t just wandering aimlessly without clear direction.
Be prepared with collateral both for the job fair and your online presence. Be sure your items are professional and error free. Excelsior’s Career Center has resources for current students that can assist with job search preparation. Have your items reviewed by someone you trust.
• Your resume. Most recruiters prefer an old-fashioned paper resume that they can read on the spot. Successful job fair applicants should bring plenty of concise and informative resumes in a neat briefcase or portfolio.
• Use social networks to your advantage. This can be LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. LinkedIn, which was created for the business community, is an ideal online network for job hunters. Many companies are using LinkedIn to research and find candidates. LinkedIn helps companies leverage the networks of their employees as well. Many successful job fair applicants connect with their recruiters on LinkedIn after their initial meeting.
• Business cards. At minimum your name, email address, and cell phone number should be on the card.
This is a short statement — 30-60 seconds— of who you are and what you are looking for. Remember to mention what you have to offer. Savvy job fair attendees focus on how their experience benefits the company and offer tangible insight on how their skills benefit the employer. The key objective is for the recruiter to be compelled to want more time with you.
The average job fair has 60–100 companies. There will be companies you are somewhat familiar with and others you have no idea what they do. Smart candidates take the time to thoroughly research the job fairs they attend. They find out what companies will be on the premises and decide which companies are of interest to them. They then read as much as they can about their favorite companies. When they arrive at the job fair, they have a short list of companies they want to make a personal connection with. Therefore, research is critical to maximize the event. From your research, have a short list of “must see” companies. Download a list of the companies you are targeting and put them into a central list.
• What they do
• Your elevator ppeech
• Why you are interested
• Two great questions for the recruiter.
• Arrive early so you can review your research before entering the room.
• Go alone so you can completely focus on the event.
• Have your collateral ready.
• Dress professionally and conservatively. Even if you are applying for a position that will likely require a uniform or carpenter pants, wear a freshly pressed suit and comfortable yet professional shoes, and make sure that hair and nails are freshly groomed.
• Manners Matter. Never assume that Mr. Fred Johnson wants to be called Fred. Reference him as “Mr. Johnson” until he says otherwise.
• Recognize the social cues that your interview is over. Many candidates make the mistake of lingering at the booth, or returning to the recruiter repeatedly during the fair. Or they send daily emails to the recruiter asking for progress reports. While appropriate follow-up is important, pestering them will not land you your dream job.
Visit Excelsior’s Career Center; to explore career exploration tools, conduct self-assessments, find careers best fit for you, and more.
The start of year often elicits optimism with self-improvements, whether it’s to get into a more consistent exercise routine, eat better, quit a bad habit, make time for yourself, or just have more balance between work, life, and school. Changing one’s behavior is no easy task, though, especially if time, resources, and support are not heading in the same direction. While there are many theories on how to manage these three factors, here are some agreed-upon steps to help you work toward positive change.
Start with attainable goals that ultimately lead toward the main change desired. We all like to feel successful, and setting small, realistic goals helps move our body and mind in the right direction. This follows the small changes model which holds small steps stack up to big change.
Plan for success by planning for life. As we know, life happens all the time–kids get sick, computers crash, and things at work can snowball—but if we build this into our plan with options to move forward, we are more likely to stay the course to our goal. For example, a work meeting ran late and now there is no time to work out. Build in an extra 10 minutes the next day or plan to park further away for the rest of the day’s errands to get your exercise in. Something is always better than nothing, no matter how small. The more organized you are for your day, the more likely you are to stay on track when life throws a curveball. Overcoming these obstacles also builds confidence and grit, which can be very helpful for staying the course long-term.
Surround yourself with like-minded individuals. Having a support system goes a long way toward positive change. They are a source of encouragement when you go through setbacks and praise you when you reach that next step. They can also be a source of accountability depending on the behavior to change. For example, a friend to walk with or a co-worker to share a healthy meal with during a lunch break help keep the focus on healthy lifestyle choices.
Post your main goal. Writing down a goal is linked with a higher chance of achievement. This may be a quote on your phone or a note on the refrigerator. As a collegiate distance runner, I wanted to break a 5-minute mile. I hand decorated a Post-It note with the time “4:58” and put it on my door so I could view it often. After hard work and time, I broke the 5-minute barrier with a 4:57 time.
When setting goals, it is important to be SMART with the approach: “specific, measurable, achievable (or action oriented), realistic, and time-oriented.” We all are individuals and as such, one or more of the steps may resonate versus the others. Regardless, you deserve the shot to improve your outlook in any capacity that suits your life.
Over the past few months, I had the chance to spend quality time with my family in New Jersey. As I often do, I used the opportunity to grill my younger sister about her career and her next steps.
She’s nearing 30, and is on a great career path. But like all of us, she thinks about her future. And this time she turned the table on me, offering an interrogation of her own. While I was inquiring about when she would be going back to school to get her master’s degree, she wanted to know why I thought a master’s degree was important and how it would impact her life—whether the investment of her time and money would yield significant enough results.
For me the answer was easy. I told her: a master’s degree has the potential to significantly and dramatically transform her life, professionally and personally. I told her that completing a master’s degree helps to:
Education at all levels teaches you important skills, but a master’s degree requires you to think more deeply. At the graduate level, you learn to be comfortable with ambiguity, which requires you to become a better evaluator of ideas and information. This often means developing an ability to ask good questions—sometimes even questioning experts or prevailing views within your field of study. To do this, graduate students are required to seek new evidence, draw inferences based on evidence, and arrive at logical conclusions. No matter what, these are the kinds of skills that employers are looking for and need at all levels in an organization. They need people who are problem solvers and who seek to improve the organization. Beyond that, these are skills that help you in life more generally; they make you a better citizen, a better consumer of information, and a better decision-maker.
While most colleges and universities require undergraduate students to major or specialize in a field, a significant portion of an undergraduate degree is focused on a broad education, and in the United States this is often with a strong liberal arts orientation. A master’s-level education is typically more specialized. You can make a choice to dive deeper into a field of study that you are really interested in or passionate about, and you can focus your study on that discipline. For example, my sister works in marketing, but her organization is primarily operating in the field of finance. She might pursue an MBA and focus her coursework on the field of finance and accounting, which would enable her to understand the operations of her organization and the market she is addressing at a deeper level. Or perhaps her next step within the organization will require her to manage people for the first time, so an MBA might help her develop her skills in management, leadership, and team-building.
No matter what field you pursue at the master’s level, there are tons of opportunities to expand your network of relationships. You will be taught by experts in your field who have the highest academic and professional qualifications. You will be surrounded by students who come from a variety of industries and backgrounds, and who have significant professional experience. You will be learning with other professionals, who come to the courses with real-world knowledge and experience to share with you, thereby exposing you to the contexts of other industries. You can create professional relationships, and often friendships with people. These professional relationships come in handy when you are looking for a new job, a reference, or even just a sounding board.
While I think education does way more than prepare you for a job, I can’t deny the importance of education to career potential and advancement. Jobs increasingly require a college degree as the minimal qualification and there is plenty of evidence that increasing levels of education are important. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median earnings for someone with a master’s degree are worth nearly $10,000 per year and unemployment rates for people with a master’s degree sit at 2.4 percent. Only 12 percent of adults over 25 hold advanced degrees, compared to nearly 37 percent of the population who have bachelor’s degrees.
Let’s face it, we are living and working longer. Over time, the security of employer-provided pensions has all but disappeared, and while 401Ks are common, they operate at the mercy of the market. With a dynamic, and rapidly changing job market, we must remain nimble and flexible. We must continue our learning throughout life and so by going back to school, we can signal to future employers that we are able to stay current and succeed at work while taking on new challenges. We show prospective hiring managers that we are seeking to grow, learn, and advance. It shows the world that you are willing to invest in yourself, set a goal, and accomplish it.
While my sister is used to my routine—and can still give a good eye roll—I know she was listening and that she considered many of the points I made. Like many of you, she is a busy professional, who needs to balance family, work, and time for herself. But she likes a challenge and is up for it. So, you can imagine the proud smile on my face when she reached out by phone to discuss a few of the schools she was considering for her MBA.
Every year, millions of college students complete internships across the United States. For many students, the internship has become a way to boost their resume and a means to gain valuable experience that signals their career readiness to a future employer.
For most students, the first challenge is locating a suitable internship. While Excelsior College may share available opportunities, the student has the primary responsibility of identifying and securing an internship. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help students find a placement, but just like a real job search, the key is to be methodical and organized. You will also need to ask yourself some important questions.
First, you will need to check whether you are eligible.
For example, if you are thinking of taking Excelsior’s INT 400 Internship in one of the three semesters (Spring I, Summer I, and Fall I), make sure you are eligible in terms of the prerequisites for this course:
If you can answer “yes” to these questions, then the internship may be suitable for you. If you need to check your status, or to find out whether you have sufficient available elective credit, then reach out to your academic advisor and they will be able to help you.
Once you have checked that you are eligible, think about the following questions to plan your internship experience:
If you are deployed, for example, a virtual internship may be more relevant to you. If, on the other hand, you would like to gain more hands-on experience and be immersed in the culture of an organization, then a face-to-face internship may work better for you.
Remember that internship course requires you to complete 135 hours over 15 weeks. This breaks down to around 7 hours per week at the internship and roughly 2 hours a week working on the coursework (reflective journals and discussions). If you are working full-time, then you may need to give serious thought as to how this will fit into your schedule, even if you are thinking of a virtual internship.
While there is nothing stopping a student from completing another course at the same time, students need to be aware that an internship will require a significant investment of time to make it successful. It’s not feasible, for example, to put the internship activity off until Sunday, perhaps because of expectations from the organization with which you are interning. The best advice is that the internship should be completed on its own, but if you do need to complete another course simultaneously, it’s recommended to take only one additional course.
After checking your eligibility and deciding on the type of internship you would like to do it is time to start your search. When thinking about the range of internships available, it is important to focus on an experience that will be in the field that you would like to work after you have completed your studies. Perhaps you are interested in HR and you would like to work with a local agency or recruitment firm. Maybe you are interested in cybersecurity or digital marketing and feel that a virtual internship with a company in that field would be the boost your resume needs. Whatever your interest, some of the following resources may help you find that ideal internship:
Someone in your immediate circle of contacts may know someone who could help you secure an internship. Perhaps your neighbor works in an industry in which you are interested. Maybe your family member knows the HR manager at a firm that is looking for interns. Make it known, both in person and via social media, that you are looking for an internship. You may be surprised how effective this type of networking is at helping you find an opportunity.
Whether it is getting a job or an internship, tenacity and persistence are valuable traits to have. If you would like to work with the innovative start-up company in your hometown, make a direct approach to the organization. If there is a friend there, ask them for an introduction. Remember the worst thing that will happen is they will say “no,” but they may give you some advice or even ask you to try later in the year. If they invite you in for a conversation, make sure you take your most recent resume with you. Treat it like an interview and approach it professionally and courteously, thanking them for their time after the meeting has concluded.
With the growth in internships, there is no shortage of online resources with which you can search for potential opportunities. The following is a list of some of the most useful:
Good luck with your internship search!
For more information about the benefits of internships, check out the article: “5 Ways an Internship Can Boost Your Career.”
If you have questions about the INT 400 internship program, send an email to internships@excelsior.edu, or call Will Trevor at 518-608-8189.
The word “serendipitous” can certainly describe a life.
But when it comes to Excelsior College alum Kathryn Elder, the term can also describe a person, one whose breakneck travels, colorful experiences, and career-focused education have transported her to exactly the place she needs to be.
Growing up in Cobleskill, New York, Elder started her ongoing adventure when she arrived at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the late 1980s. After four years at MIT, she earned her BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering before transitioning into a career as a water resource engineer with the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA).
“I chose to take projects with the New England Aquarium, where I would go into classrooms and teach students about how to tell the difference between clean water and dirty water, how to keep water clean, and how to keep the environment clean,” she says.
After living in Boston for six years, Elder and her husband, Brian, started to consider opportunities on the opposite coast. Winters had become rough; and with Brian being from the West Coast and a computer science major, jobs in Silicon Valley were a possibility. In 1995, Sun Technology came calling, and lured the young couple across the country to Northern California. Once there, Elder continued her engineering career at Carlson Design, then East Bay Municipal Utility District. The latter provided the opportunity for her to work on the Penn Mine Project in nearby Lodi, which remedied toxic runoff from an abandoned copper and zinc mine that was killing schools of fish within an East Bay Municipal-maintained reservoir.
But despite her professional satisfaction, Elder started to long for her New England Aquarium-set teaching days, surrounded by the faces of attentive children.
“Volunteering in schools and teaching kids about what I do was my favorite part of my [MWRA] job,” Elder says.
With this realization, the eventual mother of two boys began plotting her next adventure, first inside courses at Oakland’s Patten College to earn her teacher certification, then to the head of class inside elementary schools of her community.
And over the next few years, those communities would have varied locations.
California. Oregon. New York. Elder’s husband’s career kept her family on the move, but once she arrived back in her hometown of Cobleskill in 2004, the Elders finally settled in, with Kathryn teaching fourth and fifth grade inside her former stomping grounds of Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School.
Just one problem: New York State didn’t recognize her graduate credits the same way as California and Oregon. In order to continue her now-fulfilling career as a full-time teacher, she needed to go back to school again—and she did so with Excelsior College.
“I actually received [an Excelsior] brochure in the mail,” she says. “At the time, I was seriously considering SUNY Albany, and I almost committed when I was admitted into its program for curriculum development. However, the New York State regulations had just changed, which no longer led to professional certification of teachers from that program. That made Excelsior a no-brainer.”
Elder began at Excelsior in 2007, taking online classes while expertly juggling responsibilities of teaching and, more importantly, caring for two young children. But in navigating her courses with students while also managing the complexities of a multitasking life, Elder found plenty of relatable company.
“A lot of students were working already just like I was, but everyone had their own story, and they were all so different,” says Elder. “Someone in my class was doing his assignments from a tent in Afghanistan. After hearing this, I couldn’t complain that I was doing my assignments from my kitchen table.”
Eventually, Elder graduated with her MA in Liberal Studies in 2011. That same year, she was also the recipient of the Joshua L. Smith Award, which is presented to a graduate of the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program who demonstrates outstanding achievement and has a career focused in education.
Today, that career entails days as a certified Cognitive Coaching Intervention instructor, one who helps third- to fifth-grade students struggling with math. Elder assists students and teachers from 20 different rooms, and provides intervention services for students in third, fourth, and fifth grade. She also performs cognitive coaching and curriculum consulting with the teachers in her district, and coordinates science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities in kindergarten through fifth grade.
In addition to all this, she’s working on her national board certification, while spending her summers online, but now as an instructor.
“I teach Tech-Infused Book Studies, where teachers simultaneously learn technology skills, such as using Google forms, social media for teachers, or creating surveys online,” says Elder, who teaches as many as six online courses. “I do it through the context of interesting books about education, such as, “Quiet: The Powers of Introverts,” “Lost at School,” “Paraprofessionals Guide to Inclusive Classrooms,” or “Yardsticks.” I also teach about math fluency in elementary classrooms, using web quests and online resources.”
Looking back at the education and training that’s delivered her to her current state of contribution, Elder would certainly count Excelsior College as a vital online resource. According to the proud alum, Excelsior opened her eyes to a learning environment she’s never experienced before, and taught her how to make connections through this environment. And because of modern education’s current data-driven climate, utilized data must be more anecdotal.
“‘The student doesn’t get it’ isn’t the answer,” says Elder. “Excelsior got me in the mode to think very critically, and this [has been] extremely valuable.”
It’s been a long and winding journey, one that continues in a way she planned once she enrolled in Excelsior more than 10 years ago. Some would’ve been exhausted and possibly frustrated by her career trajectory, but not Elder. She believes she’s right where she’s fated to be, touched by the mystery of serendipity—all while basking in the satisfaction of a career path she remains passionate about.
“I don’t like to think of education as a business. It’s more of a calling. I love what I do, and I can’t stop doing it—even though it’s the toughest job I’ve ever had,” she says. “You really have to love what you do. This job lets you be creative and follow your passion while helping kids get excited about learning. What could be better than that?”
Students should ask questions, no matter what they’re about. “I can’t imagine how many times I asked my advisor questions,” she says. “But no matter how many I asked, she was always responsive. At a normal college, you couldn’t ask your advisor questions at 2 a.m. It seemed like they didn’t have working hours [at Excelsior] because someone was always there.”
Do as much of it while you can. “I wish I did more networking” says Elder. “Go to as many events as possible. You never know who you’ll meet and what impact they could have on your life.”
The most important traits in the field? Confidence and flexibility. “You have to really know your content,” says Elder. “When kids don’t respond the way you want them to, you have to be prepared in order to react in that moment. You have to be responsive to what can influence good behavior, and ask yourself a lot of questions all the time.”
Life doesn’t stop while you go back to school. It’s a juggling act, and Excelsior students should know this. “One thing I wish I knew while I was getting my degree is how much harder school is with children,” says Elder. “I always wished I could have given even more time to my studies then I already did, but that’s life and you learn from doing.”
But as much of a juggling act as college can be, Elder’s experience was with a college that catered to her multifaceted lifestyle. “Excelsior was the only way I could handle two little kids while working toward my master’s degree,” she says. “In college, you’re devoting all of your time to your education. When you go to Excelsior, you’re not only giving time to your studies, but you’re also factoring in a job and a family most of the time. Life happens, but there’s no reason you can’t get it done.”
Justin Marier fills a lot of roles. He’s a meter electrician, executive board member for his local union, president of the village, vice president of the school district’s board of education, and a eucharistic minister for his church. He’s also a devoted husband and father of three. Even with these demanding responsibilities, he manages to find time to keep studying, keep learning, keep working toward his Associate in Applied Science in Administrative and Management Studies.
Marier, of South Range, MI, earned an associate degree in electronics technology from Northern Michigan University in 2002 and shortly after, got a job at the Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO), where he has worked for the past 15 years. Over the years, he has held positions as a meter reader, apprentice line electrician, clerk, and meter electrician. He is also an active executive board member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 510.
IBEW and UPPCO encourage their members and employees to take advantage of educational benefits to advance in their careers, and the partnership discount IBEW has with Excelsior drew Marier to the college. “With the benefits of a tuition reimbursement program through my employer and the unique tuition deferral program at Excelsior, it was almost as if I had to search for a reason not to go back to school,” he says. He adds that it was the right time to start something new and fresh after being out of school for so long.
The tuition discount, Marier says, was a big help to his family, considering his son is also in college. “The fact that Excelsior made it affordable and convenient with their payment options, just gave me a feeling of ease in the decision,” he says. He adds that it helped make the choice to return to college that much easier. The enrollment process was also easy, he says. “From the moment that I started the application process, I had individualized help from Excelsior…I was worried that it would be a daunting process, but the admissions group at Excelsior made it painless and really eased my anxiety about moving forward with this new adventure.”
Pursuing an associate degree in business is a chance to try something new outside the world of electronics, he says. “I’ve always been interested in how businesses work in general, and it really seemed like something that I could easily motivate myself to do,” says Marier.
Though he has the motivation, it has been difficult to find time to study, between taking care of three children, having a full-time job, and being actively involved in his community. His biggest challenge has been sticking to a schedule, but with Excelsior’s flexibility, he says, “I found myself studying and doing homework whenever I could find free time, whether it’s on a break at work, late at night after the kids go to sleep, or on a rainy day on the weekend.”
Marier has found Excelsior’s course structure to be beneficial, too. “The courses are so well organized through its Canvas Learning System, and the flexibility of completing assignments and discussions around my own schedule was a real life saver,” he says, and adds that his instructors were always willing to go the extra mile to answer any questions or concerns.
The courses that he has enjoyed the most are financial accounting, business ethics, and labor relations. “Financial accounting really opened up my eyes to the complex world of accounting and why it’s so important for the success of a business. Business ethics showed me how important ethics are in a leadership position or positions of authority,” he says. He adds that he learned a lot in business ethics that applies in his work and home life. With the labor relations course, Marier was able to explore the history of the labor movement on a deeper level. “This [labor relations] is the bread and butter of where my experiences are, and it was great to be able to gain a different perspective about how labor relations work,” he says.
Marier knew online learning with Excelsior was right for him because it helped with his busy life, and he encourages others to consider the non-traditional learning style, saying, “If you’re like me and have been considering going back to school, don’t be afraid to take that leap with Excelsior. They understand how hectic life is and work with you to make it as convenient and stress free as they possibly can.” Marier also points out that it was beneficial to learn alongside students in similar situations as him.
“I haven’t earned my degree yet, but I’m hopeful that once I do have it, it will open up some new doors and new possibilities for me,” says Marier of his future prospects. He wants to return to Excelsior to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business or electrical engineering technology. Whatever he chooses, he is ready for the adventure. He says, “The road of life is always twisting and turning and you just have to be willing to swerve once in a while to find your path.”
Some degrees provide students a start toward a desired profession. Others provide employees in-depth enhancement of knowledge and training necessary to advance in their current careers.
Take Excelsior College graduate, Joanna Lew. The Pennsylvania native was a nuclear operator for nearly seven years when she considered adding to her higher education credentials. Working at one of the United States’ largest power production facilities in Tonopah, Arizona, she served as an instructor within Arizona Public Service’s Operations Department, guiding non-licensed operators through initial and continual training.
But in order to advance in her profession and be more equipped to educate the next generation of nuclear operators, Lew knew she needed the comprehensive training accessible through a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering technology. After learning of the ability to transfer credits from her time with the U.S. Navy and a previous bachelor’s program, Lew decided to pursue this degree with Excelsior College.
After graduating with a 3.66 GPA in 2017, the recipient of the College’s prestigious Dr. Robert L. Long Award for Academic Excellence in Nuclear Engineering Technology is now surging forward with U.S. energy provider Exelon, and she’s glad she chose to enhance her vocational expertise with Excelsior.
“The degree has helped to solidify my technical understanding, as well as open future doors for advancement,” said Lew. “There are potential opportunities that would not be an option for me if I did not have the NET degree.”
The degree in nuclear engineering technology was her second bachelor’s degree, and she says having the degree was one of the reasons she was accepted into the Villanova School of Business, where she started on her MBA in summer 2017.
The opportunities came at work, too. She was recently promoted to a supervisor in I&C (instrumentation and controls) maintenance after serving as acting maintenance and technical training manager from October 2018 through January 2019. Prior to that, she had been the lead instructor for Exelon’s non-licensed initial and continuing training programs. For that position, Lew notes her leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and experience in the industry was critical to her developing a high proficiency in the material she reviewed with future operators-in-training. But with her nuclear engineering technology focus during her time with Excelsior, Lew was able to deepen her topical knowledge for the benefit of her fellow instructors, as well as of her current and future classes.
“I used my nuclear engineering technology degree regularly when discussing technical plant design and operation with my operations students,” says Lew.
That’s one of the benefits of successfully navigating a program renowned for adjusting to professional trends and providing students with the most up-to-date understanding of industry needs. This helped Lew hone her aptitude in her career field, then take that career to the next level. Now that she’s there and thriving, she can look back at the experience as enriching—and viable for others seeking the same professional enhancement.
“Earning my degree with Excelsior was rewarding,” says Lew. “It was the culmination of years of hard work, and I’m proud to have done it. I recommend it to a lot of people in my industry.”
For those in a specified field like nuclear training, networking tips directed toward industry personnel or fellow workers in the field would be the norm. But for Lew, she sees non-associated entities just as important for individuals looking to make professional connections. “Get involved with outside organizations,” says Lew, “like non-profits or your local chamber of commerce.”
The typical Excelsior student juggles multiple commitments outside the coursework necessary for eventual degree completion. Lew was no different, but she was successful by abiding by a stable schedule. “Make sure you are consistent,” she says. “If discussion questions are due every Thursday, make sure you set time aside before their due date.”
Everyone needs help to find a successful end of an educational path. It takes a lot of time and work—and with plenty of obstacles thrown in the way—so you need something pushing you to completion. For Lew, desire for her degree drove everything. “The finish line was my motivator,” says Lew. “Being in my industry for 10 years when I graduated, it was important for me to earn my degree, and prove I am capable of the technical just as much as the non-technical aspects of the job.”
One would assume that impactful career advice doled out in a nuclear training sector would be too scientific for mainstream consumption. Not the case. According to Lew, the most useful advice she’s received is applicable to any student, in any career—and pertains to professional attire. “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.”
With the opioid addiction crisis, there has been much media and social media attention on addiction and the impacts on the person, their loved ones, and communities. With increased publicity can often come a resurgence of misinformation. This article can help you learn what addiction is and what it is not.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction as a chronic disorder, characterized by compulsive seeking of a substance, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes to the brain. Numerous research characterize addiction as a disease of the brain, and a key feature of addiction is the propensity to relapse, or to go back to using the substance despite efforts to stop. People can become addicted to many substances. We all have heard about addiction to alcohol, nicotine, illegal drugs, certain prescription medications like opioids and stimulants, and even gambling. People can also become addicted to food, non-alcoholic beverages (coffee and energy drinks), sex, exercise, shopping, the internet (social media), video games, television, and other forms of technology. It often surprises people to learn that addiction is not necessarily to a substance. Many addictions are behavior-based. Key features of addiction are an inability to quit and a desperate need for more, despite the negative consequences.
People become addicted for any number of reasons. Someone usually starts out using a substance, or performing an activity, out of curiosity or peer pressure. As the object of addiction is ingested or performed, the “reward center” of the brain is engaged. Specifically, dopamine, often called the pleasure hormone, is released. For those who become addicted, the pleasure becomes a driving need. They seek out the substance or behavior increasingly, until they become dependent on it. Sometimes this conversion from pleasure to need is slow, but for some, the need develops quickly.
Addiction is a biopsychosocial disease, like other chronic diseases. With psychological and emotional addiction, a person craves the substance or behavior and needs it to feel good. People may become anxious, irritable, or even depressed when they cannot engage in an addictive behavior. As the disease progresses, people may exhibit denial about the extent of the problem. As the brain chemistry changes over time, the need becomes increasingly physical. Here, we start to see symptoms like increased tolerance and withdrawal. While tolerance can be subtle in onset — the person is using more and more to get the desired dopamine release —withdrawal is extremely challenging for the addicted person and their loved ones. Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, shaking, hallucinations, and more. It is hard to separate the emotional, psychological, and physical facets of addiction.
There are many misassumptions about addiction, and some of these can derail a person from admitting a problem, seeking treatment, and staying free from the addiction. Now that we have discussed some facts about addictions, let’s debunk a few myths.
In her free time, you can find Carmen Roberts running, walking, or simply being outdoors and active. She’d tell you she’s mostly busy raising two daughters and spending time with family and friends at her home in Maryland. Roberts has lots going on in her life, but the registered dietitian has found time to teach for Excelsior College, and works to motivate her students to succeed and thrive in their careers.
Roberts has been a dietitian for more than 20 years. Most of her career has been spent in hospital management and dietetics education at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore. Over the past 10 years, however, Roberts says she has transitioned into other areas, including corporate wellness, senior nutrition, teaching, and writing on topics such as fitness and nutrition. She began teaching for Excelsior in 2010, instructing courses in stress management, health and wellness, and exercise for health. She currently teaches HSC 403 Nutrition for Wellness—a course that she developed.
One of the things that drew Roberts to Excelsior was the flexibility of the online learning environment. It allowed her to balance her family obligations with teaching. It has also brought her into contact with many different people. “I have been able to ‘meet’ hundreds of students from all over the world with fascinating backgrounds—each of them has contributed something unique to each course I have taught,” Roberts says. She adds that an online learning environment “opens up many doors” for people, both in terms of convenience and experiences.
Roberts worked on her master’s degree at night at a traditional four-year university while working full-time. “In my opinion, the educational environment today allows for more practical applications through projects and other mentoring experiences,” she says. Roberts puts this belief to practice when teaching. For example, in HSC 403, she has her students write an educational newsletter instead of a paper. Students choose to direct their nutrition-related publication toward their workplace, school, or community organization. “I love that they are creating something that they can actually use to educate others. It’s a great way to apply what they’ve learned in the course,” she says.
Roberts’ creativity and practicality can be seen in her counseling work, as well. As far as counseling is concerned, she says, “People aren’t going to change their nutrition or exercise habits until you can truly gain an understanding of what barriers have been in their way…It is my job to find out what their obstacles are and to help my clients overcome them to achieve long-term success.” This approach relates to advice she gives her students who are entering or moving ahead in their careers: Be a good listener. Since many of her students take her course for personal health reasons, Roberts interacts with these students in much as the same way as she does with her clients. Students also interact with each other on the discussion boards and Roberts says, “At the end of the course, students share what they’ve learned and how they will apply what they’ve learned in their personal lives.”
To Roberts, this sense of community among Excelsior students is a special trait. She says, “Excelsior students are my favorite students to work with because I feel like we all share a common bond online. Even though we aren’t meeting face-to-face, everyone is incredibly supportive of each other and I think that helps the students stay motivated to succeed.” She understands Excelsior students are juggling many hats and believes that for them to thrive, they must be organized, motivated, and interested in the subject matter.
Roberts suggests students set priorities in all aspects of their lives so they can achieve the best results. “Don’t wait until the last minute to let your instructor know if you’re struggling or need assistance or more time for a project,” she adds. Like her students, Roberts has learned the value of good time management skills: “Just as students put a lot of effort into completing their assignments, teachers need to allow ample time to grade assignments in order to give constructive feedback to students. This requires setting time aside each day to grade assignments and participate in discussions.”
It takes a lot of time, organization, and motivation to succeed as a student, but Roberts’ creative teaching is sure to help them do well. She also has some advice for her students who are on the hunt for a job. She recommends students shadow someone in a position they are interested in and inquire about internships, even if they are unpaid. She says, “Let everyone you know—friends, family, coworkers, and other students—what your long-term goals are. You’d be surprised how many people want to help you achieve your goals.”
Few would dispute that Gandhi was a good leader who inspired a loyal following through his own self-sacrifice and in the service of a cause. His type of leadership style, servant leadership, can be traced to the writings of a philosopher and poet of ancient China, Lao-Tzu, but an increasing number of modern leadership and management thinkers have also embraced the ideas of servant leadership. Its relevance and popularity is growing as a result.
In the 5th century, Lao-Tzu wrote about leadership and suggested, “the highest type of ruler is one of whose existence the people are barely aware.” The modern interpretation of servant leadership, however, comes from the writings of Robert Greenleaf, who coined the phrase “servant leadership” in a 1970 essay entitled, “The Servant as Leader.” He sums up servant leadership in the following passage:
“The servant-leader is servant first … It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.”
To put it simply, the servant-leader strives to share power and help the development and performance of their team.
Greenleaf outlined 10 principles to guide the development and application of Servant leadership:
Edward D. Hess, a professor of business administration at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, says years of careful research have indicated that many leaders in today’s most successful organizations don’t conform to the stereotype of charismatic and commanding individuals. Instead they are servant-leaders, who lead by example through their daily behavior. Servant leadership delivers high performance in organizations as diverse as Best Buy, UPS, Ritz Carlton, Room & Board, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Southwest Airlines, Levy Restaurants, the San Antonio Spurs, and TSYS.
In a world in which the ethics of business have recently been brought into the spotlight by high profile cases such as Wells Fargo, the behavior of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, and Cambridge Analytica and its implications for the ethical reputation of Facebook and its management, servant leadership has the potential to remedy the failings of the traditional command and control structure of business. Servant leadership offers a more ethical and principled approach to leadership, particularly in a world that is more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous.
You can learn more about leadership styles in an online Bachelors of Business degree program.
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.
