Faculty Focus: Kathryn Saintcross

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

More from Kathryn Saintcross:

Important skills for success

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

Why Excelsior works for today’s students

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

An under-the-radar benefit of the Excelsior experience

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

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

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

 

Portable Careers for Military Spouses

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

It’s not always easy for spouses of active-duty military members to maintain successful careers when dealing with the uncertainty and fluctuation of frequently moving from base to base. So, selecting jobs that are portable and skills that are transferable is crucial for those spouses looking to work while their partners are serving.

Individual skills are often what drive portable careers, which makes a sound, well-rounded education even more valuable should you have to shift to a new market and new employers. When looking for a portable career, it’s usually best to start with what interests you most and what experience and skills you possess (or are interested in learning). Make sure to consider the value of transferable skills such as communication, leadership, information management, organization, project management, research, and data analysis.

Ranked the No. 4 best college by Military Times in 2018, Excelsior College has a proven track record helping military spouses apply portable skills to degrees that support flexible jobs and either allow people to work from home or are available in most communities.

Whether you’re thinking of working as an independent contractor or looking for a career that travels, the following areas of study at Excelsior support some of the most portable jobs for military spouses.

Business

Excelsior’s business degrees provide an excellent foundation that can apply across various jobs and give you the expertise, leadership skills, and business sense you need to either start or scale your own company or provide value for small to large businesses across a host of different sectors.

These Excelsior business concentrations are frequently considered among the best for portable jobs for military spouses: finance, accounting, and marketing.

 Health Sciences

Rooted in the connection of science to health, the field of health sciences is becoming increasingly popular for students looking for jobs that transfer across multiple markets. For instance, the job market for pharmacy technicians is expected to grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

If you love exercise and healthy living, job opportunities for therapists, trainers, and nutritionists are plentiful in many communities, and would fall under Excelsior’s Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (Health and Wellness emphasis) program.

Liberal Arts

A liberal arts degree will give you experience and knowledge that is diverse enough to provide options should your location change throughout your career. Writing, especially, is valuable in virtually every job, so a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Professional and Technical Writing would prepare you for a variety of work environments.

Most importantly, according to the Economic and Fiscal Impact Report from CGR Inc., a liberal arts degree pays for itself in 1.8 years. So it’s a worthwhile investment in your personal and professional future. Among the degree options in Excelsior’s Liberal Arts program, concentrations in logistics, psychology, and professional and technical writing, as well as a degree in psychology, are excellent options for those looking for transferable jobs.

Nursing

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that employment of registered nurses is expected to grow by 15 percent from 2016–2026, more than double the rate of all occupations. With hospitals and health care systems often among the largest employers in many markets, this field is one of the country’s hottest right now.

Designated a 2016–2021 Center of Excellence in Nursing Education, Excelsior offers accredited nursing programs, from associate to master’s, and is especially popular with nurses wanting to advance their careers.

Course Feature: ENG 201: Writing for the Professions

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

ENG 201: Writing for the Professions helps students improve the writing skills necessary for success in academic study and workplace application. Focus is given to how to conduct and present research in academic and workplace settings, and students practice developing persuasive arguments that are well supported and clearly presented. The 15-week structure gives students time to practice using the Excelsior College Library, choosing sources, paraphrasing and summarizing, outlining, writing, and revising.

In its “Job Outlook 2018” survey, the National Association of Colleges and Employers discovered employers look for written communication skills as one of the top three attributes on job candidate resumes. More than 80 percent of respondents said this was important to them. Ben Pearson, faculty program director for the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies and writing says, “This class helps students to develop each of these skills and to gain confidence in their abilities. Students who have completed this class should be comfortable identifying and defining workplace problems, researching them using high-quality sources, and effectively communicating solutions.”

Pearson adds that any student looking to attend graduate school would be interested in this class. “The class is also ideal for students who may someday have to conduct research or write reports in other settings, including business, government, and the non-profit sector,” he says. For their research topic in the course, students select a problem related to their professional or academic field and a write a paper proposing a solution.

Students and faculty alike have had positive reviews of the course. Student comments include: “This should be the first writing class that an advisor should tell you to take…the semester length and logical order made paper writing very easy.” and “Overall, I think was a great course. It is imperative that every nurse knows how to do a research paper and how to cite it appropriately. In addition, this course has taught me how to write clearly and concisely. I will definitely use this knowledge in any future writing that I do.”

Instructor Crystal Sands remarks, “The class is structured to help students develop a stronger writing process…Not only are students getting a chance to improve their writing skills, they are getting an important opportunity to delve into the academic research in their fields, which helps them develop a beginning understanding of scholarship in their disciplines.” Instructor David Izzo adds that he could’ve used a course in professional writing as an undergrad to prepare him for resume writing as he entered the job market and business world. The opportunity for students to apply what they’ve learned to their own career also stands out. Instructor Linda Joffe Marciano describes the course as a “choose-your-own-learning-adventure” experience, and says “it gives students the chance to hone their research and academic writing skills by focusing on an issue or problem related to their professional interests and goals. It’s an opportunity for students to indulge their own curiosity and really focus on a single issue or problem for the duration of an entire course, while sharpening their academic writing skills at the same time.”

If you’d like to improve your writing skills and prepare yourself for the workplace setting, consider signing up for ENG 201: Writing for the Professions next semester.

Becoming a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Is your institution a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education? Excelsior College is designated as one by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in recognition of its Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program. If you’re looking to become accredited, you’re in luck; Excelsior is beginning to mentor other institutions seeking this designation.

For some background, the NSA and DHS jointly sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) program, whose goal is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense and producing professionals with cyber defense expertise for the nation.

The CAE-CD program comprises the following designations: Four-Year Baccalaureate/Graduate Education, Two-Year Education and Research. All regionally accredited two-year, four-year, and graduate-level institutions in the United States are eligible to apply for this exciting distinction! But, prospective schools are only designated after meeting stringent CAE criteria and mapping curricula to a core set of cyber defense knowledge units. Schools may also elect to map their curricula to specialized focus areas. Bragging rights abound because once designated, CAE-CD institutions receive formal recognition from the U.S. government as well as other opportunities for prestige and publicity.

Excelsior offers cybersecurity-related programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, including:

Each of these programs have been certified by the National Security Agency to meet the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) training standards. The college is also home to the National Cybersecurity Institute, an academic center dedicated to assisting government, industry, military, and academic sectors meet the challenges in cybersecurity policy, technology, and education!

Excelsior’s BS in Cybersecurity has two options —a general cybersecurity track and a cyber operations concentration, in which students acquire the knowledge needed to solve cyber incidents. In both, students receive training in areas such as cyberattacks and defenses, computer forensics, cryptography, and risk management. Students engage in hands-on applications via simulations, exercises, and labs in cybersecurity. The school’s cybersecurity degree is one of Excelsior’s focal programs. To give you an idea of why it’s so popular, it is rigorous with input from industry leaders, has affordable tuition and low student fees, and is flexible with online classes that accommodate students’ schedules. Additionally, Excelsior was ranked No.2 in a ranking of Best Online Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity in 2018 by bestcolleges.com. (To view the ranking details, visit https://www.bestcolleges.com/features/top-online-bachelors-in-cybersecurity/)

To learn more about the requirements to receive designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, visit https://www.iad.gov/nietp/CAERequirements.cfm

Getting a Slice of the Pie: James Messenger Proves Working Hard Pays Off

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

James Messenger wants to show his 4-year-old niece that through perseverance and dedication, good things can happen. So far, the restaurant general manager has been a very good role model, moving up in his career with Pizza Hut over the past four years and completing an Associate in Applied Science in Administrative/Management Studies with Excelsior College (June 2018).

Messenger followed the traditional route of going to a community college after he graduated from high school but quickly discovered that wasn’t for him. So, he gave up on pursuing his higher education. That is, until he learned at a corporate meeting that he could attend college without having to pay any tuition. Messenger spoke to his area coach and mentor, who encouraged him to pursue his education, saying it would help him move up in the company.

Messenger found Excelsior’s online programs were perfect for him. “To me, I learn better online; I always have. When I was doing the traditional classes, I didn’t want to get up and go, whereas online I can kind of do it at my own pace and pick my days that I want to do the schoolwork—it made it a lot easier,” he says of Excelsior’s online, flexible programs.

Messenger works 50 hours a week and has an hour commute—each way—to his Pizza Hut store. Excelsior’s course structure fit in with his busy schedule. Each course syllabus helpfully laid out all the assignments which helped him plan in advance. “At one point when I was taking 2–3 classes at once, I knew exactly when everything was due. I didn’t really have to think about it…It was straightforward. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be with the online,” says Messenger.

The set-up suited Messenger just fine. With supervising 26 people at a store that sees roughly 25,000–30,000 orders a week, he is busy and needs all the time he can get. The easiest way he discovered to balance his work and school was to make the store’s work schedule so his days off became the days his assignments for school were due. That way he could make sure he could get the work done and in on time. Sometimes he would try to complete all his schoolwork for the week in one day. He was careful not to wear himself out, though. Messenger explains, “I managed my time so I wasn’t burning myself out. I would do an hour of work and then take a 30-minute break; kind of walk around, watch an episode of TV, and then go right back to school work.”

He liked that Excelsior faculty staff were always there when he needed them. “Every time I needed help, you guys were always a phone call away,” he says. When Hurricane Irma knocked out his internet for a week and a half, Excelsior instructors were understanding and gave him extensions.

Now, Messenger encourages his fellow Pizza Hut colleagues to pursue their education with Excelsior. He is trying to get one his fellow restaurant general managers to enroll in the College because she saw how easy it was for him.

As for Messenger? Pursuing more education might not be in his future. “I like being a boss…the stuff I’ve learned so far has actually helped me become a better boss at the store I work at,” he says. He likes being with Pizza Hut, too. He cites that after his mentor passed away, Pizza Hut took care of his family, even putting away money into college savings accounts for his three children. Messenger enjoys working for a company that is loyal to its employees. He sees a future with the company. Someday he’d like to become an area coach, and follow the path of his late mentor. “I like working with food, I like working with people…There’s no two days that are ever the same…I like different, I like surprises. It makes the job better; more fun,” says Messenger.

Just four years ago, Messenger began his career as a Pizza Hut delivery driver. Many good things have happened since. The youngest of four children, he was the first to earn a college degree when he completed his associate degree at Excelsior. He can certainly be proud telling his niece that hard work does, indeed, pay off.

How to Survive Your First Job as a RN

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

You made it; you’ve graduated with your associate degree in nursing. Congratulations! Now, what do you do as a newly minted registered nurse (RN)? Hopefully, some of you have found a RN position in a hospital that offers a residency program for new graduates. If you have, you’re one of the lucky ones.

A hospital-based residency program is for new graduate RNs and RNs with less than 6 months of hospital experience. During this year-long program, you will be paired with a preceptor on the nursing unit where you were hired to work and participate in scheduled seminars. According to the Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare Nurse Residency Program, the intent of a nurse residency program is to develop “…residents’ leadership skills, analysis of evidence through reviews of literature, application of outcomes data to patient care improvements and professional development.”

Whether or not you are participating in a nurse residency program, as a new RN you still need to take care of yourself. Why? It’s not easy to be an RN. As a student, your time in the clinical setting was limited to the hours designated by your nursing program to accommodate classroom work and the organizations where your clinical experience took place. It is very likely the nursing position you obtain following graduation may be anywhere from a seven- to a 12-hour day. The stress of learning the system in your new work environment, taking care of patients, and becoming a team player may have you feeling exhausted by the end of each day.

You may be anxious as you begin your new job. It’s not unusual for new graduates to feel anxious about being a RN because now the lives of individuals are in your hands and you no longer have the safety net of being a student. It’s important to learn how to manage the anxiety before it impacts your work and personal life. There are numerous ways to deal with anxiety and many of them do not cost anything. For example, you can practice deep breathing, exercise, meditate, alter your diet, engage in positive self-talk, or find another activity that promotes relaxation.

A part of anxiety is being afraid of what you don’t know. As a new graduate RN, it’s helpful to remember that caring for patients while in nursing school is not comparable to working as a staff RN in a busy hospital. A patient crisis does not include the simulation dummy and there may not be the luxury of a debriefing once the crisis is over because you have other patients needing your attention. The good news is that real-life nursing does not mean you must know everything there is to know about taking care of patients. Give yourself time to learn the specifics of what is required for the patient population you are caring for.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help. Your preceptor is your guide and teacher for a specified period and he/she will gladly answer your questions and provide help. It is always better to ask for assistance in verifying a medication dosage or repositioning a patient than completing the task and later discovering you made a mistake. Your preceptor is there to assure you have mastered the necessary skills for patient care as well as help you learn the culture of the nursing unit. As a new graduate RN, it is important to know that you do not have to do everything by yourself to prove to others you can do it.

You’re proud of yourself for having made it through nursing school and passed your RN-NCLEX—and you should be! You may not be done with your educational journey, though. In health care, there’s always the opportunity to learn new skills. Medications are evolving, and newer surgical procedures and technological advances require you to learn new information. This means you may be attending continuing education classes or keeping up with the latest trends in journal articles. There may also be opportunities during your first year as a RN to transfer to a different nursing unit, which would also require learning new skills. Continuing education is a part of being a RN, and in many states, it is a requirement of licensure to achieve a specified number of hours of continuing education in every renewal cycle.

No matter what your first year holds, it is bound to be an exciting one. Remember to ask questions, remember what you’ve learned, be mindful of your surroundings, and above all, enjoy your new career as a licensed RN!

 

Graduates Celebrate Commencement 2018

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Over 400 Graduates Attended Commencement on July 13, 2018

It was hot and humid on July 13, 2018, but that didn’t stop more than 400 graduates, their families, and their friends from celebrating Commencement 2018 in downtown Albany, New York. With their loved ones looking on, the graduates crossed the stage at the Empire State Plaza Convention Hall to celebrate the end of many months or years of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, but even more so, the realization of a dream come true.

Graduates came from across the United States and the world to celebrate earning their degrees; from Louisiana and Georgia, to Australia and Japan. Thirty-three percent of our graduates were active military or veterans. The oldest graduate was Bachelor of Science in Business graduate Jon Anderson from Avondale, Arizona, at 72 years old, and our youngest graduate was Dorothy Jean Tillman from Chicago, Illinois, at 12 years old, who received a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts. Four hundred  graduates came to Commencement, but the class of 2018 comprises 5,077 graduates with 5,137 degrees earned.

President Baldwin addressed the crowd, reminding everyone that at Excelsior, “We have a unique contribution to the realization of the American promise that anyone regardless of their economic or social status should be free to earn their degree.” Indeed, this year’s graduates came with unique backgrounds and fascinating stories, but one thing was certain: they all worked hard to earn their degree.

Veterans, Families and International Graduates Attended Commencement

Melinda Villena, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Technology, flew from Japan with her family to attend commencement. It took Villena, who is in the Navy, 17 years to earn her degree and she was excited to be the first of her siblings to earn a bachelor’s and be a role model for her daughter. Greg and Vonda Loats and their daughter, Faith Potter, earned their degrees this year and were happy to celebrate together as they all walked the stage on Friday. Lakeya Collins traveled from Georgia to celebrate receiving her associate degree in nursing in honor of her late son. She credited many late nights and practicing with other classmates as a way she persevered. She was determined to complete her degree and show her other two children that even when tragedy strikes, you can make it through and accomplish anything.

Graduates came together with friends, family, and Excelsior staff and faculty to celebrate this momentous occasion. It was only one day, but the degrees graduates earned and the memories they made will be a reminder of their accomplishments and dreams fulfilled.

Helping Veterans Transition: Troops to Energy Jobs

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Excelsior College is a Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD)-recognized school sponsored by Entergy and EPCE. CEWD supports Troops to Energy Jobs, an organization that works with the U.S. Departments of Defense, Labor, and Energy, and state agencies, as well as community colleges, unions, the American Council on Education, ACT Inc., and Kuder Inc., to create a unique partnership between the U.S. military and the energy industry.

Troops to Energy Jobs provides veterans with tools and information they need for entry into utility and engineering occupations within the energy industry. High-growth energy careers today include engineers, line workers, plant operators, technicians, pipefitters, and security officers. These jobs are both challenging and rewarding, and provide competitive compensation and growth opportunities. With their extensive military training and experience, many veterans already have the skills and knowledge required for energy careers; they just need a pathway to successful job placement.

 

Troops to Energy Jobs offers veterans the opportunity to easily enter the industry, regardless of their geographic location or desired company. Benefits include:

  • A customized approach for each individual veteran;
  • The opportunity to learn about careers that match their military training and experience;
  • College credit for their military training and experience;
  • Connection to other veterans who have transitioned to the energy industry;
  • Accelerated training opportunities;
  • Credentials that are transferable between companies; and
  • An availability of extensive resources.

Troops to Energy Jobs helps veterans obtain their degrees by applying their relevant military education and experience to college credit recommendations. The program also identifies and develops curriculum to bridge the gaps between veterans’ military education and experience and the required skills for energy jobs. The curriculum is based on industry-supported guidelines that leverage existing courses and best practices. A strong education network of post-secondary institutions, including community and technical colleges and four-year institutions, provides veterans with career pathway programs for the energy industry, as well as online, accelerated programs, and prior learning assessment options.

Troops to Energy Jobs provides a variety of employment entry points for veterans, including internships, to higher-skilled energy jobs, as well as workforce development programs. Companies that wish to be a selected Troops to Energy Jobs employer must meet specific criteria. They are required to designate experts who are versed in workforce development and the military to serve as career coaches to veterans in the first six months of employment, and veteran employees are asked to serve as mentors. Troops to Energy Jobs employers also need to provide financial support for veterans as they transition to the energy industry.

 

For more information, visit www.troopstoenergyjobs.com

Managing Conflict as a Nurse

Posted on by Ellen LaDieu

As a registered nurse, you have the potential to run into conflict every day in various ways, such as with a patient/client, a patient’s/client’s family, a fellow RN, a supervisor, an employee reporting to you, an ordering health care provider (HCP), interprofessional team members, and even yourself. As RNs, our role is one carried out with and through others, so the potential to be challenged with conflict is high. Conflict can be avoided, mismanaged, or managed. We may avoid conflict by ignoring it, thinking of what we will say next, changing the subject, etc. We may mismanage conflict by insisting “we are right,” by blaming others, and by not listening. We can manage conflict and grow from the experience, leading to a win-win outcome.

Conflict management has long-been addressed in the nursing workforce with various views and recommendations. The basic principles of the recommendations focus on effective, respectful communication, openness, and willingness to collaborate. The recommendations remind me of Dr. Jean Watson’s Caring Science theory and her “Ten Caritas Processes.” Watson stresses listening from the perspective of the other person rather than our own perspective.

Watson’s Caritas processes can be guiding principles for us to follow in conflict situations. The Caritas processes and the key words that can be applied to conflict are:

#1 Practice compassion

#2 Honoring self and other

#4 Develop loving trusting relationships

#5 Encourage and express positive and negative

#6   Creative problem solving, “solution seeking”

Visit here  for more on Watson’s work.

“I” statements are also a recommendation for how to effectively communicate by being assertive and respectful. In her book Confident Voices, Beth Boynton suggests using this method and adding your own specific details to compose your message.:

“I feel [blank] when you[blank] because[blank] and I would like [blank].”

This approach allows us to:

  • identify how we are feeling in a situation
  • state why we feel that way
  • indicate what change we are seeking

Using this guiding method can help us to create messages that will be heard more effectively. Creating the message in a respectful way is crucial. If we were to personalize this message in a blaming manner, it would likely not help.

For example, consider the three versions of statements/messages for one situation:

Message A: You never tell me of changes and you make it difficult for me to do my job. You drive me nuts.

Message B: I feel mad at you when you do not alert me to crucial changes because then I cannot do my job. I want you to make telling me of changes your No. 1 priority.

Message C: I feel anxious and unprepared when I am not aware of crucial changes because I then carry out my job without considering the changes and possible need to modify my work. I would like you to share knowledge of changes with me as soon as practical.

Message A is written from a blaming point of view, and the nurse is just sending out emotions and unfiltered thoughts. This message not likely to be heard or considered thoughtfully.

Message B is written using the “I” message method, yet it is blaming in nature. It continues to focus on the other person and the “bad” action or inaction they did. It does not separate the person and action, and is not likely to be helpful.

Message C is written using the “I” message method from a respectful, assertive point of view, valuing, and respecting both parties and seeking collaboration.

Being able to address conflict by clearly stating one’s feelings, listening to the other parties’ feelings, and collaborating can bring about healthy responses and win-win outcomes. Using this approach will help us personally and we can be a role model for others. It is reminiscent of the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

 

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.

 

 

Course Feature: BUS 311: Organizational Behavior

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

BUS 311: Organizational Behavior offers an overview of human behavior in work organizations. Students study theoretical, empirical, and applications issues from individual, interpersonal, group, and organizational perspectives. Topics covered include the overview and history of the field, perceptions, attitudes, learning processes, personality, motivation, stress, performance appraisal, group dynamics, leadership, communication, decision making, job design, organizational structure and design, organizational change, and development.

The academic study of organizational behavior was not recognized by the American Psychological Association until the 1970s, but the field goes back to the late 1920s when the Hawthorne Electric Company conducted experiments to see how changes in environment and design affected the productivity of its employees. Organizational behavior (OB) covers the study of human behavior in a work environment and determines its impact on job performance, culture, diversity, communication, motivation, power, change, management, and leadership.

It is widely held that companies should invest in OB because it provides recommendations for them to run effectively. In their school blog, the College of St. Scholastica agrees with this report, quoting Charina L. Flores, PHR, vice president of human resources for the Barbelo Group and adjunct professor at Bellevue College: “Businesses excel when employees understand how their behaviors influence an organization’s performance and enable strategy execution.” Benefits of OB include improved health and productivity, which translates to higher job satisfaction, increased productivity, and a better commitment to the company.

These ideas are covered in BUS 311: Organizational Behavior through a variety of topics from theories of organizational behavior and team building to ethical decision making to negotiation strategies. Faculty Program Director John Coy explains the course is important to human resources students and for anybody who plans to work or interact within organizations. “Understanding how people, groups, and structures affect organizations’ behaviors is critical to succeed professionally,” he says.

Coy adds that when taking the course, “students learn self-awareness and learn perspective of how they might affect and are affected by the people and environment that surrounds them. Moreover, students learn about individual and team behavior in organizations and opportunities to practice ethical decision making.” Students have benefited, saying “I have found this course helpful in my career as well as in my personal life.”

Faculty have enjoyed teaching the course, too, with comments including, “I enjoyed teaching BUS 311 because it is easy to engage the students. Everyone can relate their own experience at work or personal lives to the topics that we study in class. I like to see how my students apply theories to their experiences and make sense of situations in a totally new way. Several times, I have had students said, ‘I wish I have taken this course before.’”

If you’d like to learn more about organization behavior consider signing up for BUS 311 next term.

New Excelsior Policy Will Help FEMA Employees Complete Degrees Sooner, More Affordably

Posted on by Excelsior Staff

Excelsior College leadership is always looking for ways to help Excelsior students complete their degrees while saving money. Its latest initiative: A policy that will allow Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees and other trainees to pursue advanced college degrees at a lower cost by awarding college credit for FEMA Emergency Management Institute Independent Study coursework.

Under Excelsior’s new policy, students can now present their FEMA training record to the College’s admissions office to be evaluated for corresponding college credit. Excelsior’s ability to translate government and corporate training into college credit—through its extensive internal review process and evaluations by the American Council of Education (ACE) or accredited college institutions—has been often highlighted as one of its major strengths.

“First-responders who have invested hours and hours into FEMA training and independent study courses will now have an accelerated pathway toward completing their degree at Excelsior College,” said Lifang Shih, the dean of Excelsior’s School of Undergraduate Studies. “This will enhance their credentials and bolster their expertise in responding to emergency situations across the country.”

FEMA employees transfer in an average of 17 college credits from their training and independent study coursework. FEMA training credits, as well as additional credits earned during previous college experience, can be directed toward such options as a Bachelor of Science  in Homeland Security and Emergency Management or a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts, which can set students on the path toward pursuing a Master of Science in Public Administration or other graduate degrees.

However, this adjustment will not only help students complete their degrees sooner. The change will save thousands of dollars for FEMA employees, while also reducing the overall cost for the federal government. Savings will be earned from employees able to transfer in more credit for previous FEMA training, which means they will have fewer classes to take at Excelsior in order to complete their degree. Coupled with tuition remission and the Federal Academic Alliance tuition discount, this will allow these employees to earn a career-focused and flexible degree from Excelsior at a significantly lower cost to both students and the federal government.

“Importantly, this new academic policy at Excelsior College carries the potential to save the federal government and its employees millions of dollars in the years ahead,” Shih said. “In its work to strengthen workplace culture while supporting employee recruitment and retention, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management created the Federal Academic Alliance to combat workforce shortages and offer tuition savings for federal government employees, spouses, and domestic partners. Many federal agencies offer tuition reimbursement benefits to members of the federal workforce, adding to individual employee savings. Now, the federal government will have the opportunity to offer those benefits—and strengthen the skills of their employees—at a lower cost to taxpayers and employees.”

Learn more.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy – Lyme Disease

Posted on by lrocco

When I was told I had Lyme disease, the first question I had was, “Why me?” After all, I’m not the outdoors type; I don’t hike, camp, or anything like that. How did a tick find me? What I soon came to realize is that there were two important factors that made me vulnerable to falling prey to a tick. One was my lack of knowledge about staying safe outdoors. Because I don’t spend a lot of time outdoors, I didn’t pay attention to the serious threat of tick-borne diseases or how to prevent them. The second big factor, unknown to me, was that I had moved to a high-density tick zone in the northeastern United States. I want to share with you three questions that, if I had known their answers, may have prevented me from living with the consequences of a tick-borne disease.

  1. How do ticks hunt for prey? Ticks live in wood and leaf piles, high grass, on low-hanging branches, and in shrubs. Unknowing hosts transport them to different locations. Ticks feed on the blood of both warm-blooded and cold-blooded mammals. They sense exhaled carbon dioxide to target their prey. Most ticks are passive hunters, waiting and watching for prey to pass by and then extending a hooked front leg to latch on. They do not jump, fly, or drop down from trees. Once they latch on, they crawl higher up on the body to where skin is thinner and easier to feed, particularly around the head and neck. Other typical places to attach are the groin, armpits, and other places they can easily hide.
  2. Do ticks live in my neighborhood? The short answer is yes. Ticks can and do live everywhere in the contiguous United States and Hawaii. Different kinds of ticks bearing different strains of infection live in various parts of the country. The major infections include Lyme, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. A brochure from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives a snapshot of which ticks can be found in your region and the diseases they carry.
  3. Can I get a tick–borne disease from my pet? Yes! Pets can bring ticks into your home, which can latch on to you and your family. Your pets can also be infected with a tick-borne disease and require treatment. The Companion Animal Parasite Council provides interactive maps for tickborne illnesses, guidelines for keeping pets and their owners safe, and resources for veterinarians and pet owners.

Once bitten by the tick, my lack of information led me to do all the wrong things. I improperly removed the tick, and I didn’t recognize the symptoms. Consequently, I did not provide my physician with enough information, so I was repeatedly misdiagnosed. This phenomenon is very common with tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme.

The CDC provides all the information you need to avoid making these mistakes. With tick-borne diseases on the rise and new infections being discovered, it is important to be tick-aware. Prevention is the best way to protect your family and pets, but if you are infected, taking the right actions is imperative to get immediate and appropriate treatment and avoid potential long-term suffering.

Here are two helpful resources so that you are armed with the information you need to stay safe:

 

 

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.